While the Strasberg in NYC may be ok from what Ive heard the one in LA is a complete joke. And half the people the Strasberg community claims studied under Lee took one class with him and hated him for the rest of their career.... I think you can do a LOT better.

quote:

Originally posted by ressydm:
I asked if one would put Strasberg on the level of John Robert Powers? Is Strasberg school's reputation at that level at this point? I think not.

Though Strasberg Institute won't get you laughed out like JRP, they still have some similarities.

Do Both Bank on a Famous Dead Guy's name? YES

Do both cost more than $1000 to attend? YES

Is there evidence of the teachers at both schools not being very good? YES

Also, in addition to auditing, why don't you see one of their shows. The performances are proof that the schools aren't what they used to be. I've seen old videos of performances of Strasberg's students and there is a HUGE difference.

I attended there. I will say my friends newer to the craft of acting really enjoyed it. I didn't feel challenged enough.

However - I've tried some other schools recommended on these boards and they were "meh" too. From what I've seen so far, all schools are about as "meh" as Strasberg.

But my search continues. Hopefully I'll find something.

Bill Esper is great for Meisner in NYC. He is usually voted best teacher in NYC by Backstage every year.

William Alderson is great for Meisner in LA. Both taught with Meisner for years at the Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC.

Wow, yeah, no love for the Strasberg institute on here, which I find surprising, because I've trained there for a while now and think it's great!
I will admit there are a couple of questionable teachers there, and unfortunately, those are typically the ones the auditors see.
The two teachers I've done the majority of my training with spent decades working with Lee, in addition to working with Stella, Sandy Meisner, and Kazan. Both are committed and wonderful teachers.
Yup, there are lots of foreigners there, and those students get the same student visas as students at AADA, Adler or TVI, nothing to do with green cards though.
Popeye, I think you'll get great training at either Strasberg OR Adler. I was talking to a group of actors from the Moscow Art Theatre that were visiting several months ago. They visited both schools and saw a wide sampling of classes. Some liked Adler more because it's closer to how the Moscow Art Theatre School teaches, others liked Strasberg more because of the differences. It's a personal thing, and you'll find most people who have negative things to say about Strasberg usually only trained there for months. The names that make Strasberg famous though, worked with him diligently for years. Take everything with a grain of salt, including my own comments.
Hope this helps.

Thank you all for your insight. I am still 'shopping' for the best package and class offerings. What will sway me are schools that except the Post 9/11 GI Bill. It would be the only way I probably could afford it and it's an awsome program for vets.

Richard Heene is a famous alumni of the Strasberg Institute. Oh we all know how "convincing" of an actor he was.

ressydm: I find your response straight to the point and helpful. A great message for newbies to keep in mind as they are research schools they should be exploring their desired commitments with a reality check. Acting goes beyond the schools just as any trade. It's important that the would be actor focus on the application of knowledge versus implementation of how it's learned.

Wow there really is no love for Strasbegr here.

First of all I highly suggest before anyone decides to study at a school or under a teacher that they research the technique and visit the school personally to find out if it's right for them.

That said theres alot of misinformation out here.

First of all to counter TruthTellers snarky comment about Richard Heene, there are in fact many successful actors that have studied there including Christoph Waltz, Alec Baldwin, Angelina Jolie, Will Arnett and on. Name dropping is cheap, I know, but that comment about ballon boys dad was a bit of a low blow.

Second of all the schools are run by the Strasbergs, namely his son and wife. They are at the schools on a regular basis. They have more motivation than anyone to keep the teachings intact and the school respected and have more access to works of Lee Strasberg than anyone. And if its such a dud why do private teachers of the Method such as Sharon Chatten say of the Institute "It's not just a name. They know the work."

And lastly I just have to say to anyone investigating any schools, keep an open mind because especially on these forums there are all kinds of opinions. I know people who swear by the Chubbuck studio and others who hated it. I've heard reviews both good and bad about Adler, Playhouse West etc. For however many people say there life was changed by such and suchs teaching others have nothing good to say. Someone on this board was trashing the Groundlings left and right, but the Groundlings remain the most well respected star producing improv troupe in the country. So how can somebody think so poorly of them? Because opinions are like a**holes and everyones got one. The only thing that matters is yours so go see the stuff for yourself.

Peace.

quote:

Originally posted by Jack90:

First of all to counter TruthTellers snarky comment about Richard Heene, there are in fact many successful actors that have studied there including Christoph Waltz, Alec Baldwin, Angelina Jolie, Will Arnett and on. Name dropping is cheap, I know, but that comment about ballon boys dad was a bit of a low blow.

Second of all the schools are run by the Strasbergs, namely his son and wife. They are at the schools on a regular basis. They have more motivation than anyone to keep the teachings intact and the school respected and have more access to works of Lee Strasberg than anyone.

You're naming people who studied there YEARS AGO when Lee was ACTUALLY at those schools. NONE of those famous actors you named, came out of the school recently.

The Strasberg Institute WAS a great school.

And who cares if it's run by the son and wife? They weren't masters of Strasberg's version of Method Acting.

If you seriously want to learn Strasberg, study with a respected disciple and teacher of his teachings like Lorrie Hull and her daughter

Actually Will Arnett, Sienna Miller, and Angelina Jolie all studied there after Lee's death.

Anna Strasberg and David Lee Strasberg do in fact teach and given their access to the materials of Lee's teachings and classes and their obvious intimacy with Lee himself for all the years he taught, they are very qualified to teach and run the Institutes.

Though I absolutely agree Lorrie Hull and her book are absoultely top notch.

I can only speak from the Youth perspective. Strasberg in NY was ok as a starting point, however we found after a couple of years that it was definitely time to move on and that it did not challange my daughter anymore. That being said, we have fantastic acting coach for her that was one of her instructors there then, but is no longer an employee there and other connections. Stella Adler was far better and challenging..., We also found Ted Bardy Studios to be great for Meisner and financially a very good value, and Ted is well respected as a teacher of Meisner in NYC. Willian Esper for adults always has a great reputation, Atlantic Theater School as well...

www.imdb.me/bridgetmeganclark

Lee Strasberg's wife and child would know
as much as Lee himself. Please, as a wife of an actor you live ,it breath it, feel it same as the actor himself.I have heard wonderful things about that school. My husbands coach a" guru" of Lee Strasberg is just as wonderful of a teacher /independant of the institute.

quote:

Originally posted by jjhly:
Lee Strasberg's wife and child would know
as much as Lee himself. Please, as a wife of an actor you live ,it breath it, feel it same as the actor himself.I have heard wonderful things about that school. My husbands coach a" guru" of Lee Strasberg is just as wonderful of a teacher /independant of the institute.

Not always true.

The school has really gone downhill during the last 10 years. Go audit a class and see some of their shows. It's mostly Russian and Chinese immigrants who can barely speak English. They're mainly their to get their Visas.

If you want to learn Strasberg, study with someone who actually studied with Lee and has actually dedicated their life to keeping his legacy alive like Lorrie Hull, Allan Miller, just to name a few. My Russian and Chinese friends tell me that some of the teachers at the Strasberg Institute come drunk and no, not as some "Method" thing.

TruthTeller59, it's interesting how you originally said the school died when Lee died but now it's only been the past 10 years its gone down hill So did the school just implode in 1982 or did it take until 2000 for things to slip?

I agree though, yes do go audit a class, decide for yourself whats right for you. The Strasberg technique period may not be up your alley. So go see first hand.

As for the old Visa arguments, first of all, yes LSTFI offers to assist students in obtaining Visas from the govt., who sign up to study on a full time schedule (22hrs a week, for at least 3 months.) Because it is a study Visa, during their time at Strasberg the students are not allowed to work jobs etc. they are only allowed to study.

And guess what? This study Visa program is the exact same thing being offered at AADA, Stella Adler, AMDA etc. Don't believe me, call them or check their websites. The rules and guidelines are the same everywhere for international students wishing to study. Its not some scheme exclusive to LSTFI to milk money from foreigners.

Also, for whatever reason, if you talk to foreign actors the Strasberg technique seems to be more prevalent than other methods. I don't know why, but Strasberg is known better internationally than Stella, Meisner, etc. As a reflection of this LSTFI is opening a branch in Mumbai.

Again,there are teachers at the LSTFI that studied with Lee himself, both in NY and LA, and I definitely believe his wife and son qualify under the statement "studied with Lee and has actually dedicated their life to keep his legacy alive."

And as far as drunk teachers, I agree thats highly inappropriate. Who are they? Are they still there? They should have been reported and terminated immediately.

.[/QUOTE]

Not always true.

The school has really gone downhill during the last 10 years. Go audit a class and see some of their shows. It's mostly Russian and Chinese immigrants who can barely speak English. They're mainly their to get their Visas.

If you want to learn Strasberg, study with someone who actually studied with Lee and has actually dedicated their life to keeping his legacy alive like Lorrie Hull, Allan Miller, just to name a few. My Russian and Chinese friends tell me that some of the teachers at the Strasberg Institute come drunk and no, not as some "Method" thing.[/QUOTE]


Who cares why everyone elce is there and who cares what someone's ethnic background is?
That is so primitive.

Ethnic background = unimportant.
Significant competency in the language of the play you are in = important.

Wow no love for Strasberg at all over here

TruthTeller has some great posts that provide insight into the industry, but when it comes to Strasberg he may have a bias. I've studied at Strasberg NYC for over a year, am American, and really gotta contradict some of the things that have been said. Firstly, there are no green card handouts. Strasberg provides conditional OPT status for students that have studied a full course load for over a year, the same that other schools including Adler offer. The reason they have so many foreign students is simply business - foreign students are attracted to the name, and the Institute is attracted to them because they will be paying for a full course load.

When choosing a place to study you have to consider two main issues - 1. Is the technique they teach right for you? 2. Do they teach it well?

Strasberg's technique, when learned properly, is amazing in its value. Despite all the controversy and overblown nonsense about emotional memory, the heart of Strasberg's Method is really about creating believable performances through truth on stage/on film. It is about the acting. If you really dedicate yourself to learning what Strasberg, Boleslavsky, Stanislavski, and several others were teaching, you will come away with an outstanding repertoire of techniques that enhance your acting. When it comes to creating a character, adherence to Strasberg's method is not AS potent as some other techniques, but it certainly has its value. Overall, if you are trying to express yourself fully in your work and make your acting rich, layered, and meaningful, Strasberg's techniques are top-notch. If you really study them, read about them, practice and learn them. Not just go to class and do the exercises because they tell you to.

Which brings us to the second question - class. Indeed, the Lee Strasberg Institute has taken a bit of a step down since Lee died. Some of the teachers do not understand the material to the degree which Strasberg taught it - some are from different backgrounds, some are celebrities, etc. But there are a contingent of teachers (in NYC, I've heard LA is much worse) who really know what they are doing and can teach the work well. And as for complaints about the style that classes are run - most everything is done to prepare you for working in the industry, where you don't have the luxury of 'taking as much time' as you want, peace and quiet, nonsense like that. Of course, lots of the students don't understand the material because many of the teachers don't either, and the regimen has therefore become a bit lax. But if you study with the right professors, and with purpose, the Method opens up a breadth of value that other techniques only skim. but ONLY if you really do it with dedication and intelligence.

All in all, if you are truly serious about learning acting, and you live near Manhattan, (and you can't pay for the exorbitant private coaches that are out there) then the Lee Strasberg Institute is the spot to be. Plus, a key benefit from going to Institutes rather than private coaches is networking - the students and teachers you meet may become people you create work with.

But if you aren't too bright (not so bad, lots of great actors weren't very intelligent), or if you aren't gonna work hard, choose something that requires less thought, less depth. You know, like Repetition.

The Method is a thinking-man's technique, but when applied correctly, it's results speak for itself: Pacino, Montgomery Clift, James Dean, Paul Newman, Marilyn Monroe, Dustin Hoffman, Harvey Keitel, Geraldine Page, Alec Baldwin, Jane Fonda, Ellen Burstyn, Kim Stanley, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johannson, Steve Buscemi, Claire Danes, Matt Dillon, Michael Imperioli, Christopher Waltz, Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christenson, Ray Romano, Mickey Rourke. The list just goes ON. (AND look at that list. Over half of those actors were AFTER Lee died.) QED.

Oh forgot to mention. Most recently (Past 5-10 years) there have been a ton of non-American actors from Strasberg (since there are a lot of foreign students that come to Strasberg). Top current actors in industries in India and Europe are from Strasberg. IE: Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif