Stella Adler Studio Curriculum

The first year of the program focuses on providing students with a foundation from which to grow through a firm acting technique, voice and speech work, movement and physical exploration, as well as contemporary and classical scene work. Students will develop a facile responsive body, a strong and clear voice, and a clear understanding of the technique developed by Stella Adler.

The second year concentrates on applying the tools learned in the first year with a deeper investigation of the craft through intense contemporary and classical scene work, with continued voice and speech work and an exploration of physical acting. The year ends with a rehearsal performance of a play directed by faculty or other industry professionals.

During the third year, students devote most of their time to rehearsal and performance of a play (classical first semester, modern realism second semester) directed by faculty or other industry professionals. Students partake in a classical intensive, which includes master classes in voice with Andrew Wade, former head of voice at the Royal Shakespeare Company; stage combat; and Classical Scene Study with Artistic Director Tom Oppenheim. Students partake in a classical intensive, which includes master classes in voice with Andrew Wade, former head of voice at the Royal Shakespeare Company; stage combat with J. Steven White, one of the most respected fight choreographers in the industry; and Classical Scene Study with head-of-acting James Tripp. Students will also begin exploring audition techniques and on-camera training.

As we look at the excellent acting techniques that the 20th century brought to us to help us grapple with the actors’ dilemma, to become another human being, the techniques of Stella Adler are both unique and powerful. The Third Year Transfer Track gives Tisch undergraduate acting students, who weren’t placed at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, the opportunity, within their undergraduate training, to immerse themselves in these techniques and the core curriculum of the Stella Adler Studio.

In the fourth year, known as the Company, students devote most of their studio time to rehearsal and performance. The Company is a bridge between training and the performance experiences young actors are likely to encounter in the professional world. Students participate in industry meetings and have the opportunity to audition for the showcase. Students also have a class on preparing for the acting profession with renowned industry professionals and guests.