The Hogwarts Houses [AKA the NYU Tisch Drama Acting Studios]

The LSTFI trains students in Method Acting. Strasberg developed this method based on Stanislavski’s work .(This isn’t the only studio whose method is based on Stanislavski’s work, FYI!) Besides the traditional method classes, students will take voice, speech, dance, movement, tai chi, feldenkrais, singing, dialects, and many other courses. I have had teachers describe it as an “inside out” method, for actors who like to exercise the character’s inner life and let that influence their behavior. For more information, visit this link.

• Slytherin

Stella Adler developed the Adler method of acting around the same time as Strasberg, they used to be friends! Her method was also based on Stanislavsky’s work. Much of the work done on the studio is based on imagination and the use of the “what if”. Their mission is to “create an environment to nurture theatre artists who value humanity, their own and others, as their first and most precious priority while providing art and education to the greater community”. Students are required to wear all back to classes and take a variety of courses that range from firm acting technique, voice and speech work, movement and physical exploration, as well as contemporary and classical scene work. Visit this link to learn more!

• Slytherin

The Atlantic Studio follows a technique called “Practical Aesthetics” which is primarily based on the script and its analysis. Actors are taught tools to tackle scene work with simplicity and practicality. Their founding principle is to ‘simply and truthfully tell the story’ which allows students’ interpretations of the text to shine through. A highlight of their program is that, during their second-year, students perform in an evening of one-act plays. Visit this link to learn more.

• Ravenclaw

The Experimental Theatre Wing teaches Grotowski influenced and Meisner techniques combined with a variety of movement classes to create an adaptable and strong foundation for actors. There is a lot of personal artistic exploration, aiding the actor in finding their unique voices in their bodies. Using their bodies as the vessel, ETW students aren’t taught one single aesthetic – they learn an array of techniques to use as a springboard for their creative pursuits, including theatre, film, and new media. Visit this link to learn more.

• Hufflepuff

New Studio on Broadway is NYU’s only musical theatre studio. Students are trained in singing, dancing, and acting based on techniques from the repertoire of American musical theatre and contemporary American plays. With teachers actively working on Broadway and New York theatre, NSBers get the foundation training to tackle any stage. Visit this link to learn more.

• Slytherin

Playwrights Horizons Theatre School educates students in the foundations of all aspects of theater production – writing, design, devising, acting, and directing. Students have the opportunity to learn from professional working artists with experience with different formats of performance styles. Students learn through different project assignments, receiving more responsibilities through seniority and culminating in their Independent project. The studio is also part of Playwrights Horizons, one of New York’s most important non-profit off-Broadway theaters. Visit this link to learn more.

• Hufflepuff

Learning the method developed by Sanford Meisner, students learn to ‘behave truthfully under imaginary circumstances.’ A contemporary of Strasberg and Adler, Meisner developed his method inspired by Stanislavsky’s work. Training in acting, movement, voice and speech, and other essential classes, students exercise through repetition – Meisner’s technique that focuses on active listening and reacting honestly. Visit this link to learn more.

• Gryffindor

A year-long program, a small co-hort of classmates, Shakespeare text and techniques. The Classical Studio builds ensemble to its core, providing students the opportunity to switch characters every night for a 30-night performance of a designated Shakespeare play. They train in heightened speech as well as contemporary material, providing them with foundations to tackle all formats of material they could face after graduation. Click this link to learn more.

• Ravenclaw

Are you interested in more than just acting for film? Stonestreet Studios is the dream environment for anyone who wants to become a multi-hyphenate in the digital entertainment industry. Being fully-immersed in a film studio setting, students get the opportunity to audition weekly for industry guests, act in short films, and write and produce their material. All the practical techniques and contacts set up these students to be a part of the industry before receiving their diploma. Click this link to learn more.

• Gryffindor

NYU’s newest acting studio, The Innovation Studio, is a research laboratory that brings technology to the center of the training. Students jump in between mediums and  roles, experimenting with the array of possibilities when creativity runs boundless. Consciously trying to disrupt the norms and traditional processes, the studio aims to expand the boundaries of each artist’s work and their mindsets. Click this link to learn more.

• Ravenclaw