"Playhouse West has been a NoHo legend for the past 40 years or so and one of the highest-regarded acting classes in Los Angeles. Many, many stars have graced its stage and still do, Playhouse West’s ethos is that an actor must keep working on their craft…it’s not just about the gig. The work done in class, with fellow actors in between the work you get paid for, is where careers are really made."
-Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros for NoHoArtsDistrict.com
STAGE PRODUCTIONS
In addition to being an Acting School, Playhouse West is also a Repertory Theater showing several staged productions year-round. When students make it to the Advanced level, they can start working on plays in their entirety in class with the option to put the play up. Some are published plays, while others are original works that have been workshopped in class. We very much encourage our students to exercise their creativity and skills. We also often have the honor of Scott Caan returning to Playhouse West to share his original works.
WHAT WE OFFER
Our reputation for excellence is not only nationwide, but worldwide. Actors come here to study from England, Russia, Australia, South Africa, India, China, and many other countries. Our students have gone on to achieve success at all levels of the Industry, from Academy Award nominees, to Golden Globe & Emmy Winners. From film producers to TV show creators. Our actors have starred in film, television, and Broadway.
STAGE PRODUCTIONS
In addition to being an Acting School, Playhouse West is also a Repertory Theater showing several staged productions year-round. When students make it to the Advanced level, they can start working on plays in their entirety in class with the option to put the play up. Some are published plays, while others are original works that have been workshopped in class. We very much encourage our students to exercise their creativity and skills. We also often have the honor of Scott Caan returning to Playhouse West to share his original works.
TESTIMONIALS
Our students have gone on to achieve success at all levels of the Industry: from Academy Award nominees, Golden Globe & Emmy Winners and nominees, to film producers and TV show creators, our students have had incredible success in film, television, and Broadway.
I didn’t know anything about acting until I attended Playhouse West. I had so much fun there, and learned the variables to solve any equation that might be given to me in a script.
Ashley Judd
Actress, Golden Globe and Emmy Nominee
Kylie Bunbury
Actress, Big Sky, Pitch, When They See Us, Game Night
Scott Caan
Actor, Golden Globe Nominee, Hawaii Five-0
Eva Fisher, Filmmaker, Actress, Unbelievable, LA's Finest
Henry Barrial, Filmmaker, Actor, Famous in Love, The Fosters
"Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances."
Sanford Meisner
Playhouse West is a Top Acting School and Repertory Theater in Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Dallas founded by Robert Carnegie and Jeff Goldblum. The training at Playhouse West is fully endorsed by Sanford Meisner, chosen by the legendary teacher of acting as the venue for his last decade of acting classes. During that time, he was still evolving his method and adding new exercises and enhancements to his original exercises.
Only we are heir to those improvements and additions, and therefore, exclusively offer the final version of the Sanford Meisner Technique. We are recommended by leading Agents, Managers, Casting Directors, and Actors.
Our core, ongoing technique class. Learn more about our Meisner Technique class structure here.
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
We have always believed in not charging overly expensive rates for classes, which break the budgets of the students and limit their ability to continue their work for an extended period of time. As with any profession, time-at-task is fundamental to success. So our payment structure is designed to SUPPORT our student in their career objectives, more than it is to support ourselves.
WHO RECOMMENDS US
SANFORD MEISNER
LEGENDARY ACTING TEACHER
ANG LEE
ACADEMY AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR
Life of Pi, Brokeback Mountain
JAMES CAAN
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATED ACTOR
Godfather, Misery
SIDNEY POITIER
ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTOR
Lilies of the Field, In the Heat of the Night
SYDNEY POLLACK
ACADEMY AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR
Tootsie, Out of Africa
JON VOIGHT
ACADEMY AWARD WINNING ACTOR
Ray Donovan, Coming Home
BUDDY VAN HORN
DIRECTOR & STUNT COORDINATOR
Any Which Way You Can, The Dead Pool
ROBERT EVANS
ACADEMY AWARD NOM. PRODUCER
Chinatown, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
ARTHUR SEIDELMAN
EMMY NOMINATED DIRECTOR
Hill Street Blues, Magnum P.I.
CHUCK RUSSELL
DIRECTOR