Audrey Miller
The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute (LSTFI) offers more than world-class Method Acting training and education! Here are eight fantastic resources available to current students.
1. Rehearsal Space
The LSTFI New York campus has ten classrooms, which double as rehearsal spaces throughout the day. Students can take advantage of these spaces to rehearse with their scene partners for various classes. It is important to note that rooms are limited to one-hour time slots and students can only request one room per day.
2. The Hope Arthur Library
LSTFI’s Hope Arthur Library is stocked with thousands of classic and contemporary plays, iconic screenplays, and essential Method Acting books, such as Lee Strasberg’s A Dream of Passion and LSTFI Method Acting instructor Lola Cohen’s The Lee Strasberg Notes. These resources are ideal for students hoping to expand their Method Acting education or those who simply need to read a play for class.
3. Scene Database
The LSTFI Scene Database drastically simplifies the process of finding the perfect scene for a Method Acting class. An extensive list of both classic and contemporary plays, reviewed and recommended by esteemed LSTFI faculty, is available to students in search of tailored scene suggestions. Students can filter scenes by genre, BIPOC or LGBTQ casting, and gender, or locate a specific play or playwright on the user-friendly page.
4. Playwright Guide
Found in the Student Resource Packet distributed at orientation, the Plays & Playwrights Guide is a means for discovering playwrights and material for every occasion. According to the pamphlet, this Guide includes “playwrights whose body of work have influenced the development of The Method, and/or whose style builds on that tradition”, making it easier for students to find rich, substantial material to explore in their Method Acting classes. The Guide, arranged in chronological order, includes Classic European and American Playwrights, Modern American Playwrights, and Contemporary American playwrights, ranging from the 19th century to current up-and-coming writers. Students can discover more playwrights and potential material by exploring LSTFI’s Scene Database and blog.
5. The Lee Strasberg Tapes Collection
The Lee Strasberg Tapes Collection, archival footage of Lee Strasberg’s Method Acting classes and lectures, is “as close as one can get to training with the great master teacher Lee Strasberg”, per the Student Resource Packet. Preserved by The Lee Strasberg Creative Center, the Strasberg tapes are a hidden gem at LSTFI. All students are encouraged to take advantage of these recordings since Lee’s “vital insight” perfectly supplements all Method Acting classes. The collection includes Lee Strasberg’s famous lectures on “Actor’s Work” and “Theatre History and Film”, actual Method Acting classes from the late 1970s and early 1980s, and guest lecture specials, in addition to several documentaries on Lee Strasberg, The Group Theatre, and Stanislavski.
6. Student ID Perks
LSTFI students can use their Student ID to buy discounted Broadway or baseball tickets, and are eligible for pay-what-you-will admission to NYC’s best museums. Additionally, theatre resources like Playbill.com, Theatre Development Fund, HIPTIX at Roundabout Theatre Company, and Lincoln Center Theatre have ticket initiatives for young people, making it much more economical to see Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. Refer to the Student Resource Packet for an Off-Broadway Theatre checklist – some of them are only a short walk from LSTFI!
7. StrasbergTALKS
All LSTFI students are invited to attend StrasbergTALKS, “a lecture and workshop series sponsored by The Lee Strasberg Creative Center”, which usually occur at least once a semester. StrasbergTALKS demonstrates how Method Acting can be utilized in a professional setting through interviews or discussions with LSTFI alumni who are now admired actors, directors, writers, agents, or casting directors. Past guests include Al Pacino, Sally Field, Vincent D’Onofrio, Uma Thurman, John Patrick Shanley, and many more. These guests share their experiences with The Method and often take questions from the audience, helping and inspiring LSTFI students.
8. Productions, Workshops, and Scene Nights
Students may audition for the fall and spring main-stage productions to put their Method Acting training to use under the guidance of a professional director. Additionally, StrasbergWORKS, an original play program, is produced by the school each summer. LSTFI also offers unique workshops and intensives, sometimes taught by revered alumni like Vincent D’Onofrio or John Patrick Shanley. Stay up-to-date with all LSTFI events on Instagram! Scene Nights also provide an opportunity for students to showcase and workshop scenes with the help of LSTFI Creative Director, David Lee Strasberg. These evenings occur throughout the academic year and are “part of a long-standing tradition of faculty and students collaborating to collectively grow their intellectual and practical understanding” of The Method, as described in NYU’s Strasberg Institute Curriculum website.