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NYU BFA Partnership

NYU BFA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

ABOUT THE NYU BFA PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute celebrates over 50 years of actor training and is the only school that teaches Lee Strasberg’s work in its complete and authentic form. Staff and teachers conducting classes have been selected for their comprehensive knowledge of Lee Strasberg’s work and their ability to apply it to the problems of the actor. The Institute’s curriculum, designed by Lee Strasberg, provides the actor with opportunities to pursue their work systematically and to gain firsthand knowledge of the fundamental concepts of the Strasberg work. Through classwork, seminars, exercises, scene work, and discussions, professionals and non-professionals are encouraged toward development of their art and themselves.

The Institute has built its outstanding reputation on the enduring value of Lee Strasberg’s teachings, the achievements of our students, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. We challenge our students to be bold in their choices, original in their ideas, and passionate in their pursuit of creative individuality. The goal of The Institute is to provide students with a craft that will help them create a reality and respond truthfully in imaginary circumstances, regardless of the style or form of material being used. Actors learn to express powerful emotions and are encouraged to leave behind conventional, superficial, and clichéd expressions in search of their own unique artistic voices. The Method trains actors to use their physical, mental, and emotional humanity in the creation of the play’s characters, and stresses the way in which personal experience can fire the actor’s imagination. This is the spark that turns an accomplished technician into an inspired artist and what makes Lee Strasberg’s Method a vital technique for actor training.

NYU TISCH AT STRASBERG

Since the start of the studio system in 1974, NYU and The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute have partnered to train new generations of talented young actors and performers. LSTFI has been an integral part of the NYU Drama community, with a vibrant history of collaboration and a long list of celebrated alumni. Located just minutes away from the NYU campus, and surrounded by a thriving off-broadway theatre scene, The Institute is the opportune place to pursue one’s artistic and professional goals.

The structure of the NYU program is unique to The Institute and allows us to provide a more personalized training model to each individual student. The goal is for each student to study with as many teachers as possible to take advantage of their individual strengths, their personal experiences, and their intuition in solving the problem of the actor. Our objective is to use Lee Strasberg’s work to train the talent of each individual and to confront their habits, limitations and preconceptions about acting with exercises that spark their imagination, creativity, and fuel an understanding of human behavior. 

This NYU curriculum, designed by Lee, reflects our dedication to Lee Strasberg’s work and his standard for actor training. It emphasizes the development of a versatile physical instrument, a grounded and supported voice, and a relaxed and concentrated mind, while stressing the importance of imagination and individual creativity.

Admission to our NYU program is handled entirely by New York University. More information about the Department of Drama, Undergraduate, including instructions on how to apply, can be found on the department’s website.

THE FIRST YEAR Program

The first year NYU acting program is about introducing students to the Method Acting process and Lee Strasberg’s work. Students will gain a basic understanding of the exercises, a comfortability with the foundations of relaxation and concentration, and an idea of how the work relates to scenes. Students will become aware of habits of inexpression, areas of physical tension, and feel a strengthened imagination through sensory and improvisation. In addition, students will develop a neutral and supported voice and a strong understanding of one’s bodies through voice, speech, dance and tai chi.

CLASSES

FIRST SEMESTER
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Anatomy of Movement (2 Hrs)
Voice (2 Hrs)
Speech (2 Hrs)
Tai Chi (2 Hrs)
Improvisation (2 Hrs)

SECOND SEMESTER
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Ballet (2 Hrs)
Voice (2 Hrs)
Speech (2 Hrs)
Tai Chi (2 Hrs)
Improvisation (2 Hrs)

THE SECOND YEAR PrograM

The second year of NYU Tisch at Strasberg is about integrating the basics developed in the freshman year into more advanced scene work. Students will gain an understanding of how a scene functions within the context of a play, how to dissect a scene, how to identify objectives/needs, and then how to use that information to fuel the imagination and fulfill those demands using the sensory work. The addition of singing challenges the actor to apply basic vocal production skills to a more rigorous technical form putting increased demand on maintaining relaxation and technique while performing. Dialects integrate basic vocal production and speech skills into a more specific function testing the student’s command of previous skills. Movement classes emphasize the further understanding of the body and the reduction habits of free expression improving student’s ability to connect to the work.

CLASSES

FIRST SEMESTER
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Dance I (2 Hrs)
Movement (2 Hrs)
Script Analysis (2 Hrs)

SECOND SEMESTER
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Dance II (2 Hrs)
Movement (2 Hrs)
Script Analysis (2 Hrs)

YEAR-LONG VOCAL ELECTIVES*
Singing
Dialects
Voice into Speaking

* Electives Subject to Change

ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

The Advanced Professional Training Track emphasizes the application of the technique to more complex scenes and new forms. Students will develop a greater understanding of how to apply the sensory work to film and television as well as to the development of characters. An additional acting class such as Building a Character or Career Prep is offered each term to round out the acting curriculum. These classes vary by term and are selected based on the avail- ability of specialized faculty and the unique needs of each cohort. The elective system used in Advanced Training allows students to choose classes in voice and movement which will best further their personal growth and encourages them to individually tailor their remaining semesters.

CLASSES

CORE CLASSES
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Film and TV (4 Hrs)

ADDITIONAL ACTING CLASSES
Career Prep (2 Hrs)
Building a Character (2 Hrs)

MOVEMENT ELECTIVES*
Advanced Dance
Stage Combat
Movement (Feldenkrais)

VOCAL ELECTIVES*
Singing
Advanced Dialects

* Electives Subject to Change

The Transfer Track

The Transfer Track at Strasberg is a unique program that allows students with two years of Primary training from a different Tisch Drama studio transfer into the Lee Strasberg Advanced Training Program. In this advanced training program, students will learn the fundamentals of Lee Strasberg’s Method work, such as sensory and relaxation, while building on their previous training and taking advantage of the offered advanced electives. After completing the transfer track, students are eligible to continue with the Advanced Professional Training program the next semester and/or can audition for the Practicum Program.

CLASSES

CORE CLASSES
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Film and TV (4 Hrs)
Improvisation (2 Hrs)

MOVEMENT ELECTIVES*
Advanced Dance
Stage Combat
Movement (Feldenkrais)

VOCAL ELECTIVES*
Singing
Advanced Dialects

* Electives Subject to Change

Independent Curriculum

The Independent Curriculum is intended for students who have completed their primary training (or Advanced Transfer Track) at LSTFI and wish to continue studying at The Institute without taking on a full course load. The program also provides more flexibility for students who are pursuing other majors, have other extra-curricular obligations, or require fewer credits to graduate. Students can select classes from the Advanced Professional Training Curriculum and create a schedule that suits their needs. Available classes are always dependent on availability. Students should talk to their NYU Advisor to discuss if the Strasberg Independent Curriculum is right for their individual academic trajectory.

THE PRACTICUM PROGRAM

The Fall Program builds on a strong acting curriculum with a focus on a career in Theatre. Students will graduate with in-depth knowledge about specific playwrights, genres and styles while having worked with professional stage directors, casting directors, managers, and agents. The Fall Program focuses on fusing the artistic and technical aspects of the previous years of training and applying the breadth of that training to a full-scale production. Students in this program will participate in The Clifford Odets Ensemble Play Commission production, a new play written and developed specifically for the Practicum student ensemble. This commission provides an incubating space for the development of true ensemble plays in New York City and cultivates the next generation of collaborating artists. Many of the plays have gone on to further productions.

The Spring Program builds on a strong acting curriculum with a focus on a career in Film and Television. Students will work with professional directors working across styles and genres and develop a strong understanding of how to translate their Method Acting work to the unique demands of on-camera mediums. Students will hone audition technique and develop an understanding of industry expectations through work with casting directors, managers and agents. In lieu of a production, students will rehearse and shoot small scenes that will be edited into a reel, ready for professional use.

Admission to The Practicum Program is based on audition. Students may participate in both Fall and Spring practicums but are required to audition each semester. The core classes and electives are the same for both Fall and Spring Practicums with emphasis placed on different mediums accompanied by a unique slate of directors and industry professionals.

CLASSES

CORE CLASSES
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Method Acting (4 Hrs)
Working with the Director (4 Hrs)
Casting Workshop (2 Hrs)

MOVEMENT ELECTIVES*
Advanced Dance
Stage Combat
Movement (Feldenkrais)

VOCAL ELECTIVES*
Advanced Singing
Advanced Dialects

* Electives Subject to Change

NYU SUMMER AT STRASBERG

Tisch offers undergraduate, graduate, and non-credit courses for students looking to continue their studies or kickstart a new project. Courses include academic study of the arts as well as professional, conservatory training across disciplines.

Enroll in individual courses of your choice or register for a summer intensive with a pre-designed curriculum. Students wishing to take classes at The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute over the summer and gain NYU credit, should reach out to Tisch Summer Admissions here.