WHAT IS METHOD ACTING?

Method Acting, also known as The Method, is a world-renowned acting technique taught and developed by Lee Strasberg. In 1923, a young Lee Strasberg was amazed by the performances of the Moscow Art Theatre, directed by Konstantin Stanislavsky. He felt as though the actors were not “performing” but instead were actually experiencing real thoughts, sensations and emotions on stage. From there, Lee began a lifelong investigation into the art of acting and sought to create a process that would yield the same moving results he had witnessed on stage.

Building on the work of Stanislavsky, Lee came to develop his now-famous Method Acting technique. The goal of The Method is to deliver authentic and nuanced performances by calling on the actor’s own life experiences. The actor uses their personal life to inspire the imagination and to relate to the life of the character as only they can. Today, Method Acting is used by many of the world’s greatest actors. Alumni of the Young Actors at Strasberg program include Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson.

In Method Acting classes at The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, our experienced faculty will work with students on relaxation, sense memory exercises, and character creation. During relaxation, students work to release physical and mental tension. Sense memory exercises train the actor to use their imagination and call upon the memories stored in our five senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Finally, students will learn to make creative choices and apply the exercises in their actor toolbox to characters and scenes from theatre and film. Our faculty will guide classes through acting exercises and scene work that is fun, challenging, and appropriate for the students’ age and experience level.