Acting Classes in Chicago, IL

Adult classes are taught in a positive and encouraging environment for beginners, returners, and professionals. Adult classes are open to drop-in students.

Musical Theater is a dance class focused on choreography from Broadway musicals, and integrates many styles of jazz as well as acting. Recommended for dancers and performers at Beginning/Intermediate level in ballet and jazz.

Musical Theater is a dance class focused on choreography from Broadway musicals, and integrates many styles of jazz as well as acting. Recommended for dancers and performers at Beginning/Intermediate level in ballet and jazz.

Sanford Meisner said that ‘acting is the ability to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances.’ In our first eight weeks together, we will work on the first half of that statement: living truthfully. Working through a series of innovative, step-by-step improvisational exercises we will train you to be thoroughly responsive, emotionally alive,...

In this level, we will begin to explore ‘imaginary circumstances.’ New elements will be added to the exercises that will work to broaden your imagination, exercise your faith in given circumstances and ground your acting in your own unique point of view.  As you continue this work through the advanced exercises, we will begin to show...

Afraid of making faces that might not show up well onstage? Constantly seeing how nervous you look in pictures? This class will let you cut loose, learn to play, and use your face as an extension into the development of your acts. Come in ready to experiment, ideas written down, acts your struggling with, etc! All levels and genders welcome.

The “Acting As A Craft” (AAAC) workshops are uniquely designed master class workshops incorporating a broad range of basic skills that an actor absolutely needs. Students will be given scene assignments from various film and stage plays and then paired up to work that particular scene as a homework assignment which will then be performed at the...

Fun, Cooperative & Inspiring! Learn Art history and terminology while practicing important skills. Imagine making fun art all day. Never more than 12 students per teacher means individual attention from professional teaching/artists. Note: BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch & Water Bottle)

Acting is an emotional art form, yet as Meisner told us, ‘acting is not emoting.’ So how do we deepen our emotional life without becoming indulgent, self-conscious actors? How do we meet the emotional demands of the script without faking anything? Level 3 has the answers.  For ten weeks you will be guided through a series of exercises specifically...

Here we will give you the interpretive tools you’ll need to put all your Meisner training into practice in the real world. You will learn how to read a script with the precision and dexterity of a surgeon, discover how to make active choices that work for you, and unlock your ability to personalize the given circumstances of the plays you work on....

Deepen your work, expand your craft and connect. In this repeatable advanced scene study class, you will be given the opportunity to work on two scenes utilizing all of the tools you learned in Levels 1-4. Practice personalization, script analysis, emotional preparation, particularization and impediments all while honing your ability to work off...

Every performer should know that acting for the stage and acting for the camera are two entirely different skills, and in order to succeed in this business, it's vital to master both. That's why we're proud to offer this exciting class that will focus on the art of on-camera acting for film and television. It helps you to act truthfully from your core...

Learn Piven’s core improvisational technique and apply it to scripted stories & scenes. Each session of the class is centered on a different theme. Past themes have included stories of the sea, family relationships, and magical realism.  Under the expert instruction of a senior teacher, students will create and perform stories...

Building on the skills developed in our other adult programs, in this advanced class students use Piven improvisation and games to unlock spontaneity and take scene work to the next level. This class is taught by senior teacher Joanne Underwood and intended for students with acting experience. Each session has a different focus, be it a particular...

The Actor’s Voice and Speech is for students who want to improve their speaking voice for the stage and film in a healthy way that can get them through a long run of a show. The class is also beneficial for non-performers who would like to feel more confident about public speaking, and people who speak English as a second language and would like...