Best Acting Schools San Francisco Near Me

4worldlovers: Since 1961 in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Shelton Studios has been nationally recognized as one of the finest method acting schools in the country for film and theater. Students have won Academy awards, Emmy awards, Tony awards, and countless local awards.

Our examination and articulation of the human condition remains steadfast and continues into the 21st century.

4worldlovers: We offer the premier acting classes in the San Francisco Bay Area and are dedicated to producing the finest trained actors of the Meisner Technique – not just in the Bay Area but in the world.

Under the guidance of our professional guest faculty, our students also receive extensive training in the business of being an actor - from auditioning for television and feature films to personal marketing to securing agency representation.

I have been around great actors for over fifty years. Jim is a great actor, director, and teacher and if you have the chance to work with him, you really should.

Academy Award winning producer of The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Apocalypse Now, Mulan, The Great Gatsby, The Big Chill...

There are two ways to begin your studies at The Meisner Technique Studio - either the Formal Training or the Introductory Class.

We are now interviewing for the next available start dates for both classes.

The Formal Training presents Sanford Meisner’s teachings exactly as he intended, taught exclusively by Jim Jarrett, Sanford Meisner’s last teaching protégé.

Class size is kept small, and students must be invited to return after each session

The Introduction to the Meisner Technique offers a simplified approach to the foundation of the Meisner Technique

Students who excel and wish to move forward with the Formal Training will be given priority status to study with Jim in the Formal Training

I've always loved acting but quit and did what I was "supposed" to do, but I'm not happy. And acting made me truly happy.

I am an actor. I have training, credits, and I work, BUT something is off and I want to take my career to an entirely new level.

Conor has been hard at work for years since graduating the from Meisner Technique Studio, and we are so thrilled to see him on the big screen alongside Liam Neeson and Ciarán Hinds

Don't be like me! Don't think too much about it, just go for this training at The Meisner Technique Studio, and you'll come out a much better actor and person

Jim’s inspiration and creativity are endless. His passion for teaching is unmatched. He is sensitive and understanding of the fact that each student learns differently. As Sanford Meisner would say, each actor has their own unique “instrument.” And Jim would be able to cater his teachings uniquely to each student’s needs.

Jim is one of very few who was trained by Sanford Meisner to teach the Meisner Technique which was really important to me. I'm forever grateful I studied here and have had the mentorship of Jim Jarrett.

4worldlovers:
Our students discover their uniqueness; the traits that make them extraordinary, in a fun and non-competitive atmosphere. Parents get feedback in evaluations we email following workshops. Children need to interact with other children and use their imagination to maintain a positive attitude in these challenging times.

We have trained children who have been cast in TV Commercials, Voiceovers and Film.

LEARN WHY OUR IN-PERSON & ZOOM WORKSHOPS ARE FUN, SUCCESSFUL and EDUCATIONAL

– Students interact; have fun using their imaginations and learn performance skills.

–Shy youngsters gain confidence and learn to trust their instincts; outgoing kids find an outlet for their creative energy.

– Scripts are emailed 3-6 days early to practice or memorize before class

– We start with vocal and physical warm-ups and class pace moves.

– Learn a variety of topics; cold script reading; timing; how to take direction.

– Evaluations are emailed 5-10 days after workshops.– Zoom link instructions on how to prepare are emailed 3-5 days before class.

– We can help students meet a talent agent and get interviews for auditions

“Hi Judy. My two boys, age 11 and 15, loved your in-person and zoom classes this spring and summer. They couldn’t stop talking about it after class. They gave each other feedback. Count them in to enroll again. I really enjoyed joining the last 30 min. of class as the students demonstrated what they learned in a live performance. The evaluations you emailed following each class gave me insight and were valuable. They had fun and learned a lot in your zoom classes in July and August.” Mrs. Howell, Oakland CA

“Your programs are valuable and fun. You made a difference in my daughter’s life. Your zoom and in-person classes have been worthwhile and successful. She started at age 9 and is now 12. Her acting, script reading skills and confidence have improved. We worked with experienced and honest coaches, casting directors and talent managers.”

“Congrats on 41 years! What an amazing accomplishment and legacy you have built over the years. I value your lifelong commitment to the arts and to helping children build their skills in creativity and confidence. Your staff is talented. Joey Paul Jensen brings great scripts and gives students valuable feedback. Deborah Eliezer (Assoc. Director) has a comforting teaching style which my daughter enjoys. We are grateful to have found you.” (My daughter attended at age 5. Now since 2020 at age 11, she is learning a lot with you on Zoom)

“My daughter is learning a ton in your zoom classes. Your evaluations are valuable and thoughtful.”

-If your child loves to perform and has walked up to the TV after watching a commercial and said, “I want to do that” then this is the perfect class.

COACH, JUDY BERLIN, DIRECTOR/FOUNDER of Kids on Camera since 1981 (See BIO below)

AS WE EMAIL A SHORT TV SCRIPT AND ZOOM LINK 3-5 DAYS EARLY TO MEMORIZE BEFORE CLASS.

THIS FUN ACTING TRAINING & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS WHERE STUDENTS LEARN TO:

Commercial actors use their personality to introduce new products and use expression to engage the audience. A commercial actor often acts as if they are making a new discovery and that using this product will improve their lives.

Directors are following health guidelines to keep actors safe on a TV or film set and recording studios. Auditioning and performing on zoom and self-tapes will remain popular even as our health crisis decreases.

4worldlovers: Have you ever wanted to be a cartoon character? Narrate an audiobook? Or voice a commercial? This is the place to realize that dream! From the novice to the professional, Voice One offers dynamic instruction that develops competitive voice actors in all areas of VO. Our fun, rigorous classes are organized into a comprehensive curriculum unlike any other in the industry.

4worldlovers: "Take it from a director; if you get an actor that Sandy Meisner trained, you've been blessed." - Elia Kazan

"He has been the most principled teacher of acting in this country for decades now, and every time I am reading actors, I can pretty well tell which ones have studied with Meisner. It is because they are honest and simple and don't lay on complications that aren't necessary." - Arthur Miller

The Meisner Technique is one of the most respected techniques in the professional world of acting, and when a director or casting director sees that you have studied the Meisner Technique for a considerable length of time, they know that they can expect an actor who is truthful, connected, present, grounded, believable, committed, free, authentic, spontaneous, imaginative, emotionally full and with a fully developed character informed by talented, strong choices and the craft to earn every single moment. These are all gifts that the Meisner Technique brings. One of the great strengths of Meisner Technique training is that it is a clear, step-by-step approach to the craft of acting. It develops complete freedom of expression and confidence in your craft.

4worldlovers:
San Francisco’s premier improvisational theatre company and training center. A creative community where people from all walks of life come together to connect, play, and express their authentic selves while creating fresh new works of art. Take a class, see a show, improvise at work… we invite you to come play with us!

Leela is a mom and pop theatre company that has been serving San Francisco for 20 years. When you participate in a Leela event the revenue generated is used to support Bay Area artists and reinvested into the San Francisco performing arts community. Thank you for your support!

“There is an old Sanskrit word, Leela, which means play. Richer than our word, it means divine play, the play of creation, destruction, and recreation, the folding and un-folding of the cosmos. Leela, free and deep, is both the delight and enjoyment of this moment… It also means love.

“Leela may be the simplest thing there is – spontaneous, childish, disarming. But as we grow and experience the complexities of life, it may also be the most difficult and hard-won achievement imaginable, and its coming to fruition is a kind of homecoming to our true selves.”

Witness the thrilling adventure that is Leela Improv. Big kids that love to have fun! Risk-taking artists pushing the boundaries of improvisational theatre. A welcoming community that can’t wait to meet you.

4worldlovers: We are happy to announce that we are welcoming Imagineers in the Bay Area back into our theatre! The theater is a space where children are exposed to creative arts through pretend play. The atmosphere in the studio is designed with notes of magic and intriguing playfulness inspired by the joy of childhood.

The Rabbit Hole Theater’s San Francisco studio is dedicated to the importance of imagination development and pretend play. The purpose of our whimsical décor and cast is to inspire creativity and focus on the value of growing the imagination through theatrical play.

Birthday Party in a Box kits provide a magical, stress-free, one-stop-shop solution for your creative kiddo’s special day. Leave the hard part of party planning to us!

Paper bag puppets are a simple DIY craft project that kiddos readily make their own. All you need is a paper lunch bag and a marker to create puppet magic!

Our 5-step guide walks you through the steps for creating a theater play at home by harnessing the magical power of your child’s imagination. Let’s put on a show!