Student Testimonials
Chloe Hurst
“I knew that going into this industry, it wasn’t going to be an easy path ahead. I knew there’d be many tests, trials and tribulations along the way, (as there is I am sure with any career) but I do however know that each day so far, thanks to The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, it has been worth every second of every day. The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute has tested my patience and dedication to my art, leaving me to graduate as a more determined, focused and hard-working actor. The Method has trialled my admittance of my past, faith in the present and my ability to trust my future, leaving me with more passion for my art than I could have ever imagined. The tribulations we face that can be as simple as learning lines, meeting and working with fellow actors, or simple self discovery have helped me design an incredible tool box that I will take on my forthcoming journey. Thank you for the many performance opportunities I have had at the Lee Strasberg Institute, thank you to the incredible inspiring teachers I have had the privilege to work with and most of all, thank you Lee Strasberg for installing in me the knowledge, courage and faith required to be a proud, confident and ‘ready’ Method actor.”
“Attending The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute was a decision which I do not regret. The time I have spent at Strasberg Institute has helped me grow and reach new levels within my acting. I feel like I am able to delve into new depths of myself to really live on stage and not just act. Being able to incorporate “The Method” that Lee Strasberg has spent his life perfecting is an invaluable asset to my skill set as an actor. With many of the teachers actually having studied under Lee Strasberg, their grasp of his Method is uncanny.
However looking back upon my experiences at the Institute, I realize that I have not only made strides within my craft, but I have also matured as a person along the way.”
Ingrid Jean-Baptiste
“As Mel Gussow wrote: “Strasberg revolutionized the art of acting and had a profound influence on performance in American Theatre and movies.” The Method drastically changed my life as a human being and actor. One of the main “rules” I have learned about this incredible technique is “You can only go out as far as you go in.” The deeper I explored and used my personal experiences, the more genuine and profound my acting becomes. The interesting aspect of this school is that you have this privileged opportunity to study with teachers who were directly taught by Lee Strasberg. Therefore, you discover the technique the way Lee Strasberg use to teach it at the Actors Studio.
The Two-Year Certificate Program is a wonderful journey for any person who wants to deepen his or her acting and be at peace with personal fears. It helped me open doors I would probably never have explored because of fear. Thank you to Irma Sandrey, Geoffrey Horne, and Paul Calderon who accompanied me to reach these places.
One word: Unforgettable!”
Juan Rugero
“There is a difference between practice and talent. Practice is what makes your talent better, and talent is what makes your practice a self-discovery process along with a journey that I will never forget.
The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute represents for myself an institute, along with its teachers, a balanced system of classes, where, has little three months, I began to understand and feel ok, not only myself, but “method acting” as well.
Today, not only do I feel more comfortable in my own skin, but also in any skin that I create as an actor. This would only be possible by having a great institute that is able to draw the talent out of its students. The craft of an actor is built like an assembly process, piece by piece, until it is complete.”
“What separates the Lee Strasberg Institute from the usual impression one gets from a ‘conservatory,’ is its impact on the maturing artist. The Institute gives young talent the tools not only to be a great actor in the present, but to evolve and adapt until the ‘Method’ becomes second nature. When you can apply what you learned five, ten or twenty years ago, into your living craft, then you can appreciate how successful your training was. This is the type of training that the Institute offers.”
Premiere photo from Two Days ‘til Dawn opening at the Gene Frankel Theatre, taken by Chris Vongsawat
Joseph Mayo
“Passion – the one word that best describes the atmosphere of The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute: passion amongst students and staff alike for the craft of acting. Never before had I stepped foot into an institute that had such contagious enthusiasm for show business. The second I entered the institute, I could feel its infectious energy and decided right then and there that this was where my career would skyrocket.
During my time here, I have grown on multiple levels. Not only do I credit the Institute for the advances in my acting career, but also for my view of the performing arts and technique. My training has encouraged me to delve into the performance, supplying me with the tools to do so. It has allowed me to realize my full potential as an actor and taught me how to literally become the characters that I play. Most of all, the school has allowed me to experiment, while sharpening my strengths.
To close, I would like to stress that the institute has done the impossible job of maintaining the ideals that Lee Strasberg himself created. It is composed of educated and passionate staff and equally passionate students who come together and become a family of actors. “
Serena Miniter
“The most important lesson that I have learned at Strasberg is how to relate the character I am playing to a real life experience, in other words, to make it more ‘real’. We do a lot of work on different scenes each term, along with improvisation. Also, as we get older, we learn more sensory/relaxation methods. For example, just recently we did an imaginary circumstance in which we had to imagine being ‘taken away’ from our families. In response, I began to cry because of the devastating thought. It made me realize that I could use the emotions from the exercise in my acting in the future. It was a great learning experience.”
Gabriela Duarte
“I can say that going to The Lee Strasberg Institute was one of the best things I’ve decided to do in my life! It is for sure the best place to study acting. The teachers are amazing; they treat everyone the same way and as professionals. I am proud to say that there is a ‘me’ before and after going to the school. I’ve grown so much, not just as an actress, but also as a person. I’ve made so many good friends, whom I know I’ll never forget and will cherish forever. And there are so many people from around the world, so that you get to be close to a variety of different cultures. Not to mention that New York is awesome! The only bad thing I can say is that your time in the school passes by way too fast! I’m completing my first year at the school and hope that I can return one day in the future. It has been the most important and amazing thing in my life and I recommend it to everybody!”
Charles Moxley
“You just saw the latest Harry Potter movie, right? After a couple of minutes of awe and wonder, you say, ‘How did they do that?’ or ‘I want to be like them when I grow up’. What you don’t think is, ‘What exercises did he do to achieve that?’ I love that at Lee Strasberg, they combine the exercises like relaxation, where you shake out you limbs to pin-point any pressure, with the sort of juicy exercises that get you mind flowing and spill your emotions into a scene. Through exercises like smelling fruit or feeling an object, we learn to ‘express, not show.’ Even the simplest thing, like letting out an ‘ahhhhhhh’ sound can enhance your vocal ability.”
Lenard Moxley
“What I like most about my acting class on Saturday is that the teachers brilliantly combine vocal and mental exercises with improvisational acting, in a fun and effective way. We always start the class with a vocal warm up, then relaxation, calming our bodies’ muscles to be able to freely express them, without having tensions that don’t help the scene. Then we have sense memory-practicing re-creating memoires, to be able to access the real emotions and feelings in a scene. This is the key to acting-that acting should be like breathing, it should pure and natural. Sense memory helps build this purity.”
Zahid Fayyaz
“The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film institute has really helped me progress as an actor and director. The sensory exercises have taught me a lot about myself, which has enabled me to relate to characters more fully. I have learned how to break down and analyze plays and characters, which ultimately allowed me to understand and play characters more fully. Even if the character is far from you, the teachers help you find a way to play the character truthfully, while staying within the parameters of the play. The teachers’ expertise and passion help you take your art to the highest level possible. The teachers are helpful and approachable, and they allow you to be yourself. The school teaches you to do what all actors have done when acting well-living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.”
Sophie Walker
“The most important lesson I have learned at Strasberg is to always remain in the moment while acting, which pairs with the idea of always being authentic and honest. This lesson has been instilled in me since I started taking classes at Strasberg, and is something that I feel is crucial in all my acting and performances, and also something that I have tried to carry into my daily life… Though throughout the years I have had many different teachers, I learn for the most part, from familiar faces. Being able to work with the same teachers over and over again has given me good relationships with many of them, and a security and comfort in knowing that I can comfortably experiment and explore.”
Giles Matthey
“The people at this school are very supportive, which I think is very important as it helps to create an environment in which you can truly feel safe. This gives an actor the freedom to try new things that could either work very well or make you fall flat on your face. I think this is very important for an actor. I also love the way the classes are set up to provide you with the exercises Lee developed to help train one’s craft, and then you are able to put into practice what you have learned with scene work.
My concentration was poor when I first arrived at this school, and for an actor this is the key. This school helped my concentration develop consistently with these classes. Lee’s exercises also helped to unlock whatever raw ability I had and also exposed what I need to work on. I can safely say that these classes helped me to have instant access to my own strong experiences in life that had heightened emotional states. I don’t think you can ever master anything in acting, but what these classes did do was to help me gain access to them.”
Vahag Bagratuni
“Every artist needs a family, a home, a place which will enable him to sprout, unfold and blossom.
The entire Strasberg faculty is to be commended for never letting the profound work of Lee Strasberg to fall into oblivion and therefore always remain unique. My sincere respect goes to them for that admirable dedication.
The Lee Strasberg Institute has become my second home and it is an immense honor for me to be a part of this passionate family who gives me warmth, inspiration and encouragement in mastering and nurturing the craft of acting.”