Description
The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen in New York City.
The studio is best known for its work refining and teaching method acting. It was founded in 1947 by Elia Kazan, Cheryl Crawford, and Robert Lewis, and later directed by Lee Strasberg, all former members of the Group Theatre, an early pioneer of the acting techniques of Constantin Stanislavsky that would become known as method acting.
Notable actors and playwrights who have shared their work at the studio include Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando (who joined the studio in its first year), Lorraine Hansberry and James Baldwin.
While at the Studio, actors work together to develop their skills in a private environment where they can take risks as performers without the pressure of commercial roles.
As of July 2024, the studio's co-presidents are Ellen Burstyn, Alec Baldwin and Al Pacino. The co-artistic directors in New York are Martha Gehman and Javier Molina, and the associate artistic director in New York is Estelle Parsons. The co-artistic directors in Los Angeles are Katherine Cortez and Salome Jens.
