Elizabeth Mestnik Acting Studio

I'm currently in the 2nd year program and though I could try to think of the best way to describe my experience to you, it still wouldn't wouldn't be enough. The experience you gain from this program is invaluable. It goes with you everywhere; you become your best unique self. Your point of view is finally given it's true justice in an extremely sacred space. I can't tell you if this is the best place for you but as with anything that needs faith, it's up to you to see if it's worth the leap. However, what I can tell you is that the instructors don't take this work lightly and you shouldn't expect ANYONE to in this business to as did Sanford Meisner over 75 years ago in which he said, ""I wish the stage were as narrow as the wire of a tightrope dancer, so that no incompetent would dare step upon it."" This place is inspirational and encouraging, just bring your A-Game. Good luck fellow reader :) more

Simply put, Elizabeth Mestnick is the Real Deal. I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to have found a studio that is not only welcoming and warm, but first and foremost dedicated to the craft of acting. \r \r There is no ego in this studio...this is a studio designed for serious actors who desire to train in their craft much like an Olympic athlete trains for the sport that they love. Elizabeth skillfully teaches the Meisner Technique in a way that trains the actor to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances and to live and respond on their truthful impulses.\r \r I've taken her month long summer intensive and am currently enrolled in the first year program...I can honestly say this first year has helped me to continue to strip away those defenses that inhibit actor from living and responding fully to another actor. \r \r I have met amazing actors who are dedicated to the craft of acting and to their community of actors. In this studio...You will work EVERY class. That is hard to come by in this town. And Every class you will be pushed. Not only are Elizabeth and her teachers caring, but they do not miss a moment! With a sharp eye, she tunes into each actor as an individual and helps to shape their work so that they are alive and connected fully to their imaginary world. more

Whether you're a professional actor or have ZERO experience, Elizabeth's Meisner program will personally and professionally make you more unique, more authentic, and take your acting to a whole different level. For beginners it's a great studio to start off learning the basic foundation and then growing into something called an ""actor;"" for professionals it's a great place to grow and dive in even deeper to the craft and into who you are. It does take a big commitment to go through, but you gain something infinitely significant personally and professionally as an artist. The teachers are great, you work in every class, and it's a great place to develop into a creative, confident, unique actor. And with three instructors all taught by the same Bill Espers (who personally studied under Meisner himself), and another instructor who is a direct alumni of the studio, they all bring something different to the table that you can learn from and take with you well outside of class. So if you're committed and you really want to stretch out into a unique actor, don't hesitate to sign up! more

I have studied at the Elizabeth Mestnik Acting studio for over 4 years, and could not be happier with the training I've received. In every class, all actors work and the one on one attention is what really made me fall in love with the studio. The teachers here care about developing every actors craft not just packing students into classes, as some other schools do. I am a confident actor because of EMAS and the craft I have developed there is more than I could have ever dreamed of. If you are a serious actor who wants to be the best, this is the place for you! more

By far this is the best place to take acting classes in all of Los Angeles. I looked at a lot of different schools and interviewed with several different teachers, but in the end, I went with Elizabeth, and I couldn't have made a better choice.\r \r In just the first six months, I feel such a difference in myself. Through the work, I have grown as a person, and become a stronger/ more confident actor.\r \r For anyone interested in building a foundation and growing as an actor, I would absolutely reccomend the Elizabeth Mestnik Acting Studio. more

This is a top notch acting school. Elizabeth is one of the most up front people that I have ever come in contact with. She is the type of teacher that will always tell it to you like it is in order to bring your acting to the next level. I have never been so challenged in my life and enjoyed my experience at the same time. Its a great place for an actor to call home at any level whether you are just beginning or at an advanced level. Do yourself a favor and contact this place. more

I just finished EMAS Foundation's class and it was just what i needed. I have NO experience with acting but always wanted to give it a try, I looked into other studio's but none of them had classes that helped with starting me off with a great foundation when it came to acting. The Foundation class was exactly what I needed, the studio allows for freedom to learn and explore, the teachers are outstanding, informative and are so excited to share the art of acting to new comers like myself. I feel very fortunate to have found EMAS at the very beginning of my acting ""career"", I have all ready signed up the Character class and look forward to advancing my skills. more

I started at EMAS 3 years ago and I can not express how lucky I feel as an actor to have found a school with such amazing teachers that grasp what an actor really needs to make it in this business. I started out taking the Summer Meisner Intensive class not really sure of what I was going to get out of it and I loved it! Each class was always a learning experience whether it happened personally or by watching a classmate. I loved it so much that I enrolled and completed the 2-year Meisner program and all I can say is, ""What an Amazing Ride""! Thank you Elizabeth! more

When i was looking for an acting school, i wanted a place that would not just blow smoke up my ass and tell me what i wanted to hear for a price. i wanted the truth, constructive criticism, and a way to make myself a better actor. Then i came across Elizabeth Mestnik Acting Studio -- let's just say, be careful what you wish for! i had no idea what i was getting myself into. I started out slow with ""The script"" class just to get a feel for the place. I enjoyed it so much I immediately signed up for the Meisner Summer Intensive and am now starting the Professional Meisner 2 year program. Let me be clear: This is no cake walk people! EMAS is for serious actors who want to make a quantum leap in their performance skills. All classes requires hard work because well, that's what it takes to be good at the craft of acting. A significant out of class rehearsal and development effort is needed if you're going to get the most out of the class. Like high performing athletes, and dancers the performance time is really just where you show everyone what you've been doing in practice, so lots of rehearsal time is required. That's just the reality of doing anything well. Between you and me, Elizabeth always knows when you haven't rehearsed- ALWAYS. Elizabeth Mestnik Acting Studio is an incredible learning experience for those who are ready to learn how to make your acting more visceral. These classes so far has been a crash-course in life. It is based on truth and it forces you to look at yourself, get to know your own core truths and accept yourself for who you are. It has been a fantastic tool in discovering who I am and becoming confident in myself. I'm making great leaps and bounds in my personal and creative life thanks to the Meisner Method & the EMAS Family. more

I moved out to LA from NY 2+ years ago, looking to study acting. I was incredibly blessed to find Elizabeth and her studio. I began with the Meisner Summer intensive and later enrolled in the 2 year Meisner program. I had no formal acting training, but certainly learned my way. I won't say quickly, because this work takes time and dedication, but I was given the tools to create a craft that I'm now confident in. EMAS provides the best of both worlds: quality training AND a loving, supportive environment. That's not to say it's peachy in ever class--I've spent many a class crying because I was frustrated or felt that too much was being asked of me--but in the end it was all worth it. more

Everything I've done or will do professionally as an actor I owe to Elizabeth Mestnik and her amazing studio. From basic technique to scene study to a 2-year Meisner Technique program, EMAS has been my primary source of professional training since moving to LA. Elizabeth and her instructors see the unique qualities and potential in EMAS students and work to get them to tap into their truthful emotional life to bring work vividly to life. The more demanding the course of study, the deeper Elizabeth encourages you to dig. She cares greatly about your success as an actor. She's not fluff, mind you, and she expects a lot from her students, but the rewards are great. EMAS is the first place I recommend to anyone looking for training. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR MEISNER TECHNIQUE TRAINING. EMAS also offers seasonal courses in Business of Acting, Commercial Acting, Comedy Technique, Voiceover and other topics of interest by visiting instructors. more

I've completed the 2 yr Meisner course and am currently in Elizabeth's scene study class. I tell everyone i meet who mentions acting about EMAS. It's a great, safe, inspiring studio with passionate teachers. Doesn't matter if you're a working actor who has been at it for years or someone who's looking to take their first class... \r \r Love love love love this place. more

Elizabeth's class is a great place for studied actors to get back to the basics and do some real scene and character work which, let's face it, isn't the majority of the work that LA actors get to do. She gives great insight into how to use the techniques you've learned, either in her comprehensive Meisner class or in other programs one may have studied, in the most effective and compelling way. She's personable, fun, and there to TEACH YOU...not just hear herself talk. She also uses her many distinguished contacts in the industry to bring in outside professionals to help us in the task of braving the marketing side of the business and expanding our knowledge to apply outside of the classroom which is utterly invaluable. more

I really wanted a Meisner program that would result in some serious growth and skill, and after much comparison and research I founded Elizabeth offered everything I ever wanted. Her studio has by FAR the most serious, honest, and knowledgeable teachers around, is not over-priced, is centrally located, and meeting twice a week instead of once like most studios (pretty much for the same price as those studios) really gives you no choice but to stay focused. This studio is for actors that want to be taken seriously and have the chops to earn respect needed to succeed. Elizabeth and her co-teachers have given me the skills and confidence that I know I would not developed on my own...I am currently in my 2nd year of the Meisner program and loving every second. more

I started taking class with Elizabeth three years ago. I was looking for an acting/scene study technique class with a teacher who would push me to be better and be able to tell me exactly what I needed to work on and how. Since moving to Los Angeles, I had gotten involved with a few Theatre companies and gone on auditions for film and television here and there, but didn't feel like I was getting any better at my craft, or closer to becoming a working actor. I sat in on several acting classes in LA - the big names and the little names - and felt OK about a lot of them, but as soon as I started talking to Elizabeth, I knew I found the class I needed. She is the perfect combination of supportive encourager and ass-kicker. Although incredibly warm and loving towards her students, she does not suffer laziness, flakiness, or stupidity (epidemics in LA!). This creates a wonderful atmosphere at the studio - Elizabeth's students work their behinds off, and love and support each other as they do it. After a year in her Scene Study class, I decided to take the plunge and enroll in the two-year Meisner Training program. I could not be more thankful that I did. I now know how to act. Really. I know how to approach material, personalize and connect to an emotional life or point of view different than my own, and work moment to moment with my scene partner(s). I no longer ""fake"" my acting, but I behave truthfully under imaginary circumstances. Not only is Elizabeth herself an amazing teacher, but she also has a knack for searching out the same passion and talents in the other teachers at the studio. Like Elizabeth, many of the teachers come from Bill Esper's run as head of the Rutgers University MFA Acting program. Bill learned the Meisner Technique from Sandy himself, and Meisner named Bill as his successor to the teaching of the technique. Bill then taught Elizabeth while she was completing her MFA, and has endorsed her as his go-to Los Angeles Meisner Technique teacher. After taking the scene study class, Meisner Technique program, and several workshops at the studio (Commercial Voice Over, Commercial Auditions, Sitcom acting, The Business of the Business), I am well on my way to making this my career. I recently booked a National Commercial, closed a run of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors with a local theatre company, and most importantly, I know what I'm doing. If you are serious about working as an actor and bettering yourself as an artist, check out EMAS. more

After ten years of working as an actress in NYC, I wanted to find a studio in LA that was focused on solid training with the faculty that could challenge me to be my best. I found that level of professionalism and commitment to the craft at EMAS. I studied with some of the best teachers in New York, and it was a challenge for me to find that level of talent in LA. Elizabeth knows her stuff. She and the excellent faculty kept me on my game and helped me to stretch as an actor. EMAS is for serious actors who want to stay on top of their game. It is a home to build my talent and to bond with other actors who are focused and committed to advancing their skills. I am so grateful that I found this studio. more

This class is for anyone who is serious about the real craft of acting....Elizabeth is creative, intuitive and nurturing, and will get you to find the truth in all of your work...to help you work from your own instrument in a way that will pay off in any working environment. Go there! more

If you are looking for a place to study acting, you have to meet and work with Elizabeth. She is honest and to the point, and she keeps you on your toes, insisting on the truth in every moment. My growth as an actor and my confidence at auditions is off the charts! I have booked several jobs and am a working actor and LOVING IT! more