Stella Adler Conservatory

History and Philosophy

Since its founding in 1949, the Stella Adler Studio of Acting has trained thousands of actors, many of whom have gone on to important theater and film careers. Its roots, however, go back even farther, to Jacob P. Adler, one of the great actors of the American Yiddish Theater, and also include Harold Clurman, Stella’s second husband and co-founder of the Group Theater. In 1969, The Stella Adler Studio became the first professional training school to become affiliated with NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. The spirit that has animated the Adler family for over one hundred years stems from the insight that growth as an actor and growth as a human being are synonymous.

The scope of the Studio’s current activities can be summarized in three categories: 1) Professional Actor Training, the core activity of the Studio; 2) The Stella Adler Outreach Division, which provides free training to low income inner city teenagers and 3) The Harold Clurman Art Series which presents cultural events that are free and open to the public. Recent participants in the arts series include Julianne Moore, Harold Mabern, Harold Bloom, John Patrick Shanley, Mark Strand and David Amram.

The Stella Adler Studio upholds a unique focus in American actor training. Like Jacob, Stella and Harold, the Studio affirms that the primary function of theater is to uplift humanity. A successful student for Stella, as for the Studio, is not necessarily one who becomes famous or rich, but one who connects to their deeper self and to our shared humanity. The Studio is a cultural center determined to train actors and support artists not despite, but in the face of a world in crisis. Programs like the Outreach Division help to create an environment for all students to become actors like Stella and those in the Group Theater: actors who are socially and consciously aware and whose awareness contributes to their ability to act passionately.

The First Year and Second Year

The first and second year of the program focus on providing students with a foundation from which to grow through a firm acting technique, voice and speech work, movement and physical exploration as well as contemporary and classical scene work. Students will develop a facile responsive body, a strong and clear voice, and clear understanding of the Adler Technique.  Performance work grows out of in class work to original pieces focusing on language and movement, eventually leading to a performance of a play, in its rehearsal stage, that is open to the public.

The Third Year

Students, in the first semester, partake in a Classical Intensive, which includes master classes in Voice with Andrew Wade, former Head of Voice at The Royal Shakespeare Company, Stage Combat with J Steven White, one of the most respected fight choreographers in recent history and Classical Scene Study with James Tripp, currently in his 18th year as the Head of Acting of Stella Adler Studio.  Work concludes with a performance of a classical play open to the public.  During second semester, students partake in realism intensive with Master Teacher Sam Schacht, former Dean of the Actors Studio at New School University. The semester concludes with the performance of a contemporary play open to the public.  Also, throughout the year, special workshops are often arranged with professionals such as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Benicio Del Toro, Matthew Modine, Frank Langella, and Alfred Molina.

The Fourth Year

In the fourth year, otherwise known as the Company, students devote all their Studio time to rehearsal. They perform two plays each semester.  Students also have a class on preparing for the acting profession with renowned actor and director Peter Flynn and casting director Stephanie Yankwitt of Mel Cap Casting and formerly of Telsey + Company.  During the first semester, students are introduced to the industry through workshops and one-on-one meetings.  In the Second Semester, students partake in an Industry Showcase. 

Administration

Artistic Director
Tom Oppenheim,
Business Manager
J. Steven White,
Associate Artistic Director
Angela Vitale,
Dean of Students
Jason S. Little,
Director of Artistic Development
Michael Grenham,
Director of Cultural Programming
Nina Capelli,
Director of Admissions
Luis-Daniel Morales,
Director of Marketing
Johnny Yoder,
Director of Outreach
Carlos Caldart,
Production Manager
Amanda Embry,
Head of Acting
James Tripp,
Associate Head of Acting
Don Williams,
Head of Movement
Jena Necrason,
Head of Voice
Alithea Philips,

Master Teachers

Ron Burrus
Joan Evans
Elizabeth Parrish
Sam Schacht
James Tripp
Andrew Wade

Faculty

Carlos Caldart
Kohli Calhoun
Steve Cook
Joanne Edelmann
Peter Flynn
Pilar Garcia
Michael Grenham
Adrienne Kapstein
Christa Kimlicko Jones
Jason Little
Dusty Mckeelan
Pete Mcelligot
Maureen Megibow
Antonio Merenda
Jena Necrason
Te Perez
Alithea Phillips
Laura Pierce
Patrick Quagliano
Alice Saltzman
Elizabeth Shepherd
Paula Stevens
Angela Vitale
Don Williams
J. Steven White
Noel Wilson
Stephanie Yankwitt
Elena Zucker