The best acting class in Los Angeles is the one that fits your level and goal. Ongoing Meisner and scene study classes we checked cost $255 to $320 a month, audition technique $975 for 10 weeks, and improv starts at $55 a session. Every price was read on the school's own site on 5 November 2026, and we asked 16 casting directors whether they teach.
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Well-known LA schools by type. Prices are in US dollars as each school publishes them, as of November 2026. Confirm before you book.
| School (area) | What it teaches | Price as published |
|---|---|---|
| Playhouse West (North Hollywood) | Ongoing Meisner, twice a week; 18+ | $255 a month; $155 a month once a week (new students only) |
| Ruskin School of Acting (Santa Monica) | Two-year Meisner, paid monthly; online | $320 a month; $295 a month online |
| Beverly Hills Playhouse (Beverly Hills) | Orientation, then ongoing scene study | $875 for 3 months (or $450 for one); then $700 start-up and $280 a month |
| Lee Strasberg Institute (West Hollywood) | Method: 12-week part-time (8 hours a week); 2-week intensive | $2,850 plus $150 registration and $150 materials; intensive $1,720 plus $150. SAG-AFTRA members get 10% off tuition |
| Berg Studios (Casitas Ave) | Foundation series; scene study; on camera | Foundation (December session) $175 to $350 |
| Warner Loughlin Studios (Cahuenga Blvd W) | Ongoing class; 3-week online intensive | $375; $395 |
| Stella Adler Academy LA (Hollywood), Howard Fine Acting Studio (Sunset Blvd), Ivana Chubbuck Studio, Baron Brown Studio (Santa Monica) | Their own techniques; Meisner at Baron Brown | Not published on their sites today: ask them |
| School (area) | What it teaches | Price as published |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Sedita Acting Studios (Larchmont) | Audition Technique, 10 weeks; Nuts & Bolts, 12 weeks | $975; $1,020 |
| Lesly Kahn & Co. (Hollywood) | Ongoing classes, Zoom or in person | From $280 |
| Margie Haber Studio (La Brea Ave) | Audition technique | Not published: ask them |
| The Groundlings (Melrose) | Improv for Beginners (1 session); Workshop A (6); Basic (12, by audition) | $55; $365; $580 |
| UCB Training Center (Franklin Ave) | Improv 101 to 401 | Not readable on their site today |
| Terry Berland Workshops (online) | Commercial on-camera workshop, 5 weeks | $395 |
| Kalmenson & Kalmenson (online) | Voice over for actors, 6 weeks, 10 students | $445 |
Watch start-up, registration and materials fees, and compare hours per dollar. Our acting class cost guide compares LA with other cities, and our acting classes by city directory has contact details for more schools.
Kym Jackson's order: a foundation class first, often Meisner or Stanislavski based, where you learn to listen and stay in the moment before leaning on the words. Then improv, then scene study, then on-camera classes, casting director workshops, a commercial class, and a sitcom specialist if comedy is your goal.
Camera or not? Kym suggests beginners start without one, so you feel less self-conscious. Jess Orcsik says do both, because LA auditions ask for both.
Kym names three: The Groundlings, UCB and Second City. The Groundlings is rigorous and character-heavy, and you don't perform on its stage until you reach a certain level. At UCB you perform class shows for a live audience after a few weeks. Second City's site currently lists classes in Chicago, Toronto, New York and online, so check before planning on it in LA. Independent schools are fine, Kym says, but comedy casting directors feel more comfortable seeing a school they know on your resume.
Kym's method, step by step:
Jess Orcsik adds a step zero: decide what kind of actor you want to be (sitcom or drama, film or TV) and find teachers who specialise in it.
Yes. Playhouse West offers a free audit, Berg Studios lists free audit classes, and Stella Adler LA offers audits to applicants. The Playground in West LA offers one free class for kids, teens and adults.
Union members have more. As of November 2026, the SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Conservatory costs $60 a year for adults and $25 for minors, for LA Local members in good standing. The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Casting Access program is free for members, in LA, New York and online, with at least one class a month.
As of November 2026, Ruskin lists young actors' classes at $25 to $40 and teen classes at $40 to $50 a class. Beverly Hills Playhouse lists its youth class (ages 7 to 17) at a $500 start-up covering two months, then $250 a month. Michelle Danner in Culver City lists 8 weeks for $400.
Bonnie J Wallace says let teens try scene study, on-camera and improv; Karen Workman rates improv highly for confidence. On safety, Karen meets every teacher first and makes sure her kids can always tell her if something feels wrong.
We asked 16 casting directors. Ten teach in some form, mostly short workshops rather than ongoing classes: Lisa Beach runs online workshops for 10 to 12 actors, Gayle Pillsbury teaches three-week classes through a workshop company, and Scot Boland runs Saturday intensives with an acting teacher. The other six don't teach now; Rachel Sutton and Seth Yanklewitz both cited the pay-to-play controversy around LA workshops.
Are paid workshops legal? Ajarae Coleman explains that paying for a job or audition is illegal, but a workshop is education and networking. Kym did around 250 in 2006 to 2008 and credits about a third of her jobs to them, but warns: don't go until your craft is ready. More in our casting director workshops guide.
Shaan Sharma's rule: learn from people with hands-on commercial casting experience, such as session directors, because they draw the performance out of you in the room. Kym notes commercial classes are usually short, often four weeks, and pay off by cutting how many auditions it takes to book one.
Kym is blunt: a class should never leave you feeling horrible, and if a teacher hits on you, leave. Jess Orcsik says a teacher charging you to meet agents is not common. Once a year or so, ask your teacher what to work on; if they can't answer, find another class. And move on once you're one of the top one or two in the room.
It depends on your level and goal. Well-known options include Playhouse West and Ruskin for Meisner, Beverly Hills Playhouse for scene study, Lee Strasberg for Method, Scott Sedita for auditions and The Groundlings for improv.
As of November 2026, the ongoing classes we checked cost $255 to $320 a month and Scott Sedita's audition courses $975 to $1,020.
Kym Jackson suggests a foundation class first, often Meisner based, then improv, then scene study. Audit two or three schools before you commit.
Free audits are common, including at Playhouse West and Berg Studios. SAG-AFTRA members can join the SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Casting Access classes free.
Of the 16 casting directors we asked, 10 teach in some form, mostly workshops and intensives.
Kym's free class: the ten steps, in order, from first class to first booking. Free, just pop in your email.
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All rates current from playhousewest.com, strasberg.edu, groundlings.com and sagaftra.org as of 5 November 2026.