Acting classes for beginners in Los Angeles: where to start

Arlo's directory alone lists more than 200 acting schools in Los Angeles, and many of them teach beginners. The fastest way to narrow the list is to decide what you want from your first few months, because the right first class depends on it:

• You want to find out whether you like acting. Start with something short and low-cost: a free intro class, a drop-in, or a four- to six-week beginner course. Do not sign a long commitment yet.
• You want to build real craft. Look for a foundations, technique or beginning scene study class that runs on an ongoing basis. This is the classic path, and it pays off over months, not weeks.
• You want to get comfortable on camera for auditions, content or a specific goal. A beginner on-camera class teaches you to work in a frame and see yourself on playback; see the on-camera guide.
• You want to loosen up and have fun. An introductory improv level is a low-pressure way in; see how to start improv.

Whichever you choose, try before you buy. Many schools in the list below state an audit policy or a free first class, and the audit guide quotes every policy Arlo has recorded.

Every teacher runs a room differently, but many beginner acting classes share a similar shape. Knowing it in advance takes a lot of the fear out of the first night.

1. A warm-up. Physical and vocal exercises, games or breathing work to get the group out of their heads and into the room.
2. Exercises. Short structured exercises that build one skill at a time: listening, repeating, reacting, using an object, pursuing a simple goal. In technique classes this is most of the work at first.
3. Scene or monologue work. Students perform a short scene with a partner or a monologue. In a first class you may just watch, or read a short scene cold.
4. Notes. The teacher gives feedback, often with an adjustment ("try it again, but this time...") so you can feel the difference immediately.
5. Homework. Usually a scene to rehearse with a partner, lines to learn, or an exercise to practice before next week.

Wear comfortable clothes you can move in, bring water and something to write with, and arrive a few minutes early. Nobody expects a beginner to be good. Teachers want to see that you listen, take a note, and try the adjustment.

Ask these questions of any school you are considering. The best schools answer them easily, often on their own website.

• Is this class really for beginners? Ask whether the class has a stated level, and whether most students are new.
• Can I audit or try a class first? If not, is there an intro session or a drop-in?
• Who teaches it? The studio founder, or an associate teacher? Can you see the teacher's own background?
• How many students, and how often will I work? In a big class you may perform only every other week.
• What does it cost in total? The monthly or course price, any registration fee, and any minimum commitment. Compare with the LA price guide.
• What is the schedule, and what if I miss a class? Ask about make-ups and refunds before you pay.
• Does anyone promise auditions, agents or roles? A class should promise training, not work. See the casting workshop rules.

What you do between classes matters almost as much as the class itself. It helps to treat class as the place you get notes, and the rest of the week as the place you do the work.

• Rehearse outside class. If you are given a scene, meet your partner at least once before you perform it. Learn the lines early so rehearsal time goes to the acting.
• Write down your notes. After each class, write the notes you got and the ones the teacher gave others that applied to you. Read them before your next scene.
• Read plays and watch closely. Read the full script your scene comes from. Watch film, TV and live theater with attention to what the actors are doing, not only the story.
• Watch other students work. In a scene study class you learn as much from watching notes given to others as from your own turns.
• Keep a simple budget. Decide what you can spend each month on training before you start, so a good class does not become a financial strain you quit over.

After two or three months, take stock. Are you getting usable notes? Do you feel more relaxed and specific when you work? If yes, keep going. If not, audit somewhere else; switching teachers early is normal, and it is better than giving up on acting because one class was a poor fit.

• Choosing on price alone. The cheapest class is a bad deal if you rarely get up to work; the most expensive is not automatically the best.
• Committing for months before you have audited. Long programs can be excellent, but try the room first.
• Collecting workshops instead of training. Short workshops are useful extras. Steady weekly training is where you build skills over time.
• Paying for access instead of skills. If the pitch is about who will see you rather than what you will learn, slow down.
• Quitting after the first awkward class. Give a class you chose carefully at least a few weeks; the first sessions are the hardest for everyone.