Theatre of Arts College for the Contemporary Actor

Theatre of Arts' actor training programs for theatre, television & film are taught by current and experienced actors, directors, and casting directors. Conservatory training offers 700 hrs of on-camera scene work designed to prepare the student for professional castings and auditions.

Founded in 1927 by Ben Bard, a silent film and vaudeville actor who later became the head of the ‘New Talent Department’ at Twentieth Century Fox during the 1950s, the workshop was renamed Theatre of Arts in 1959 and incorporated as an acting conservatory in 2000 with the purpose of “providing multi-media training for actors working in film, television, and theater.”

Theatre of Arts is at the cutting edge of current practice, providing 700 hours of on-camera study utilizing a variety of disciplines that draw from the techniques and contributions of major practitioners. Our faculty  are highly experienced, working professional actors in the heart of the entertainment industry and possess the teaching expertise, qualifications, and enthusiasm to motivate and inspire our students to realize authentic performance experiences needed for casting calls and auditions.

In order to encourage the student to build a foundation towards a successful career as a working actor, Theatre of Arts fosters an intimate and nurturing learning environment through reduced class size (avg. of 12 students) designed specifically for more individual attention, increased peer engagement, and better communication between the instructor and students.

At each stage of development, students' work is evaluated through performance projects, scene work, stage, and on-camera performances. In addition, all students are invited to participate in additional performance opportunities, often in the presence of casting directors, agents and other industry professionals.