Which is a Better Acting School: AMDA or Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute?

Question

Just for acting, not musicals. I will be moving to LA because they say the schools there are more "TV" and the schools in NY are more "Stage". The reason I need to know is because I have to start setting up audition dates with the schools for early admission soon and I am having a REALLY hard time deciding between which one I should attend. American Musical and Dramatic Academy is more college like with dorms and stuff like that but Strasberg is just hardcore, straight-to-the-point method acting. I want both of those things but I just cannot decide, and I also want to go to a school where I can learn REALLY great acting techniques...I don't know which school has the better turn out rate for actual working actor graduates because they both seem to be good schools. I JUST NEED HELP! Thanks!

Answer 1

Usually you can check their alumni on their websites. The difficult thing about Method acting is that it is not what Stanislavski intended when he was writing what were essentially directing notes. Acting is not psychology and you don't need to experience certain things to be able to act them. If you'd like, you could try it out and see what you think. You could always switch to AMDA after some exposure. You could also visit and watch what actually happens, talk to some acting teachers and students, attend a class....I'm certain they allow things like this.
In the end, your acting process will be your own. I studied many methods for years and came up with one that works for me. If you need more advice, I'd be more than happy to help. Just email me through my profile. Best to you. Acting is a tough job but somehow I still love it.

Answer 2

No one can really answer this for you. It's subjective. How did you arrive at these two choices, anyway? One thing I can tell you is that many actors don't find everything they're looking for in one school. This is the kind of training that can take a lifetime, and you should expose yourself to many different approaches to theatre training. Only then will you find what really works for you. I started out at a college BFA program but had major issues with the old-school Americanized Method. Then I went to a 2 year conservatory, the AADA in NYC, which offered quite a few different approaches and exposed me to a lot more. It was there that I discovered the Meisner Approach, which made more sense to me than anything else. Years later I continued my Meisner studies w/ Larry Silverberg, also in NYC, and that was a really profound, life-changing experience. But I acknowledge that it's not for everyone. One thing you could do would be to research acting techniques. There are a ton of books out there. When you find an approach that hits you where you live, find the best place to study it, and don't limit yourself to LA or NY. You're going to get training; looking for work comes later. Don't ruin your education worrying about finding work. Find out about yourself as an artist first.

Answer 3

If you are interested in more than acting, I doubt that Strasberg will make you happy. It may not make you happy even then. There is better training available in LA.