General

+ Are you offering classes or coaching in person? How about Zoom? What are your COVID-19 safety protocols?

The Ken Studio continues to prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of all our actors, teaching artists, staff, and guests as we resume in-person coaching and classes.

We offer both in-person and virtual work for the Master Class. Currently, the Monday and Tuesday Master Class sections are in-person in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Master Class sections on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays are via Zoom. All coaching hours are via Zoom until Fall. Open Houses, auditions, and interviews for class are via Zoom.

All Weekend Intensives for Ken’s brand-new Meta Class, HOW TO WORK WITH ACTORS, are in-person in New York. The Meta Class is also available as a Four-Week Course via Zoom on Wednesday afternoons.

For actors in film/television/theater projects that are following current CDC guidance and the COVID-19 safety protocols mandated by SAG-AFTRA and AEA, in-person/on-set/on-location coaching with Ken is back! Contact us to discuss your project.

We’ll be offering more Special Classes taught by our brilliant Guest Teaching Artists this year. Some of those will be in-person in New York, others will be via Zoom—stay tuned for details!

To ensure everyone’s safety, we require proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a bivalent booster for all our in-person coaching and classes. While we no longer require masking in class, we strongly recommend continued precautions like masking in subways and crowded indoor spaces, including building lobbies, elevators, restrooms, and hallways. We also ask that if you experience symptoms or have been exposed to COVID, you do not attend in-person class or coaching.

+ Does The Ken Studio teach a particular technique or method?

There are as many ways to act as there are actors and moments. Read more about what you can expect from the Studio and our Teaching Artists in Our Approach.

+ My audition/gig is tomorrow! Can you help me?

It’s worth asking! Coaching on short notice is sometimes possible. Ken’s schedule fills quickly, so it’s a good idea to book your coaching sessions well in advance if you can, but actors’ schedules change all the time—there is always a chance Ken will have an open hour or day when you need it. For emergencies, Ken prioritizes coaching for major film, tv, and theater projects. Click here to ask our Team.

+ My project or acting task is weird and/or particularly challenging! Can you help me?

Probably yes. It would be difficult to surprise us. We could tell you some stories.

+ Do you work with celebrities?

Yes. Housecalls, travel, on-set and on-location work, and coaching and consultation for major film, television, and theater projects happen frequently, sometimes on short notice, and well-known actors are sometimes in class. Sometimes celebrities prefer to keep a low profile when working with a teacher or coach—some of the well-known actors and popular projects Ken has worked with are listed in his bio, some are not. Private studio space is available when needed, and absolute discretion in every aspect of our work is assured. Contact us to discuss your needs.

+ Do you work with children?

Generally no. The minimum age for our classes is 18. We sometimes provide coaching for minors who are already professional working actors and need help with a specific audition or gig on a case-by-case basis.

+ Do you offer scholarships?

As we strive to create ever more welcoming, supportive, equitable, diverse, and inclusive working environments, experiences, systems, and opportunities for all our actors, teaching artists, staff, and guests, especially members of historically oppressed and marginalized groups, we offer a limited number of full and partial scholarships for BIPOC and Trans actors. Contact our Team for details.

Coaching

+ Do I need to audition for private coaching?

Nope, just schedule your FREE first coaching session here. It's generally easy to tell from your first session if Ken is the right coach for you.

+ Does Ken do on-set coaching?

Yes! For actors in film/television/theater projects that are following current CDC guidance and the COVID-19 safety protocols mandated by SAG-AFTRA and AEA, in-person/on-set/on-location coaching with Ken is back! Special rates are available by the day and by the week for on-set/on-location and out-of-town work. Contact us to discuss your project.

+ When can I schedule a coaching session?

Coaching generally happens weekdays, Monday through Friday. Evening and weekend times are reserved for acting emergencies and major industry projects only. If you have an acting emergency that has to do with an important film or television role or a Broadway show, for example, then let us know—we may be able to arrange special evening or weekend coaching time. Please keep in mind that currently, Ken’s coaching hours on Monday and Tuesday are in-person in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and his coaching hours on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are via Zoom.

+ How do I schedule a coaching session?

You can schedule your FREE first coaching session here. It's generally easy to tell from your first session if Ken is the right coach for you. If you’re admitted to the Studio, we’Il give you details on how to log into our Studio Portal, and from there, you’ll be able to schedule future coaching sessions directly. It’s easy to cancel or reschedule a coaching session anytime if you need to. Please keep in mind that after your first free session, a full twenty-four hours advance notice is required to cancel or reschedule without being charged the full amount for the time.

+ What's coaching like? How does it work?

It depends on what you’re working on and what you need. No formulas here, and we don’t take anything for granted—every actor is different, every day is different, every artist’s relationship to training is unique, and every acting task is special. Read more about what you can expect from Ken’s work in Our Approach.

Master Class

+ How many students are in the Master Class?

We cap our Master Class at six students in each of our four sections each month. We work hard to make sure everyone gets individual attention, time to work in-depth, and an equal number of opportunities to present work each month.

+ What's the Master Class like? How is it structured?

Our Master Class is ongoing, until the end of time, with some breaks throughout each year. New actors are admitted by audition and interview at the start of each month (each four-week session). The month-by-month schedule is built to accommodate the flexibility necessary in an actor's life and career—once admitted to the Studio, you are welcome to register for the Master Class whenever your schedule permits, for as many months at a time as you’d like.

Currently, Monday and Tuesday Master Class sections are in-person in Midtown Manhattan, New York City (6:00 pm to 9:00 pm ET on Mondays, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Tuesdays). Master Class sections on Wednesdays and Thursdays (6:00 pm to 9:00 pm ET on Wednesdays, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET on Thursdays) are via Zoom.

Each Master Class, whether in-person or virtual, is three hours long. We work in classic master class format: actors take turns presenting work in front of the class, and we work together on whatever they need to work on, while the rest of the class actively observes. Every actor is guaranteed to work twice in each four-week class session (or every four Flex Dates), and sometimes more when there’s extra time. Read more about what you can expect from Ken and the Master Class in Our Approach.

+ What are the Master Class package options and which is right for me?

The Ken Studio has several options for purchasing multiple months of Master Class at varying levels of discounts and to fit every kind of schedule. We offer 2 and 3 Month Packages, Consecutive or Non-Consecutive, as well as Flexible Date Plans.

Our Consecutive Master Class Packages provide our best class discounts and are exactly what they sound like—start your class package whenever is convenient for you, but use all 2 or 3 months back-to-back. If you do not use your Consecutive Package back-to-back, the unused months will expire. You can always reach out to us to discuss extenuating circumstances.

Our Non-Consecutive Packages also come in 2 or 3 month options, but they work a little differently. With your 2 Month Non-Consecutive Master Class Package, use your first month whenever is convenient for you, then use your second month at any point in the following 6 months. For your 3 Month Non-Consecutive Master Class Package, you'll have the following 9 months to use your remaining 2 months of class. If 6 months pass after using the first month in your 2 Month Non-Consecutive Package and you have not used your second month, that unused month will expire. If 9 months pass after using the first month in your 3 Month Non-Consecutive Package and you have not used one or both of your remaining months, those unused months will expire. Ask our team for options if you have extenuating circumstances.

For information about Flexible Date Plans, see below.

+ What are Flex Dates and how do they work?

Flexible Date Plans, or Flex Passes, for the Master Class are available for actors with especially tricky schedules. Flex Dates are available in packages of four, eight, and twenty-four, and they never expire—use them anytime. Simply reserve the specific dates you’d like in any given month by the registration deadline for that month. It is possible to upgrade in mid-session from a regular plan to a flexible date plan for the difference in price ($80 to upgrade from 1 month of regular class to a 4-date flex plan, etc.) as long as there is room in the desired class date(s). Ask our Team for details.

Good news! You can now use your Flex Dates to pay for a Drop-In working spot should one become available. Ask us if you're interested in joining our Drop-In Waitlist.

+ What Material Do I Work on In Class?

Generally, you pick your own material. We work on all kinds of film, TV, and theater material and all kinds of acting tasks. Actors often use the Master Class to prepare for specific auditions and current gigs, and we do prioritize that work when we can. Please keep in mind that working slots for each month are set before the month begins—we can never guarantee a class working spot directly before an audition.

+ Can I audit the Master Class?

To ensure a safe, concentrated working environment, we only allow actors who have auditioned and been admitted to the Studio to observe regular Master Class sessions. But we do have specially scheduled Open Houses! These are FREE, and they are great opportunities to observe the work. Join Us at Our Next Open House. If you are unable to attend an Open House, but would like to get a sense of what it’s like to work with Ken, another great opportunity is a FREE First Coaching Session. Schedule Your Free First Coaching Session here.

+ Do you have an advanced class? A class for beginners?

We don’t distinguish levels and we don’t divide actors into tiers. Just like life and the film/television/theater industry, our Master Class is a mix: a community of experienced actors and newer actors each working on whatever they need to work on, meeting their own challenges while supporting and learning from each other.

+ Do I have to audition for the Master Class?

Yes. It’s an audition and interview—a chance for us to meet you and see a sample of your work to determine if you and our Master Class would be a good fit for each other. It’s also a chance for us to talk about your specific goals and how the class works. Your first free coaching session can serve as your class audition if you like. For actors whose body of work is well-known, an interview is sufficient. Schedule your audition/interview for the Master Class here.

+ What do I need to prepare for my audition?

Please prepare one brief monologue. It can be from a play, or from a TV or film script. The piece should run about two minutes, and it can be contemporary or classical, comic or dramatic. Please choose material for which you feel you are castable. We'll also ask you for your current headshot and resume before the audition. Schedule your audition here.

+ WILL I PRESENT WORK IN EVERY CLASS?

In our Master Class, there will be days in which you present work and days in which you actively observe. When you're up, you'll be working in extraordinary depth and technical detail. When you're observing, you'll be watching all kinds of other actors working in extraordinary depth and detail. We find the combination format to be ideal—the work is fascinating and everyone progresses in technique much faster.

META CLASS

+ Who is the Meta Class for?

HOW TO WORK WITH ACTORS is for all kinds of artists, educators, consultants, and facilitators who work with actors and who want to get amazingly good at doing that.

This includes film/television/theater directors, teachers and acting coaches in professional and/or academic settings and those in private practice, specialists in scene study/acting technique, classical and contemporary styles, auditioning, camera technique, cold reading, voiceover work, voice, speech, dialects, singing, movement, dance, ensemble work, experimental/environmental/site-specific/audience-interactive work, video game and virtual reality production, mask/puppet technique, comedy, and improvisation… all the things!

It also includes performance artists, screenwriters, playwrights, stage managers, agents, managers, casting directors, intimacy coordinators, fight directors, and choreographers at every level of the industry, as well as educational theater/TIE professionals, drama therapists, and life/career coaches. And actors. If you want rich understanding, athletic ease, great headspace, incredible enthusiasm, and consistently spectacular results from the acting artists in your world, HOW TO WORK WITH ACTORS is for YOU.

+ What's the Meta Class like? How is it structured?

HOW TO WORK WITH ACTORS is available four times this year as an in-person Weekend Intensive and six times this year as a 4-Week Course via Zoom on Wednesday afternoons. Every Meta Class is its own unique experience—sign up for as many sessions as you like. All in-person Meta Class sessions are in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

Each in-person Weekend Intensive is 10:00 am to 5:00 pm ET on Saturday and Sunday with a break from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Each virtual Wednesday Course is 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on four consecutive Wednesdays.

When you register, we’ll ask you to tell us a little bit about your experience and interest in working with actors and your specific goals. If you have a Working Slot, we’ll use that information to pair you with one (or two, or more) of our brilliant Studio Actors. We’ll prepare them for working with you, you’ll meet them in class on the day, and they’ll have a range of material/exercises/acting tasks/actor training scenarios for you to choose from in the moment.

We work in classic master class format with a Meta Twist: Working Slot Participants take turns directing/coaching/teaching/advising our Studio Actors in front of the class in real time. We all work together on whatever they need to work on, while the rest of the class actively observes. Each Working Slot is a case study: as we do in the Master Class, we organize around diagnostics, carefully examining every part of the collaborative process, highlighting key working principles, considerations, and best practices for everyone along the way.

+ Will the Meta Class work with my distinctive teaching/coaching/directing style and goals?

Yes it will. The Meta Class is designed to meet you where you are, and adapt to your unique experience, needs, and circumstances. We custom-tailor the approach in each moment to suit your own distinctive style and support your specific goals and creative voice. Your style and approach will definitely evolve; you’ll definitely grow in the craft and discover new paradigms and new ways of doing things, but the Meta Class is here to lift YOUR creative work with actors to its highest potential.

+ How many attendees are in the Meta Class?

In each Weekend Intensive and in each 4-week Wednesday Course, we have a maximum of twelve spaces for participants, and six spaces for artists/directors/coaches/educators who would like a Working Slot as well. This is a custom-tailored ‘hands-on’ individual coaching/teaching/directing experience working in front of the class directly in real time with Ken and our amazing Studio Actors. *Please note: Meta Class Working Slots go fast—register early if you’d like one!*

+ Can I audit the Meta Class?

To ensure a safe, concentrated working environment, we only allow registered participants in Meta Class sessions. But we do have specially scheduled Open Houses for our Master Class, where you can see our approach in action! These are FREE, and they are great opportunities to observe the work. Join Us at Our Next Open House. If you are unable to attend an Open House, but would like to get a sense of what it’s like to work with Ken, another great opportunity is a FREE First Coaching Session. Schedule your Free First Coaching Session here.

+ Do I have to audition or interview to take the Meta Class?

If you’re already working with us, you can sign up for any of the Meta Class sessions anytime. If you’re new to the Studio, click here to schedule a virtual interview with Ken. The interview is a chance for us to meet briefly, talk about your specific goals and how the class works, and determine if you and the Meta Class would be a good fit for each other.

+ What's the difference between a participant and a participant with a working slot? Can I upgrade to a working slot later?

All participants in the Meta Class engage in active observation and discussion of the Meta Work. Participants who opt for a Working Slot also receive an in-class custom-tailored ‘hands-on’ individual coaching/teaching/directing experience working in front of the class directly in real time with Ken and our Studio Actors. There are only a small number of Working Slots available per Meta Class, and they do go fast, so it's a good idea to register early if you’d like one. We do keep a waiting list for Working Slots—if one becomes available after you’ve registered, you can choose to upgrade for the difference in price.

+ Can I take more than one Meta Class session?

Yes! HOW TO WORK WITH ACTORS is available as a single Weekend Intensive, a single 4-Week Course, AND in packages of two and four sessions. Like our ongoing Master Class for Actors, every Meta session is a unique experience that stands on its own AND connects with other Meta sessions and the larger arc of your creative career. You’ll gain powerful and practical tools, vocabulary, working principles, and skills from just one Weekend Intensive or 4-Week Course, and you’ll gain more with every additional in-person or virtual Meta Class session you take.

+ If I have a working slot, do I need to prepare anything?

Nope! Whatever knowledge and experience you already have is all you’ll need for the Meta Class Working Slot. When you register, we’ll ask you to tell us a little bit about your experience and interest in working with actors and your specific goals. We’ll use that information to pair you with one (or two, or more) of our brilliant Studio Actors. We’ll prepare them for working with you, you’ll meet them in class on the day, they’ll have a range of material/exercises/acting tasks/actor training scenarios for you to choose from in the moment, and we’ll begin!

+ Who are the Studio actors? Can I bring an actor I know instead?

Glad you asked! Our Studio Actors are volunteers from our Ken Studio Master Class and Ken’s private coaching practice; they are each specifically chosen and prepped to work with you. Every one is a keen artist athlete with marvelous creative capability, an extraordinarily rich and nuanced technique vocabulary, lots of experience with many different kinds of actor training situations, and a sense of humor. They’re excited to work with you!