THE FREE ACTOR

THE FREE ACTOR CLASS FAQ

+ How many students are in each class?

We cap our The Free Actor classes 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 is class like? How is it structured?

The Free Actor 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 class whenever your schedule permits, for as many months at a time as you’d like.

Currently, Monday and Tuesday 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). 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 class, whether in-person or virtual, is three hours long. 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 Free Actor in Our Approach.

+ What are the TFA class package options and which is right for me?

The Ken Studio has several options for purchasing multiple months of 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 TFA 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 TFA 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 TFA 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 Free Actor classes 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 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 Free Actor?

To ensure a safe, concentrated working environment, we only allow actors who have auditioned and been admitted to the Studio to observe regular 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, The Free Actor classes are 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 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 The Free Actor classes 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 Free Actor classes 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 The Free Actor classes, 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.

+ Didn't this used to be called something else?

Good eye! For a long time, we called Ken’s signature group offering our “Master Class” in Acting Technique and Scene Study. The term arose from the world of 19th Century classical music; it described a specific teaching format combined with a relatively advanced level of student work and a teacher’s renown and/or expertise. That seemed to suit us.

But over time, we have come to understand that the use of the word “master” brings heavy baggage. Its historical association with the literal enslavement of human beings, particularly in America, is too much to excuse.

Additionally, its rampant use in academia and industry has led many artists and institutions to put the status, ego, and controlling authority and influence of teachers before the needs of students and acting artists, and prioritize hierarchy over truly creative work.

The word is usually meant well, of course, but it can do damage. In many places, assumptions underneath it have enabled and abetted unhealthy, unsafe dynamics, and robbed actors of growth, power, discernment, self-expression, and self-determination. All in all, we find the term “master class” a relic, unwelcoming to actors and their creative spirits in the modern era. Our class format remains the same, but we feel it’s now time to retire the term from our work and from our website.

We’ve decided to put the focus of our flagship class title back where it belongs—on the actor and their goals. So we’re naming it for the special athletic ease and creative confidence actors find in our work. For the safe support, empowerment, and success we seek for every acting artist, in training and throughout the industry: THE FREE ACTOR.