Philadelphia is well known for so many things – the rich history, the lively tourist scene, and the grand appreciation for the arts. Actors especially can find ample opportunity to strengthen their skills and show their talents to a larger audience.
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There are many acting schools and classes in the area that can help actors of all experience levels develop the talent and careers they’ve dreamed of. But with so many choices, how can you determine what the best acting school in Philadelphia is?
How we chose our top 10
To help you get started in figuring out the best choice for you, we’ve put together a list of the top ten acting schools in Philadelphia. We looked at online reviews, class offerings, and alumni success stories to compile our list. Our goal is to give you enough information about each option so you know which ones to look into more. So let’s get started!
John Casablancas Modeling and Acting Centers
They are committed to providing students with the tools they need to create an individual and unique style in a fun, exciting and professional environment.
Students learn timeless fashion skills to create "the ultimate look" for themselves, regardless of the latest trends. Students develop a strong sense of self, a quality that is always admired, recognized and respected. We continually strive for the highest standards to maintain the reputation that we have earned in a most competitive industry.
Fill out the form below for a free 1:1 consultation to see if you're a good fit.
The Philadelphia Acting Studio
Address: 208 Rex Ave, Philadelphia
Phone number: (267) 888-6974
Website: philaacting.com
Specialty: Training Actors For Film, Television & Commercials.
The Philadelphia Acting Studio is a leading-edge training school for actors, especially beginners. With a long tradition of getting results for those they work with... many of the actors that have trained here have gone on to work professionally in Film, Television and Commercials in Philadelphia, Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. They offer a one of a kind Intro Class for beginners called Acting Accelerator™. Its a 6-Week class given via Zoom, that includes weekly live coaching from the owner himself as well as access to follow along videos that actors can access at any time to support what they are learning in class.
*This studio receives almost one new project per month seeking to work with their actors, this has been happening for years now due to the founder/owner being a working actor and creating tight relationships in the local community and abroad.
You can book a FREE INTRO CLASS here to meet your coach, other actors, and learn more here.
You can reserve a seat in ACTING ACCELERATOR™ Intro Class here.
You can listen to one of TPAS's students explain her experience with ACTING ACCELERATOR™ here.
See what other actors from The Philadelphia Acting Studio here.
Playhouse West-Philadelphia
Address: 1218 Wallace St. Philadelphia
Phone number: (267) 202-5252
Website: playhousewest.com
Specialty: Film and television acting, writing, and directing
Playhouse West is proud to have an extremely high rate of working actors in film and television, including James Franco, Ashley Judd, Chase Crawford, and more. They offer two classes a week for a $200/month tuition, but you can audit a multi-level class to get a feel for their methods before you commit.
Meisner Studio Philadelphia
Address: 1701 Walnut Street, Ste 703
Phone number: (215) 600-1669
Website: meisnertechniquepennsylvania.com
Specialty: Meisner technique
Meisner Studio in Philadelphia provides acting classes for serious acting students looking to strengthen their skills through the Meisner technique. They offer classes including summer intensives, two year programs, and individual classes for acting, voice, and more.
John Pallotta Studio of Acting
Address: 72101 Keystone St. Loft 208, Philadelphia
Phone number: (646) 619-7777
Website: johnpallottastudio.com
Specialty: Film and television acting
John Pallottta Studio has been helping serious actors train for a career in on-screen acting for over 20 years. Classes focus on techniques, technical aspects of acting, translating performances to film, how to put together a self-tape, and finding representation. If this sounds like it would be a good fit for you, sign up online to audit a class.
Actors District
Address: 6154 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia
Phone number: (267) 495-9250
Website: theactorsdistrictonline.com
Specialty: Online acting classes
The Actor’s District provides online and in-person acting classes to prepare actors to reach their personal and professional acting goals. They offer specialized workshops and industry prep services (headshots, demo reels, etc.) for actors of all skill and experience levels.
Wickline Acting Studio
Address: 1080 N Delaware Ave #501
Phone number: (215) 739-9952
Website: wicklinecasting.com
Specialty: Casting
Wickline Studio not only provides youth and adult acting classes, youth summer programs, and private coaching, they also have a sister casting agency. That gives actors a great opportunity to be matched with casting calls that fit their interests and talents.
CEG Performing Arts Academy
Address: 684 North Broad Street, 1406 Ridge Ave, 2nd floor, Philadelphia
Phone number: (215) 236-1300
Website: cegartsacademy.com
Specialty: Performing arts
CEG Performing Arts Academy offers group and private lessons for dancers, singers, actors, musicians, models, and producers. In addition to their classes, they have a space that they rent out to groups for specialty classes, workshops, photo/video shoots, and recording – it really is a one stop shop for preparing an acting career.
Aikan Performing Arts
Address: 4956 Old York Rd, Philadelphia
Phone number: (215) 324-0632
Website: aikanacts.org
Specialty: Accessible acting classes
As a non-profit organization, Aikan (pronounced “I can”) provides high-quality acting training to youth and adults in a fun, supportive environment. They offer acting classes, events, and workshops in both an in-person and online format.
John Robert Powers Modeling, Acting Agency & Finishing School
Address: 1435 Walnut St 5th floor, Philadelphia
Phone number: (215) 732-4060
Website: johnrobertpowers.com
Specialty: Performance and professional development
Since 1923, John Robert Powers has been discovering and developing talent for movies, TV shows, commercials, and modeling careers. He also specializes in helping people bring their professional and personal visions to life through various skills-based development courses.
Music Theatre Philly
Address: 262 S 12th St, Philadelphia
Phone number: (267) 534-4975
Website: musictheatrephilly.com
Specialty: Musical theater performance
For those looking to break into the musical theatre scene in Philadelphia, Music Theatre Philly is the place for you. They offer children and adult classes in dance, acting, voice, musical theatre performance and more. Do you know a child interested in performing arts? Sign them up for a summer camp or spring session!
Now that you have a little more information about the top ten acting schools in Philadelphia, you can dive deeper into figuring out which one is best for you. Good luck, and we hope to see you on the big stage or screen one day!
