New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts

The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts (NYCDA) is a professional acting training conservatory in New York City for actors focusing on acting for film, television and theater. Originally conceived for the purpose of training actors for television commercials, it has evolved into an AOS degree-granting institution that offers a two-year curriculum as well as an optional third year for theater training.

NYCDA is an institutionally accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).

History

Actors in Advertising, which grew into the School for Film and Television (SFT) and later became The New York Conservatory for Dramatic arts was founded in 1980 by Joan See. She also founded Three of Us Studios, a successful casting facility. She is the author of Acting in Commercials: A Guide to Auditioning and Performing On-Camera. See began her acting career more than 50 years ago and has appeared in more than 300 commercials. She has worked with many actors, including Julia Roberts, Paul Newman and Eva Gabor. Other credits include professional theatre productions on and Off Broadway and daytime drama. See served as Vice President of the Screen Actors Guild New York City.

The conservatory advertises practical, relevant, and rigorous arts education and aspires to liberate talent through craft, preparing actors to succeed in today’s professional world of acting. 1996 saw the accreditation of NYCDA by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), and in 2013 the institution began granting 2-year AOS degrees.

Today, NYCDA is an institution dedicated to excellence, innovation, and artistic expression. NYCDA utilizes the Meisner technique of acting as its core technique. Notable alumni have included Miles Teller, Vicky Jeudy, Manish Dayal, Matthew Fox and Lauren Graham.

Campus

NYCDA’s campus is located in Manhattan’s historic Chelsea/Flatiron district. The Conservatory’s administrative offices comprise half of the second floor of the building, with the other half devoted to studio classrooms. The third floor houses two camera studios, two multi-purpose studios, three movement/dance studios, the NYCDA library and a student lounge. The twelfth floor is home to a professional casting facility and two additional NYCDA camera studios. These studios provide facilities that familiarize students with the process of being on a live set and how to act in front of a camera.

Housing

NYCDA housing is located at 81 E. 3rd Street, New York, NY 10003 in Manhattan’s East Village, a 20-minute walk to campus and in NYC’s creative and urban independent fashion shops, coffee shops and theaters.

Programs

NYCDA’s curriculum is grounded in the Meisner technique, pioneered by American master Sanford Meisner.

Notable Alumni

Among the leading role actors is Matthew Fox, star of Lost and Lauren Graham, star of Gilmore Girls and supporting roles in Dreamgirls and American Gangster. Other notable alumni include:

Notable Faculty

References

    External links