CalArts occupies its own corner of the training map: an arts institute founded by Walt and Roy Disney in 1961, thirty miles north of Hollywood in Valencia, whose School of Theater leans experimental, ensemble-driven, and art-first in a way LA's industry-facing programs do not. Its alumni skew toward artists who make strange, essential things.
The BFA and MFA in Acting sit alongside an experience design BFA and eight production and design MFAs, so actors train inside a full theatrical ecosystem. Admission requires two contrasting two-minute monologues, one Shakespeare, one contemporary, and, unusually, applicants living in the contiguous United States must audition live in Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago; only others may submit video, under strict single-take rules. Faculty are billed as entirely working professionals.
Published 2026-27 tuition is $62,954 plus about $730 in fees, institute-wide. There is no verified school-run teen program, though the state-run California State Summer School for the Arts shares the campus. Choose CalArts if your compass points toward ensemble creation, new work, and the avant-garde with full conservatory rigor; choose the city schools if weekly industry proximity matters more.
Techniques taught
- Eclectic / multi-technique: Schools that draw on several lineages and fit the tools to the actor, not the reverse.
Class types
Enrollment and schedule
BFA/MFA Acting require an audition: two contrasting 2-minute monologues (one Shakespeare, one contemporary); mandatory live audition in LA/NYC/Chicago for applicants in the contiguous US/DC, video audition otherwise with strict filming rules (single take, one close-up + one full-body). Duration: BFA four years; MFA Acting length not stated on pages reviewed.
Published pricing
| Program | Published price | Source, as of |
|---|---|---|
| undergraduate tuition 2026-27 | $62,954/year ($31,477/semester) + $730 mandatory fees | source 路 2026-07-16 |
Prices are the school's own published rates on the dates shown. We never estimate prices. Always confirm before enrolling.
Location
Questions actors ask
Where is CalArts School of Theater located?
What acting technique does CalArts School of Theater teach?
Is CalArts School of Theater suitable for beginners?
How much do classes at CalArts School of Theater cost?
Does CalArts School of Theater teach children or teenagers?
Is admission to CalArts School of Theater by audition?
When was this information last verified?
Sources and verification
- CalArts School of Theater, accessed 2026-07-16
- BFA Acting: Admission Requirements, accessed 2026-07-16
- MFA Acting: Admission Requirements, accessed 2026-07-16
- CalArts Tuition and Fees 2026-27, accessed 2026-07-16
- About CalArts, accessed 2026-07-16
- CalArts Accreditation, accessed 2026-07-16
- Extended Studies XTHE-900 Acting Audition Self-Recording Workshop, accessed 2026-07-16
Researched 2026-07-16, last verified 2026-07-16. Facts above come only from these sources. Anything we could not confirm is simply not shown. Report incorrect information or claim this listing if you represent the school.
Nearby schools
California State University, Los Angeles, Department of Theatre and Dance
Cal State LA's Theatre and Dance department: a no-audition Theatre BA with performance and design tracks, six to eight productions a year at the State Playhouse, and CSU-resident tuition on the Eastside.
Los AngelesNancy Banks Studio
Selective LA studio in the Larry Moss lineage: Nancy Banks teaches invitation-only professional scene study while her staff teaches tiered classes, entered by referral or audition; coaching client list includes A-list names.
Los AngelesSharon Chatten Studio
Method scene study over Zoom and in LA with Sharon Chatten, Actors Studio lifetime member and former Strasberg Institute teacher whose coaching resume spans decades; contact by email, tuition unpublished.
Related by technique
La Crescenta-Montrose3-2-1- Acting Studios
On-camera school for ages 2 to adult in La Crescenta, founded 2007 by Mae Ross and now under new ownership, with tiered TV commercial and scene study classes, published package pricing, and a free trial class.
Sherman OaksThe Acting Center
Sherman Oaks school founded 2006 teaching its own proprietary technique in a strictly no-criticism classroom, with published 2026 session dates and pricing for scene study, intensives, and improv.
Culver CityThe Actors Circle
Culver City workshop founded 2003 by Marcie Smolin teaching film and TV craft with improv as half the curriculum, in a positive-feedback-only room serving ages 5 through adults at published per-class rates.