The Elizabeth Mestnik Acting Studio, EMAS for short, has taught the Meisner technique in the NoHo Arts District since February 2001. Mestnik earned her MFA at Rutgers under William Esper, Meisner's longtime associate, and Esper publicly endorsed her teaching; several of her faculty either trained directly under Esper or came up through EMAS's own program, which keeps the syllabus close to the traditional Meisner and Esper sequence rather than a hybrid.
The flagship two-year Meisner program is cohort-based: the first year runs about nine months, meeting twice a week in three-to-four-hour sessions with required outside rehearsal, and admission is by application. Cohorts genuinely close once they start, so timing matters; January and September starts were published for 2026. Core program tuition is not published on the current site, so ask directly.
Around the main program the studio runs Acting for Beginners, an Exploring Technique course (published at $550 for a fall 2026 session), scene study, a five-week summer Meisner intensive that the school positions as a low-commitment way to test the technique before the two-year plunge, plus commercial and on-camera workshops, private coaching, and Fitzmaurice and Linklater voice work. Adult-focused, small classes, working-professional faculty.
Techniques taught
- Meisner: Listening, repetition, and truthful response under imaginary circumstances, in the lineage of Sanford Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse teaching.
Class types
- voice-speech
Enrollment and schedule
Application form required for Meisner, Scene Study, and Advanced Character Work; Exploring Technique has direct sign-up; no audition mentioned on site. Schedule: Cohort-based: Jan 2026 starts (Beginners Wed 2:30pm or Thu 6:30pm; 1st Yr Meisner Wed 6:30pm + Sat 2:30pm); Fall 2026: Exploring Technique Sun 10am Sept 13-Nov 15; Scene Study Mon 6:30pm Sept 14-Dec 7; Advanced Meisner Modules Sun 2-5pm Sept 13-Nov 1. Duration: 1st Year Meisner ≈9 months, twice weekly, 3-4 hr sessions; full Meisner program 2 years; shorter courses run 5-10 weeks (Summer Intensive 5 wks, Advanced Modules 7 wks, Exploring Technique ~10 wks).
Audit, trial, or intro class
No audit policy published; the 5-week Summer Meisner Intensive is explicitly positioned as a way to test whether the technique and studio are a good fit before the 2-year program
Published pricing
| Program | Published price | Source, as of |
|---|---|---|
| Exploring Technique (Sundays 10am, Sept 13-Nov 15, 2026) | $550 full payment (or $275 non-refundable 50% deposit) | source · 2026-07-16 |
Prices are the school's own published rates on the dates shown. We never estimate prices. Always confirm before enrolling.
Instructors
- Elizabeth Mestnik, Founder / teacher. Meisner Technique & Scene Study; MFA Rutgers under William Esper
- Alex (Sandy) Egan, Teacher. Meisner Technique; faculty since 2006; completed Esper's two-year program
- Ken Weiler, Teacher. Meisner Technique; MFA Mason Gross (Rutgers) under Esper; 20+ yrs TV/film actor
- Jordana Oberman, Teacher. Meisner & Technique Series; NYU Tisch MFA
- Michael Yurchak, Teacher. Meisner, Technique Series, Voice for the Actor; certified Fitzmaurice Voicework teacher
- Theresa Hayes, Teacher. Acting instruction; certified Alba (L3); ex-American Academy of Dramatic Arts director of instruction
Location
Questions actors ask
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When was this information last verified?
Sources and verification
- EMAS, Home, accessed 2026-07-16
- EMAS, Location, accessed 2026-07-16
- EMAS, Faculty, accessed 2026-07-16
- EMAS, Register / Calendar, accessed 2026-07-16
- EMAS, Meisner Technique program page, accessed 2026-07-16
- EMAS blog, 2026 classes, accessed 2026-07-16
- PRWeb release (studio-issued), 2025, accessed 2026-07-16
- VoyageLA interview with Elizabeth Mestnik, 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.
Guides for choosing a school
- Acting for beginners: how to start
- How to choose an acting school in LA
- Types of acting classes, explained
- What acting classes cost in LA
Career resources for LA actors
Practical next-step guides from the LA Actor Guide.
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