Los Angeles Valley College's Department of Theatre and Dance delivers structured actor training at the most accessible price in this directory: California residents pay the state-mandated $46 per unit, meaning a full semester of theatre coursework costs less than a single month at many private studios.
The program offers AA degrees in Theatre Arts with acting, directing, and technical options, program maps for theater production and musical theater, and a Theater Arts: Acting certificate aimed at entry-level industry work. Coursework pairs with a production season, and the department's performances moved into the William R. Payden Mainstage Theatre in the college's new Valley Academic and Cultural Center in spring 2026, giving students a genuinely modern venue.
Enrollment is open, no audition required to take classes, with production casting by department auditions. For Valley actors testing whether serious training is for them, or building transfer credits toward a university theatre degree, LAVC is the low-risk on-ramp; pair it with the studio listings in this directory when you want camera-specific craft.
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
Open enrollment community college; no audition to enroll in classes (production casting is separate). Duration: AA degrees typically 2 years full-time (60 units).
Published pricing
| Program | Published price | Source, as of |
|---|---|---|
| CA resident per-unit enrollment fee | $46/unit | 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 Los Angeles Valley College Department of Theatre & Dance located?
What acting technique does Los Angeles Valley College Department of Theatre & Dance teach?
Is Los Angeles Valley College Department of Theatre & Dance suitable for beginners?
How much do classes at Los Angeles Valley College Department of Theatre & Dance cost?
Does Los Angeles Valley College Department of Theatre & Dance teach children or teenagers?
Is admission to Los Angeles Valley College Department of Theatre & Dance by audition?
When was this information last verified?
Sources and verification
- Department of Theatre & Dance | LAVC, accessed 2026-07-16
- Theater Arts: Acting | Los Angeles Valley College Program Mapper, accessed 2026-07-16
- Tuition and Fees | LAVC, accessed 2026-07-16
- Valley Dances 2026 | LAVC, 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
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.
ResedaBraden Lynch Studio
Reseda boutique studio where actor-author Braden Lynch teaches an Adler-based technique in classes capped at 12, with fully published rates, a $25 credited evaluation as the entry step, and accent coaching.
NorthridgeCalifornia State University, Northridge Department of Theatre
Cal State Northridge's 250-major theatre department: a no-audition Theatre BA with an acting and directing option, eight productions a year, a teen summer drama workshop, and CSU-resident tuition.
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.
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.