Playhouse West is a Meisner school with an unusually direct claim on the lineage: after Sanford Meisner moved to Los Angeles in 1987, he taught his private classes at Playhouse West for roughly the last decade of his teaching life. The school began in 1981 as a six-week intro class run by Robert Carnegie, who still leads it; Jeff Goldblum is a co-founding director and began teaching there in the mid-1980s.
The deal is straightforward and cheap by LA standards: two three-hour classes per week, ongoing year-round enrollment, and a flat published tuition of $255 per month by Venmo or $250 cash regardless of level. All new students start in the Beginning level whatever their resume says, and are promoted by their teacher through Intermediate and Advanced, where students rehearse full plays with the option to stage them in the attached repertory theater. The school frames its pricing philosophy as everyone effectively being on scholarship.
Prospective students get a genuinely free audit, either sitting in on a three-hour class or doing an interactive version with an instructor, followed by a short interview that the school stresses is not an audition. Two NoHo studios operate, the main red-door building on Lankershim and a second space on Magnolia. Adults only, 18 and up. Street parking is metered and enforcement is strict, and yes, you can step out mid-class to feed the meter.
Techniques taught
- Meisner: Listening, repetition, and truthful response under imaginary circumstances, in the lineage of Sanford Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse teaching.
Class types
Enrollment and schedule
No audition; free audit followed by a brief staff interview (explicitly 'not an audition', no preparation needed); all new students placed in Beginning unless prior Meisner training is assessed. Schedule: Ongoing year-round classes (morning/afternoon/evening/weekend); enroll any time, no fixed semesters; closed major holidays + 2-week Christmas break; no make-up classes. Duration: Open-ended ongoing training: two 3-hour classes/week; students remain at each level until promoted by their teacher.
Audit, trial, or intro class
Yes. Free audits by appointment only, booked online: 3-hour 'sit-in' audit (observe classes) or 'interactive' audit (participate in exercises with an instructor); followed by brief interview
Published pricing
| Program | Published price | Source, as of |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly tuition, all levels (two 3-hour classes/week) | $255/month via Venmo; $250/month cash or check | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| Online screenwriting class (Feb-Apr 2026, Thu 7-10pm PST) | $175/month ($155/month for current students) | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| Online web-series meetup (Zoom, Mon 9am PST) | $130/month | 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.
Instructors
- Robert Carnegie, Founding Director / teacher. Studied intensively with Sanford Meisner; conducts post-audit interviews
- Jeff Goldblum, Co-Founding Director. Began teaching at the school in the mid-1980s; teaching frequency today not confirmed
- Holly Gagnier, Teacher/staff. Named on audit page as post-audit interviewer
- Chris Liebe, Teacher/staff. Named on audit page; co-teaches an Intermediate class (W/F) per class listings
- Michelle Hodan, Teacher/staff. Named on audit page as post-audit interviewer
Practical notes
Parking: Metered street parking in front of both LA studios plus surrounding neighborhoods; site warns parking enforcement is strict; students may step out during class to feed meters
Scholarships: School's stated philosophy is to keep tuition as low as possible; site frames it as 'everyone is on scholarship' (i.e., subsidized flat rate, not a separate scholarship program)
Location
Questions actors ask
Where is Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater located?
What acting technique does Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater teach?
Is Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater suitable for beginners?
Can I audit or try a class at Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater?
How much do classes at Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater cost?
Does Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater offer online classes?
Does Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater teach children or teenagers?
Is admission to Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater by audition?
Who teaches at Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater?
Is parking available at Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater?
When was this information last verified?
Sources and verification
- Playhouse West, Tuition & Class Structure, accessed 2026-07-16
- Playhouse West, Locations, accessed 2026-07-16
- Playhouse West, History, accessed 2026-07-16
- Playhouse West, Audit, accessed 2026-07-16
- Playhouse West, Online Classes, accessed 2026-07-16
- Playhouse West, Home, 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
North HollywoodThe BGB Studio
North Hollywood on-camera and audition studio founded in 2012 by casting director Risa Bramon Garcia and coach Steve Braun, with application-based entry, a free intro session, and flat $295 monthly ongoing classes.
NoHo Arts DistrictElizabeth Mestnik Acting Studio
NoHo Meisner studio founded in 2001 by Elizabeth Mestnik, an MFA student of William Esper, running a traditional cohort-based two-year Meisner program plus beginner courses and voice work.
North HollywoodKeep It Real Acting Studios
Commercial and on-camera specialist founded by actress Judy Kain in 2012, with a four-level commercial track, youth classes, self-taping services, and unusually transparent published pricing; currently running classes virtually.
