The Acting Center teaches a proprietary system its founders describe as a rediscovered technique with more than 300 in-house exercises, delivered in a classroom that bans criticism outright, the school's signature policy, intended to build actors through repetition and safety rather than pressure. It was founded in 2006 by four co-founders including artistic director Tamra Meskimen and has operated from Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks for most of its life.
The program is structured and transparent: ongoing scene study twice weekly (published at $480 per month in-studio or $320 online), two-week evening intensives in audition technique, commercial acting, and a breakthrough course (published in the $650 to $700 range), improv, and private coaching at published hourly rates. Its 2026 calendar was posted with exact start dates, and a free introductory interview is the entry step.
A disclosure note this directory owes readers: public reporting and forum discussion have described personal affiliations between some founders and the Church of Scientology; the school itself discloses no institutional affiliation, its methodology is presented as independently developed, and we found no mainstream documentation of an institutional connection. We report that context neutrally and let readers weigh it. On published structure, pricing, and evidence of operation, the school meets every directory standard.
Techniques taught
- Eclectic / multi-technique: Schools that draw on several lineages and fit the tools to the actor, not the reverse.
- Improv and sketch: Improvisation and sketch training: agreement, spontaneity, and ensemble play.
Class types
Enrollment and schedule
Free introductory interview offered per classes page. Schedule: Ongoing scene study twice weekly; intensives 4 nights/week x 2 weeks; 2026 start dates published (May-Oct 2026). Duration: Scene study ongoing/monthly; intensives two weeks.
Audit, trial, or intro class
Yes. Free introductory interview (not a class audit) per theactingcenterla.com/acting-classes/
Published pricing
| Program | Published price | Source, as of |
|---|---|---|
| In-Studio Scene Study (twice weekly, 3 hrs) | $480/month | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| Online Scene Study (twice weekly, 2 hrs) | $320/month | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| Audition Intensive (2 weeks) | $650-$700 total | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| Commercial Intensive (2 weeks) | $650-$700 total | source 路 2026-07-16 |
| Private/career coaching | $100-$150/hour | 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
- Tamra Meskimen, Co-founder / Artistic Director. NY improv background; interviewed in Voyage LA about founding
- Eric Matheny, Co-founder. LA actor
- Christopher Smith, Co-founder. NY improv scene; ran a school in NY with Meskimen
- Bill Kilpatrick, Co-founder. Sculptor by background
Location
Questions actors ask
Where is The Acting Center located?
What acting technique does The Acting Center teach?
Is The Acting Center suitable for beginners?
Can I audit or try a class at The Acting Center?
How much do classes at The Acting Center cost?
Does The Acting Center offer online classes?
Does The Acting Center teach children or teenagers?
Who teaches at The Acting Center?
When was this information last verified?
Sources and verification
- About The Acting Center, accessed 2026-07-16
- Acting Classes - The Acting Center, accessed 2026-07-16
- Class Schedules, accessed 2026-07-16
- Meet Tamra Meskimen of The Acting Center (Voyage LA), accessed 2026-07-16
- Jim Meskimen, Scientology celebrity (The Underground Bunker), 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.
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