Studio FAQ

• Try Acting 2 or Acting 3 if you’re comfortable with some memorization and interested in returning to scene work.
• Try one of our early level skills courses—such as Voice & Speech Workout or Intro to Alexander Technique—to learn to be heard and understood, or to get more comfortable in your body.

• Try one of our Acting Focus classes, offering in-depth experiences with specific styles, techniques, or writers. These classes change each session, so jump at the opportunity to take those that strike your interest and to add new skills to your resume.
• Step outside of your comfort zone and try Acting for the Camera, Musical Theater Performance, or Unarmed Stage Combat.
• Try an Audition Intensive. This course is the perfect place for aspiring and working actors to develop their audition skills and make actionable choices to help them achieve their artistic and professional goals.
• Take a one-day class or weeklong intensive, offering special insights into specific performance practices and subjects. Past one-day and weeklong classes have been led by artists like Actors Theatre Workshop founder Thurman E. Scott, international performance maker Monique Jenkinson, Taiwanese actor and director Pao Chang Tsai, and Czech physical theater troupe Spitfire Company, among others.

• Try Acting for the Camera, Musical Theater Performance, or one of our many Physical or Voice classes.
• Try an Audition Intensive. It’s a great opportunity to find new material that also offers students a chance to revisit or refine existing audition material. This course is the perfect place for working actors to make actionable choices to help them achieve their artistic and professional goals.
• Take a one-day class or weeklong intensive, offering special insights into specific performance practices and subjects. Past one-day and weeklong classes have been led by artists like Actors Theatre Workshop founder Thurman E. Scott, international performance maker Monique Jenkinson, Taiwanese actor and director Pao Chang Tsai, and Czech physical theater troupe Spitfire Company, among others.

In order to allow our faculty and students to create the most successful ensemble atmosphere, family members, friends and prospective students are not permitted to view or audit classes. Likewise, due to the range of activities in our studios on any given day, visiting the spaces outside of class time is not possible.

No. We offer introductory classes in addition to our more advanced classes. Please read the current session listings as well as course descriptions to see if the class is a good fit for you.

Yes. Studio A.C.T. students must be 19 years of age or older.

• Visit the current Class Session page, read the course descriptions, then click the yellow “REGISTER” button.
• Be sure to complete the New Student Questionnaire when prompted during the registration process.
• All new students are asked to answer a few basic questions to ensure that they have registered for a class that is appropriate for their level of experience.

Yes. If you are coming to Studio A.C.T. after attending the Young Conservatory, you are still considered a new student and will need to fill out a new student questionnaire for Studio A.C.T. when prompted during the registration process.

No. When enrolling online, returning students will only be asked a few basic questions related to their return.

No. All students, even returning students, must register online before the first day of classes.

Students with special access needs (e.g. mobility needs, specific learning differences, etcetera) should email us at studio@act-sf.org with information about their specific needs prior to registering. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, we will work with the student, our Faculty and Facilities Department, to determine what reasonable accommodations may be necessary and possible toward meeting those special access needs.

Yes. We offer a 50/50 Payment Plan, whereby you pay half the total cost at the time of registration, and the second half on the first day of class. Enrollment with the 50/50 Payment Plan cannot be done online, however, and must be arranged by phone. Please call (415) 439-2319 during weekday business hours.

Please note: the 50/50 Payment Plan is not available when registering for a one-day class, or with a discount or other promotional code.

Once you have registered for a class online, our online registration system will automatically email you a confirmation of your class order. Students registering for advanced classes or classes requiring specific prerequisites may then be contacted by Studio A.C.T. for further confirmation. In the week prior to your first day of class, you will receive an email from us with additional information.

Yes. A limited number of scholarships are available each session for students who may need financial assistance to attend Studio A.C.T.

Scholarship applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks before your desired class is scheduled to start.

Scholarships are awarded on a need-basis and are subject to class availability.

To apply for a Studio A.C.T. scholarship, first read the Conservatory Scholarship Statement of Purpose & Understanding. If after reading the Scholarship Statement you believe you qualify, consult the current list of classes to select the specific class(es) for which you would like to apply, then email us at studio@act-sf.org to request a link to the online Scholarship Application form.

The 30 Grant Avenue facility features spacious studios with an air circulation system that is up to code with regard to COVID-19 safety.

As of July 17, 2023, showing proof of vaccination will no longer be required for Studio A.C.T. students. Masks will be welcome but not required for all faculty and students while indoors at 30 Grant Avenue. This mask policy will be in effect when CDC COVID-19 Bay Area case levels are rated as "low." When levels are rated as "medium" or higher, masks will be required for all. CDC COVID-19 Regional Case Levels can be accessed at this link: COVID data tracker

Please email us at studio@act-sf.org for questions or additional information.

• Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes on time and ready to work. Please cross-check your calendar carefully when selecting your classes.
• Known schedule conflicts, including work conflicts, must be approved by the Director of Studio A.C.T. prior to enrollment. Send questions in this regard to studio@act-sf.org.
• Absences may affect current and future enrollment.
• Students should expect to be assigned homework to be done between classes. Homework may include but is not limited to: reading plays, memorizing text, conducting research, connecting via Zoom or otherwise communicating with scene partners to jointly prepare work for class.

Theater is an ensemble art form that happens live, in person. This makes attendance very important. If someone is absent from an acting class, for example, their scene partners also cannot work that evening. While recognizing that life happens and unexpected events sometimes necessitate a last minute change of plans, we nevertheless recommend signing up for a class only if your schedule as you know it allows you to attend the full class schedule.

• Studio A.C.T. classes are held both online via Zoom, and in person at 30 Grant Avenue. Please consult the current class schedules for additional details, including updated COVID-19 related policies.
• May I visit the school for a tour? Due to ongoing organization-wide COVID-19 precautions, neither the Toni Rembe Theater building at 415 Geary Street, The Strand Theater at 1127 Market Street, nor the 30 Grant Avenue offices and studios are currently open to the public. Please email studio@act-sf.org for more information.

Using their Student I.D. card, Studio A.C.T. students have access to discounted parking rates at the O'Farrell/Mason Street Garage, entrance on Mason Street, between Geary and O'Farrell, around the corner from the Toni Rembi Theatre and a short walk to 30 Grant Avenue.

• Weekday classes are held in the evenings. Weekend classes are held in the afternoon.
• Most courses meet once a week for 8 weeks during the fall, winter, and spring sessions. Summer Session courses meet twice a week for 4 weeks.
• Weeklong intensives are offered in the summer session as well as the annual December Inter-Session.
• Special one-day classes are offered each session.
• Please note: Due to limited space availability in the 30 Grant Avenue facilities, we are unable to make spaces available to Studio A.C.T. students for their rehearsals outside of class.
• Students should expect to be assigned homework to be done between classes. Homework may include but is not limited to: reading plays, memorizing text, conducting research, connecting via Zoom or otherwise communicating with scene partners to jointly prepare work for class.
• The Make-Up date for any full-length class is scheduled for the next weekly date following the originally scheduled final date of the given class—e.g. a class ending on Monday January 1 would have its make-up day the following Monday January 8. The Make-Up date will only be used if the teacher cancels a regularly scheduled class date. Please hold this date in reserve.

• All applicants must be at least 19 years old.
• No audition is necessary for most courses.
• Some courses require prerequisite training, as noted in their individual course descriptions. Students registering for classes that require previous experience (please check course description) may be contacted for more information or asked to select a class that better fits their current level of experience.
• Enrollment is at the discretion of the Studio A.C.T. director.

• Most courses are limited to 12 to 14 students.

• Studio A.C.T. students have access to the A.C.T. Library—easily the most significant collection of scripts and books on theater in the Bay Area—for a full year following their latest enrollment. Library access is available both online and in person. Studio A.C.T. students may check out scripts in order to prepare for auditions, classes, or to otherwise further your theater interests.

• Studio A.C.T. students receive a 50% discount on tickets for all A.C.T. productions for a full year following their latest enrollment. Use your student I.D. card to buy tickets at the box office in person. Tickets cannot be reserved online or by phone. One ticket per I.D.

• Using their Student I.D. card, Studio A.C.T. students have access to discounted parking rates at the O'Farrell/Mason Street Garage, entrance on Mason Street, between Geary and O'Farrell, around the corner from the Toni Rembi Theatre and a short walk to 30 Grant Avenue.

As of Fall Session 2021, Studio A.C.T. no longer offers course credit for its classes. Students who took classes prior to Fall Session 2021 may still request transcripts as needed by submitting a transcript request form.  

Letter of Agreement (LOA) - This is the LOA all students mus read and agree to when confirming their enrollment online. It appears duringthe online enrollment process just prior to making payment.

This is a letter of agreement existing between the American Conservatory Theater (the School) and the applicant enrolling (the Student), stipulating the conditions and terms of enrollment.

IMPORTANT: Studio A.C.T. and COVID-19: All in-person classes will be conducted in accordance with the most updated city, county and state recommendations in effect at the time of the given class. NOTE: additional precautions apply as detailed on the Studio A.C.T. Session webpage and FAQ Page. These policies are subject to change. Our standard withdrawal and refund policies apply. By continuing to Check Out, the student acknowledges having read and understood these policies and agrees to abide by them. 

• Class times are all Pacific Standard Time.
• Class Schedule: The student has read their selected course descriptions, including the scheduled start and end dates. Students selecting in-person classes have read the additional policies specific to those classes.
• Tuition Payment: At least 50% of the total tuition is collected from the Student at the time of enrollment. The total balance, if any, is due and payable on or before the scheduled start of the Student’s first class. Failure to pay this balance is cause for dismissal.
• Withdrawal and Refund Policy: If there is not sufficient enrollment, the course will be canceled, and all tuition and fees paid will be refunded in full. Student withdrawal and refund requests must be made in writing by the date specified on our FAQ page to ensure a full tuition refund, minus the non-refundable registration fee. Should a withdrawal and refund request be made after the specified deadline, an additional processing fee will be withheld alongside the standard non-refundable registration fee. Refunds of any kind are not possible after the second day of class for full-length classes; after the first day of class for short intensives; on the day of or after one-day classes. Refund requests MUST be made in writing. Requests made in person or by telephone will not be accepted. The written request must be emailed to studio@act-sf.org. The school’s receipt of the request will be confirmed by phone or email. Please allow ten (10) working days to process.
• Appropriate Behavior: All students enrolled in A.C.T. programs must conduct themselves in a manner conducive to a safe environment of positive learning. Respect, courtesy, and care are expected. Respect for cultural differences is mandatory and harassment or other discriminatory behavior is not tolerated. Breaches of common decency in behavior will be cause for disciplinary action up to and including expulsion. Regarding physical contact, verbal consent must always be requested and given prior to any physical contact, whether in the context of a class exercise, improvisation, rehearsal, or performance. Consent given may always be retracted or otherwise revised after the fact. Nobody is obliged to be touched, nor to explain why they do not wish to be. Further information about practices and protocols around consent for physical contact will be relayed in class by the teacher as appropriate to the given subject of the class.
• Students with special access needs must notify the School of their precise nature, including any relevant clarifying documentation, immediately after enrolling in the program. Upon receipt of notification and documentation, the School, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, will then consider what reasonable accommodations may be necessary to meet those special access needs.
• First Class, Attendance, Class Make-ups: The Student must be present at the scheduled start of the first class of the enrolled course(s) unless permission for absence has been obtained from the program director in advance. FAILURE TO BE PRESENT OR OBTAIN PERMISSION MAY BE CAUSE FOR DISMISSAL FROM THE COURSE(S). THE STUDENT WILL BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MISSED CLASSES. Similarly, students are expected to attend all class sessions in full. Any anticipated absence or lateness must be approved by the Instructor. Any unexpected absence or lateness should be explained to the instructor in a timely fashion after the fact. With regard to these absence and lateness policies, the School respects the student's right to privacy; Clear communications are essential and appropriate discretion around personal information will be strictly observed. Any cancellation of a scheduled class by the School will be made-up and rescheduled on the Make-Up date indicated on the website. Absences by the Student from a scheduled class cannot be made-up. The School reserves the right to provide substitute instructors when necessary.

By continuing to Check Out, the Student applies for enrollment in Studio A.C.T. according to the conditions and terms outlined in this Letter of Agreement and accepts enrollment upon receipt of confirmation from the Conservatory.

Thank you for joining us!

• Tuition and fees for each class are listed alongside the individual class descriptions.
• Payments may be made online with Visa or MasterCard. No cash, checks, or other in-person payment are possible at this time.
• Outstanding tuition balances must be paid prior to the first class.
• A one-time $25 nonrefundable registration fee for new students will be added at the time of enrollment.
• A $15 nonrefundable registration fee for returning students will be added at the time of enrollment.
• We do offer a 50/50 Payment Plan, whereby you pay half the cost of tuition at the time of registration, and the second half on the first day of class. Enrollment with the 50/50 Payment Plan cannot be done online, however, and must be arranged by phone. Please email us at studio@act-sf.org or call (415) 439-2319 with your class request and the best phone number to reach you, and we will call you to assist with your enrollment.
• Please note: the 50/50 Payment Plan is not available when registering for a one-day class, or with a discount or other promotional code.

• An “Early Bird Discount” of 10% is typically offered for a few weeks immediately after a given session’s class schedule is announced.
• Current A.C.T. subscribers receive a 20% reduction of tuition for one course during the season. This offer is not available online. Please call 415.439.2319 to receive this discount.
• We do offer a “50% now, 50% first day of class” payment plan option. You will see this 50/50 Payment Plan option during your online registration.
• Please note: the 50/50 Payment Plan is not available when registering with a discount or other promotional code.

Yes. A limited number of scholarships are available each session for students who may need financial assistance to attend Studio A.C.T.

Scholarship applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks before your desired class is scheduled to start.

Scholarships are awarded on a need-basis and are subject to class availability.

To apply for a Studio A.C.T. scholarship, first read the Conservatory Scholarship Statement of Purpose & Understanding. If after reading the Scholarship Statement you believe you qualify, consult the current list of classes to select the specific class(es) for which you would like to apply, then email us at studio@act-sf.org to request a link to the online Scholarship Application form. Applicants may apply for up to two classes per session.

Class Sessions

• Classes with insufficient enrollment will be canceled and all tuition and registration fees paid will be refunded in full.
• Withdrawal and refund requests for any other reason must be made by the student in writing. Requests made in person or by telephone will not be accepted.
• Requests will be honored if received by the designated date prior to the start of the given class. (See “Current Refund Deadlines" below) Class tuition will be refunded while the non-refundable registration fees will be withheld.
• Current Refund Deadlines (all deadlines are 11:59 p.m. on the date indicated)
  
  • Winter Session full length classes: Sunday, January 7
  • Spring Session full length classes: Sunday, March 17
  • Any session short intensives or one-day classes: five (5) business days prior to the class.
• Should a withdrawal and refund request be made after the above deadlines, a withdrawal fee will be withheld in addition to the standard non-refundable registration fee as follows:
  • After the refund deadline but before the first class date: $25 withdrawal fee
  • On or after the first class date of full-length classes: $45 withdrawal fee
  • Refunds of any kind cannot be processed on or after the second date of class for full-length classes; after the first day of class for short intensives; on the day of or after one-day classes.
• Please allow 10 working days for your refund to be processed.

Private Coaching:

• All refund requests must be made in writing to both your coach and Studio A.C.T. at studio@act-sf.org
• In the event you must cancel a scheduled private coaching session, a refund can only be given if we receive a written request by email at least 72 hours in advance of the scheduled session. Full refunds are also given if either the coach or Studio A.C.T. must cancel the session and it is not possible to reschedule.
• For additional details, please read the full terms and conditions information, and the student Letter of Agreement, found on the Studio A.C.T. Private Coaching webpage.