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Neighborhood Playhouse School Of Theatre

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Published: April 9, 2007

New York City is renown for its Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. One of the first theatres to present an Off-Broadway production is the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, then known as the Neighborhood Playhouse. Located in the heart of New York, the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre is an attractive program for people who are looking for an intense actor's training plan. With the over-rated artistic reputation of NY streets, students who study at the Neighborhood Playhouse are not to be considered wannabes, as this program's direction and tuition are very serious.

When visiting NYC, one almost feels obligated to see a production of sorts. To experience some of the raw talent of New York, a visitor should see an amateur performance at one of the local theatres. The Neighborhood Playhouse can provide these types of Off-Broadway shows that an upbeat tourist may be looking for. The intimate setting of the venue enables theatre goers to see even the most minute details of the production, as the theatre only holds one hundred viewers per sitting.

The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre was founded in 1915 by two sisters looking to change the world of acting: Alice and Irene Lewisohn. Both sisters had greatly desired to create a performance space where amateur actors could show off their talents and hone their skills to perfection. Within a few years, the Neighborhood Playhouse became known as The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre.
In 1920 the theatre's image turned in a different direction, as professional actors flooded the stages with the desire to share the limelight under the name of Neighborhood Playhouse. The Neighborhood Playhouse officially closed in 1927; however, it reopened as a theatre and school the following year. The school is currently still in full operation under the direction of Harold Baldridge. Director Baldridge studied under the expertise of Sanford Meisner, the man behind the famous Mesiner technique.

The Meisner technique consists of large amounts of improvisation. For the entire first year, students learn to improvise and build a solid foundation of their acting skills. The Meisner technique uses a building block method. In order to learn the next level, the student needs to first know the basics. Skipping a step will only leave a hole in one's acting experience.

Although this technique proves to be a successful learning tool, getting into the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre is not easily done. To get into this program, a prospective student must go through an interviewing process and must pass with approval from the entire committee. To get a better idea of the acceptance difficulty level, the two-year program only has space for one hundred to one hundred and ten students total, which includes students who are already studying at the school.

After being admitted to the school and completing the first year, students need to be readmitted to complete the second year of the program. Along with application after application, the program tuition totals $13,000 per year and are subject to change during the second year of the program. On the up side of things, the low number of students admitted means that the pupil will receive a lot of attention and will know the faculty and staff well. With the conclusion of this rigorous program, each student receives a certificate of completion to show for his or her hard work and acting education.

Tourists looking to escape mainstream New York theatre should check out the Neighborhood Playhouse. Brilliant actors continue to be produced from the Neighborhood Theatre School of Theatre along with quirky and interesting productions. To see a movie star in the making, tourists should make sure to catch a performance at the Neighborhood Playhouse the next time they're in New York City.


Sources:
Wingfield, Valarie. Ed. Yolles, Melanie. "Neighborhood Playhouse Records." The New York Public Library, Humanities and Social Sciences Library, Manuscripts and Archives Division. June 2005. 4 Apr. 2007. http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/rbk/faids/np layhouse.pdf
Neighborhood Playhouse . 4 Apr. 2007. http://www.neighborhoodplayhouse.org/welcome1.html
“Meisner Technique.” Wikipedia. 4 Apr. 2007. 4 Apr. 2007.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meisner_technique
Neighborhood Playhouse Venue Information. Nytheatre.com. 2007. The New York Theatre Experience, Inc. 4 Apr. 2007. http://www.nytheatre.com/nytheatre/neighbor.htm.
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