WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAYING
“I cannot give enough praise to The New York Drama Center. Having come fresh to NYC from Chicago, the NYDC gave me access to a tight network of professional theatre teachers, international theatrical schools of thought, and a thriving vibrant community of artists. An amazing aspect of the center are the teachers from top MFA programs that one would otherwise not have an opportunity to work with. I highly recommend working with Jim Calder (NYU GRAD ACTING), equal parts theatre teacher and guru. He provided insight on the craft from an entirely unique perspective with his mixture of Lecoq training and wisdom through life experience. I was fortunate to be accepted into my first choice of MFA Acting programs and I know it is because of the incredible opportunities I was given through The New York Drama Center.”
-OLIVIA DOHERTY
“I owe so much to the New York Drama Center and to Devin. I was introduced to her and these classes at a time I was seeking a more visceral, personal approach to my artistry and a community whose opinions I could trust and value. I found both. The instructors that she brings together are not only the greatest at what they do – they’re compassionate, curious, and hyper attentive to their students. The work I’ve done with Lucas Caleb Rooney, Jim Calder, Tessa Lang, and Olympia Dukakis has radically changed the access I have to my physical/emotional instrument and the way I approach process. I am so grateful for the artistic and personal bonds that have come from my time at the center. They’ve helped sustain my creative life in New York and I would not be where I am if not for these incredible people and experiences.”
-JULIAN ABELSKAMP
“The New York Drama Center is not only a way to connect with and learn from some of the most gifted and dedicated teachers I’ve ever worked with, but also to be a part of a community of artists truly devoted to this craft. From getting to take workshops in games with Jim Calder to scene study with Olympia Dukakis to clown with Lucas Rooney, I built a vocabulary and foundation for my work as an actor and theatre maker that still serve and guide me with each new project. I am so grateful for this incredible resource and network.”
-KATY PINKE
“There is no better curator of the best acting teachers in New York than Devin Shacket. I have taken nearly every class that the New York Drama Center has offered, and I am constantly sending new people to study there. Devin essentially gives you the experience of attending one of the elite graduate acting programs in the country for a fraction of the price. If you are looking for the best place to work on building your craft and your network of artists in NYC, look no further than the New York Drama Center.”
-WILL CLARK
“Finding a teacher that can take the lofty theoretical concepts that define this craft and make them practical tools that you can apply to any script is what the New York Drama Center has done for me. Devin not only knows how to unlock the text, but she possesses such ease to synthesizing information. If one were new to acting, they could apply these same tools on a rudimentary level and find truth moment-to-moment. Jim Calder is Master Yoda, a walking tome of knowledge. Even if you don’t want to be an actor, just take his class to catch all the gems about life. He will challenge the way you think, allow for much more play, and can tell you what you’re thinking before you tell him. Furthermore, he will prompt you to look and listen with a sharper eye and ear at human behavior; all the while laying theory as to why we do the things we do. This journey never really stops. Such is life. We’re forever learning and growing as artists and my experience with the New York Drama Center, most definitely, has mapped new roads to travel.”
-ORISA HENDERSON