Scene Study

BHP’s Scene Study classes are the legendary beating heart of the program here. At all levels, the structure of the classes is the same. Each night will see 4-6 scenes presented in a master class format: The actors bring in as finished a performance as they can manage for their level of experience, perform it for their classmates in the audience, and the scene is then critiqued by the teacher. It is in these critiques that almost all the teaching happens at BHP across all areas of Acting, Attitude and Career Administration.

Actors rehearse acting scenes outside class until they feel they have a finished product to bring into the class, and only then will a critique be delivered. Playing a cop? You’d better look and act like a cop. Playing a hooker? You’d better go walking along Santa Monica Blvd. and find one who you think is right for this part – nail the costume, the walk. We expect mastery of the script, knowledge of the story’s context, and any research necessary to fulfill the specifics of your role. So, if you want a casual approach to scene study, where you run some lines until you have a scene memorized and kind of throw it up there and see what happens, the BHP is not for you.

Most acting classes at the BHP meet twice a week, for about four hours per class. Acting classes are taught on three different levels – Orientation, Intermediate, and Advanced – based on the experience of the applicant. Orientation would include anyone from beginners to college-level arts training, and Intermediate and Advanced are for actors and directors with more professional experience, with an eye as well to union memberships and representation being in place. Currently, our scene study program operates in Beverly Hills and New York City.