Programming.
There may never have been such a need for acting teachers to gather for mutual support, for the sharing of tangible ideas that advance our professional ways that truly serve an increasingly diverse body of student – and ultimately expand the viability of our field.
The Teacher Development Program (TDP) is designed to do just that – and to do so under the guidance of some of the world’s leading practitioners. It’s a rare opportunity for acting teachers, and professional actors interested in teaching, to return to the classroom and rediscover the joy and excitement that drew us to this profession.
The TDP’s mission has always been to elevate standards of training, enabling a deeper understanding of, and passion for, the craft of teaching by (1) exposing teachers to a variety of approaches and methodologies, (2) providing mentorship to future generations of educators, and (3) strengthening the bond of community within each TDP cohort and, by extension, the wider field of acting teachers.
In 2025, our flagship Teacher Development Program (TDP) returns for its 29th year. Join us for an inspiring and revitalizing 11 days devoted to the craft of teaching acting alongside a cadre of exceptional and internationally recognized faculty. In attending the Teacher Development Program, those teachers in the room are asked to step into the work as ’student’. In doing so, we begin to identify once again with the physical, emotional, intellectual, and imaginative experience of those we instruct. This personal revisit is done within a group of like-minded individuals exploring a number of disciplines under the guidance of a distinguished group of practitioners. This ‘practice of process’ and discussion allow the participants to delve deeply into the ‘what’, the ‘why’, the ‘how’ and the ‘who’ in teaching the individual before them.
TDP West
Los Angeles
USC School of Dramatic Arts
May 27 – June 7, 2025
TDP East
New York
The Juilliard School
June 16 – June 27, 2025
2024 TDP LA faculty included:
Alexandra Billings, Viewpoints
Jim Calder, Games
Jeff Crockett, Embodied Movement
Anita Dashiell-Sparks, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access
Hugh O’Gorman, Michael Chekhov/Scene Study
Michele Shay, Energy and Pattern Work
2024 TDP NY faculty included:
Lisa Benavides-Nelson, Scene Study
Kathleen McNenny, Mask
Fay Simpson, Movement
Danielle Skraastad, Games
Welker White and Damian Young, Screen Acting
*Faculty subject to change
Applications Now Open!
Due to the participatory nature of the TDP, spots in both sessions are limited.
(Applications accepted on a rolling basis so we encourage you to apply early.)
Program Details
In each two-week intensive, participants engage as learners – remembering viscerally what it means to be an acting student – but always with an eye toward the craft of teaching. By offering multiple pedagogies side by side, the program creates a rigorous, fertile environment in which students work on their feet every day, questions are answered in “the doing,” and issues of teaching practice are examined first through experiencing, then through discussion. Students observe how to develop their diagnostic eye and hone their ability to teach to the individual, while learning ways to cultivate an instructional atmosphere that supports artistry and creative risk-taking.
Presented in collaboration with-
The Teacher Development Program Fellowships and Scholarships are made possible through the generous support of the Lui & Wan Foundation.
Applications are now being accepted and are evaluated on a rolling basis.
Due to the participatory nature of the TDP, spots in both cohorts are limited. Admission is made on a rolling basis to give applicants time to secure funding. Some education institutions have funds available to support faculty in professional development.
Admission is based on your stated personal approach to the actor’s process, your background, and your demonstrated interest in personal and professional development. To apply, please prepare the following items and attach on the application form at the bottom of this page.
Tuition for the Teacher Development Program is $3900 for the in-person sessions.
Some education institutions and foundations have funds available to support faculty in professional development. We encourage all participants to explore these avenues for financial support. Discounts are also made available to existing members of the National Alliance of Acting Teachers and alumni of the program.
In addition, we offer some partial scholarships for adjunct faculty, instructors, and coaches without access to professional development funding. We also offer need-based and merit-based scholarships to individuals who would otherwise not be able to attend. In order to be eligible for scholarships, individuals should first submit their application to the Teacher Development Program. Subsequently, please write to Managing Director, Jane McPherson at jmcpherson@actingteachers.org to inquire about scholarship availability.
The Teacher Development Program originated at The Actors Center in New York in 1996. In the 28 years since its inception the program has graduated more than 350 alumni, many of whom are now teaching at premier institutions across the country. Founded by J. Michael Miller, the program’s four initial faculty included Earle Gister, Michael Kahn, Lloyd Richards, and Ron Van Lieu. In 2017, the program expanded to the west coast for the first time and now continues on both coasts each summer.
Over the years, TDP faculty and guest speakers have included:
Maria Aitken
Christopher Bayes
Alexandra Billings
Per Brahe
David Bridel
Jim Calder
Sharon Marie Carnicke
Robert Cohen
Slava Dolgachev
Olympia Dukakis
William Esper
Peter Jay Fernandez
Catherine Fitzmaurice
Richard Feldman
Earle Gister
Michael Kahn
Antoinette LaVecchia
Joanna Merlin
Kenneth Noel Mitchell
Jane Nichols
Hugh O’Gorman
Lloyd Richards
Fay Simpson
Ron Van Lieu
Gregory Wallace