Founded by William Esper in 1965, Esper Studio is widely regarded as one of New York’s foremost authorities on the Meisner Technique and a leader in conservatory-style actor training. Bill Esper was trained directly by Sanford Meisner to teach the Meisner Technique, and was widely known as one of the preeminent teachers to carry this legacy forward. Today, under the direction of Studio Director Suzanne Esper, Esper Studio continues that legacy through rigorous, conservatory-style training rooted in truth, craft, and artistic growth. It remains the only studio where every acting teacher has been teacher-trained by Bill Esper, dedicated to passing on this work with rigor, integrity, and care while preparing actors for both professional success and a lifelong artistic journey.
Alumni
Our Programs

More than a Studio. Your Artistic Home.
At Esper Studio, you're not just another student in a class - you're part of a community: a true artistic home united by a shared foundation. Every student learns the Meisner Technique utilizing Bill Esper’s clear and cohesive approach, a common language that connects our community, from first-year students to award-winning alumni. Our community extends far beyond graduation. Alumni return to take ongoing classes, teach, workshop new projects, share their experiences with new generations, and reconnect with the place that shaped them. Training at Esper Studio is about belonging to something real - a community of artists who understand the vulnerability and courage it takes to do this work and pursue this career and a genuine spirit of collaboration that's rare in this industry.
Latest News
November 6, 2025
Remembrance of Sanford Meisner
I was a young man just out of the army and I sat with my fellow students in a classroom…
0 Comments13 Minutes
November 6, 2025
To MFA or Not to MFA?
I seem to occupy a unique niche in American actor training. I have been teaching acting…
0 Comments14 Minutes
November 6, 2025
Why Study?
A few months ago a young man in his mid-twenties came to interview with me at my New York…
0 Comments12 Minutes
November 6, 2025
An Interview with William Esper
William Esper has had an acting studio in New York since 1965. For the past eight years…
0 Comments62 Minutes
















