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William Esper (1932-2019) was an internationally recognized leading authority on the work of Sanford Meisner. His career spanned more than six decades, as a theater artist and a teacher. He was founder of the William Esper Studio, and many consider him to have been one of America’s most outstanding teachers of acting. He was the co-author, with former student Damon DiMarco, of The Actor’s Art and Craft and The Actor’s Guide to Creating a Character: William Esper Teaches the Meisner Technique, published by Anchor/Random House in 2008 and 2014.
Bill Esper first studied theater at Western Reserve University where, upon graduation, he was called to serve in the United States Army. Discharged two years later, he was accepted for study by the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater. At the Playhouse, Bill was privileged to work with Martha Graham, Louis Horst, Alvin Epstein, Robert Neff Williams and, most importantly, Sanford Meisner. Sandy Meisner was a founding member of the Group Theater and, after its demise, became a dominant influence for decades on American acting training, along with other Group members Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg.
After graduation, Bill spent the next four years as an active director, actor, and stage manager in summer stock, regional theater, and Off-Broadway. In 1962, Bill began teacher training with Sanford Meisner. Bill went on to work closely with Meisner as a teacher and director for the next 15 years. Mr. Esper was on the staff of the Neighborhood Playhouse from 1965 to 1977 and served as Associate Director of the Playhouse Acting Department from 1974 to 1977. He also served as Director of Circle Repertory’s New York City Workshop from 1975 to 1976.
In 1977, Bill left the Playhouse to found and head the MFA and BFA Professional Actor Training Programs at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts. He led these programs until retiring from Rutgers in 2004. For much of his tenure at Mason Gross, Bill also served as Department Chair. Under his leadership, the department reached the top ranks of acting programs in America. Over the years, the Mason Gross theater department produced a steady stream of artists who became working professionals – actors, directors, and playwrights, as well as lighting, costume, and set designers.
In 1965, Bill founded the William Esper Studio in New York City. Its mission has always been to offer quality training at a modest cost. What began as a class of four students (three of whom were on scholarships), has today grown to be considered one of the top professional actor training conservatories in the world, with an actively enrolled body of over 300 students.
Bill worked at the William Esper Studio concurrently with his work at the Neighborhood Playhouse and Mason Gross. The studio has trained an enviable list of professional actors which include, among others: Amy Schumer, Sam Rockwell, Jennifer Beals, Kristen Davis, Peter Gallagher, Jeff Goldblum, Patricia Heaton, Christine Lahti, Gretchen Mol, Tracee Ellis Ross, David Morse, Kathy Bates, Michele Shay, Paul Sorvino, Patricia Wettig, Richard Schiff, Regina Hall, Timothy Olyphant, Tonya Pinkins, and Aaron Eckhart.
In the 1980s and early ’90s, Bill was a member of several national organizations and served on various committees. Most of this work focused on attempts to raise standards for university and college theater programs. During this period, he served as Vice President and National Board member of the University Resident Theater Association and Board member of National Association of Schools of Theater. He also spent several years as a NAST Program Evaluator. Upon his retirement from Mason Gross, Bill was honored with the Warren I. Susman Award for Excellence in Teaching and was designated Professor of Theater Emeritus.
He has also conducted numerous workshops with his wife, Suzanne, and been a guest artist/teacher for many institutions around the world, most notably at the National Theater School of Canada, St. Nicholas Theater in Chicago, IL, Banff Festival of the Arts, National Film School of Denmark, Shauspiel Munchen, Methodi Festival in Tuscany, and the National Theater School in Oslo, Norway. In 2009, Bill was named a Fulbright Senior Adviser and as such introduced Meisner work to Russia at the St. Petersburg State School of Theater in 2009.
In 2011, Bill was the recipient of the Career Achievement Award from the Association for Theatre in Higher Education. He was a member of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre, the National Arts Club, The Players, and the Ensemble Studio Theater. He lectured on acting at the Screen Actors Guild Conservatory in New York City and SAG honored him with a Certificate of Achievement for his service to the profession. Bill was also a member of the National Theater Conference, a group limited to 100 members considered to be major contributors to the world of theatre.
Bill Esper’s legacy continues today and for years to come through the training of actors from all over the world in the comprehensive actor training curriculum at the William Esper Studio. Bill personally trained the acting faculty of the William Esper Studio to teach his work based in the Meisner Technique, for which he was so revered. The studio is currently led by Suzanne Esper, who has taught alongside Bill at the studio for the past 40 years.
William Esper (1932-2019) was an internationally recognized leading authority on the work of Sanford Meisner. His career spanned more than six decades, as a theater artist and a teacher. He was founder of the William Esper Studio, and many consider him to have been one of America’s most outstanding teachers of acting. He was the co-author, with former student Damon DiMarco, of The Actor’s Art and Craft and The Actor’s Guide to Creating a Character: William Esper Teaches the Meisner Technique, published by Anchor/Random House in 2008 and 2014.
Bill Esper first studied theater at Western Reserve University where, upon graduation, he was called to serve in the United States Army. Discharged two years later, he was accepted for study by the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater. At the Playhouse, Bill was privileged to work with Martha Graham, Louis Horst, Alvin Epstein, Robert Neff Williams and, most importantly, Sanford Meisner. Sandy Meisner was a founding member of the Group Theater and, after its demise, became a dominant influence for decades on American acting training, along with other Group members Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg.
After graduation, Bill spent the next four years as an active director, actor, and stage manager in summer stock, regional theater, and Off-Broadway. In 1962, Bill began teacher training with Sanford Meisner. Bill went on to work closely with Meisner as a teacher and director for the next 15 years. Mr. Esper was on the staff of the Neighborhood Playhouse from 1965 to 1977 and served as Associate Director of the Playhouse Acting Department from 1974 to 1977. He also served as Director of Circle Repertory’s New York City Workshop from 1975 to 1976.
In 1977, Bill left the Playhouse to found and head the MFA and BFA Professional Actor Training Programs at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts. He led these programs until retiring from Rutgers in 2004. For much of his tenure at Mason Gross, Bill also served as Department Chair. Under his leadership, the department reached the top ranks of acting programs in America. Over the years, the Mason Gross theater department produced a steady stream of artists who became working professionals – actors, directors, and playwrights, as well as lighting, costume, and set designers.
In 1965, Bill founded the William Esper Studio in New York City. Its mission has always been to offer quality training at a modest cost. What began as a class of four students (three of whom were on scholarships), has today grown to be considered one of the top professional actor training conservatories in the world, with an actively enrolled body of over 300 students.
Bill worked at the William Esper Studio concurrently with his work at the Neighborhood Playhouse and Mason Gross. The studio has trained an enviable list of professional actors which include, among others: Amy Schumer, Sam Rockwell, Jennifer Beals, Kristen Davis, Peter Gallagher, Jeff Goldblum, Patricia Heaton, Christine Lahti, Gretchen Mol, Tracee Ellis Ross, David Morse, Kathy Bates, Michele Shay, Paul Sorvino, Patricia Wettig, Richard Schiff, Regina Hall, Timothy Olyphant, Tonya Pinkins, and Aaron Eckhart.
In the 1980s and early ’90s, Bill was a member of several national organizations and served on various committees. Most of this work focused on attempts to raise standards for university and college theater programs. During this period, he served as Vice President and National Board member of the University Resident Theater Association and Board member of National Association of Schools of Theater. He also spent several years as a NAST Program Evaluator. Upon his retirement from Mason Gross, Bill was honored with the Warren I. Susman Award for Excellence in Teaching and was designated Professor of Theater Emeritus.
He has also conducted numerous workshops with his wife, Suzanne, and been a guest artist/teacher for many institutions around the world, most notably at the National Theater School of Canada, St. Nicholas Theater in Chicago, IL, Banff Festival of the Arts, National Film School of Denmark, Shauspiel Munchen, Methodi Festival in Tuscany, and the National Theater School in Oslo, Norway. In 2009, Bill was named a Fulbright Senior Adviser and as such introduced Meisner work to Russia at the St. Petersburg State School of Theater in 2009.
In 2011, Bill was the recipient of the Career Achievement Award from the Association for Theatre in Higher Education. He was a member of the College of Fellows of the American Theatre, the National Arts Club, The Players, and the Ensemble Studio Theater. He lectured on acting at the Screen Actors Guild Conservatory in New York City and SAG honored him with a Certificate of Achievement for his service to the profession. Bill was also a member of the National Theater Conference, a group limited to 100 members considered to be major contributors to the world of theatre.
Bill Esper’s legacy continues today and for years to come through the training of actors from all over the world in the comprehensive actor training curriculum at the William Esper Studio. Bill personally trained the acting faculty of the William Esper Studio to teach his work based in the Meisner Technique, for which he was so revered. The studio is currently led by Suzanne Esper, who has taught alongside Bill at the studio for the past 40 years.
Professionals with whom Mr. Esper has worked also include: Kim Basinger, John Malkovich, Daphne Rubin Vega, Calista Flockhart, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Kim Delaney, Larry David, Katheryn Winnick, William Hurt, Mary Steenburgen, Bruce Altman, Mary McCormack, Tony Hale, Teddy Sears, Dule Hill, Molly Price, Dean Winters, Wendy Malik, and Joe Lisi.
Visit the Library for William Esper’s book, The Actor’s Art and Craft, interviews with faculty, and articles written by faculty.
