Calgary Actors' Studio: More About Us

Calgary Actors' Studio offers thorough training (from beginner to advanced) in a grounded and friendly environment where any interested student can access the best in contemporary training, and all available without an audition. Every student is valued; every student is respected. 

Maximum class size is 16 students (except under extraordinary circumstances)

From younger teens just wanting a fun and safe introduction to the world of acting, to older teens considering a career; from adults wanting to explore and have some fun, to those seriously contemplating community theatre or the profession, our gentle step-by-step approach in our acting classes is a perfect blend of current and established acting theory and practice - born of our own conservatory training - tempered with plenty of real-world professional experience.

Beginning students play their way to a deep, instinctive understanding of the basics, while more experienced students are guided to expand upon what they know... to reach for the stars - however high they want to aim. 

Want the very best for you and/or your child?   

Calgary Actors’ Studio. 

(and now you know More About Us!)

• With so many programs out there, how can I tell which ones are good?
  • Instructors should have extensive professional resumes AND a great breadth of teaching experience.  Ours do. If instructor bios are not on a competitor's website, ask! BTW: instructors also need top-notch training.
• I desperately want to have an acting career. Where do I start?
  • Check out our FREE* Saturday morning coffee chats with Dan (see right below). He gives you a no-nonsense road map of "how to get there from here". (*Free... but you CAN buy him his coffee!)
• Other courses promise film work, agents,  meeting producers. Why don't you?
  • We teach  acting, from the ground up, rooted in our own deep conservatory training. Our instructors have worked at major theatres across Canada, and on-camera in leading and major supporting roles. We don't teach tricks & shortcuts; we teach the process of acting. We don't scam you with empty promises of stardom.
• Why don't you teach film acting?
  • We cover on-camera audition technique in Scene Study +On-Camera & Teen Studio. But we believe acting is acting. First;  learn to act. THEN; learn the technical requirements of stage vs. on-camera, or vice versa. Ex: Daniel Libman, our principal instructor, has an extensive stage resume, AND an extensive film & TV resume. 
• Do university students teach the younger kids?
  • Not here: all our instructors who have worked for many years in the profession, and are gifted teachers. 
• Some other programs are a bit cheaper. Why?
  • We are competitively priced, yet... 
    • We limit our numbers to 16 students. Competitors programs have as many as 30 in a program.
    • We only have top professionals working here. 
• I'm scared: what if I've never done it before?
  • We love students who start with us! We make it safe and tons of fun - that's a promise!
• Have any students "made it"?
  • Yes! Students of ours have gone on to great careers in stage, TV & film! (But you also don't have to make acting your job: you can also just learn for fun - and to gain confidence.)
• Why don't you have classes for children under age 10?
  • Children already know how to play. We think kids should just be kids; acting "training" should wait till age 12. For Musical Theatre, we do go as young as 10 (because singing is fun!). And SummerACT ages are 10 - 18.
• What If I have no experience?
  • Check out our Introductory courses for adults; absolutely perfect for beginners.
• What if my teen has no experience?
  • That's kind of what we expect. We are experts at tailoring our coaching to each individual's needs. We gently guide the newbies, but challenge each student - including the "veterans"  - to stretch and grow.
• I'm a senior: am I too old to take a class?
  • Not at all. Some students in our classes for adults are just 18. Many are in their 20s, 30s, 40s & 50s. But we have also had many students "start" in their 60s or 70s. Acting is the one activity with NO minimum or maximum age!
• I'm an adult with lots of acting experience: is Calgary Actors' Studio for me?
  • Definitely: please check out our Scene Study classes.
• What if the program I want costs more than I can afford?
  • Let us help. Low-income students can pay via instalments, or can even apply for subsidy. Phone 403.617.5221 and let us work something out. We never turn anyone away!

C.A.S. offers career-interested students (and their parents, for those under 18) one-on-one Saturday morning coffee meetings with Daniel Libman - at no charge* - to learn first-hand about the steps required to get from dreaming about it... all the way to “making it” as a professional. Topics include: talent agents, casting directors, post-secondary conservatory training (Canada & U.S.), union membership, avoiding scams; everything. Dan is happy to provide you with the reliable information you need to solve the mystery of “How To Get There From Here” in those meetings... and on an ongoing basis. (*Dan never complains if you pay for his coffee😉)

If you have zero experience in this profession (or just a bit), it can seem very daunting to try to guess the best way in, let alone counsel your child. But Dan is a veteran - for 10 years he was the ACTRA* National Councillor for Alberta; for 6 years he was the National Councillor for CAEA** - with a wide-ranging knowledge about every aspect of this (sometimes confusing) profession. So you don't have to make it up, and you certainly don't have to try navigate the unreliable and hazardous maze on the internet. (*ACTRA is the union for all professional TV and Film actors in Canada; **CAEA is the union for all professional stage performers).

Dan has spent his life in this profession and knows how it works... and also knows what to avoid. There is a lot of bad stuff out there to steer clear of, but there's lots of valuable information you need to know. And it is never a "one size fits all" endeavour. Let Dan help you figure out which path is exactly the right one for you.

You've already met with Dan and it's time to prep your audition?  Click here: Audition Prep