Playhouse West – Philadelphia

Specialties

Playhouse West is a training ground for actors, writers and directors founded by Robert Carnegie and Jeff Goldblum in 1981. For 35 years we have been highly regarded and recommended by industry professionals as one of the première acting schools in the country. Many of our members work at highest level within the entertainment business, including James Franco, Ashley Judd, Scott Caan, Sean Astin, Mark Pellegrino, Scott Wolf, Jim Parrack, Tessa Thompson, Heather Morris, Reed Diamond, Michael Trevino, Chace Crawford, Heather Graham, Nia Peeples, Kathryn Morris, Shawnee Smith (see more Students & Alumni at Work). We are very proud of the fact that Playhouse West is always among the top programs in having the highest rate of working actors in film and television today.

Tony Savant, Artistic Director, one of the foremost respected acting teachers in the country, who has trained hundreds of working actors over the last twenty-​six years, opened this branch of the school in 2012.

History

Established in 2012.

Playhouse West-​Philadelphia, established in 2012, is an official branch of Playhouse West, one-​hundred percent affiliated with the original school in North Hollywood, now considered the Los Angeles branch. Staff Members and Students of both branches are full members of either branch of PW, entitled to all services and privileges of either school. Paid up members at one branch are entitled to take classes at either branch, and student may transfer to either branch and pick up their studies at the level they were studying at.

Every aspect of Playhouse West-​Philadelphia, the course curriculum, program of study, approach to acting and the fee structure, is exactly the same as the world-​renown program established and taught in Los Angeles for the last 30 plus years.

Playhouse West is also where legendary acting teacher Sanford Meisner chose to teach his private classes after moving to Los Angeles in 1985. Along with Robert Carnegie and Jeff Goldblum, Mr. Savant is one of only a handfu

Meet the Business Owner

Tony S.

Business Owner

Tony Savant, Director of Playhouse West-​Philadelphia, is one of the foremost respected acting teachers in the country. Over the last 26 years, Savant has directed and helped train some of the most successful actors in film and television, including Ashley Judd, James Franco, Scott Caan, Scott Wolf, Nestor Carbonell, Reed Diamond, Kathryn Morris, Jim Parrack, Josh Cooke, Heather Morris, Shawnee Smith and hundreds of other working actors. Savant has been integral to Playhouse West achieving its top reputation throughout the industry, and being considered one of the finest acting schools in the world. Playhouse West is where legendary acting teacher Sanford Meisner chose to teach his private classes after moving to L.A. in 1985. Mr. Savant is one of only a handful of teachers privileged to observe Mr. Meisner teach during this time, learning the up-​to-​date innovations in Meisner’s approach until his retirement. Savant has directed over 65 plays, 6 films, and appeared in over 20 films.