TheWilliam Esper Studiowas founded in 1965 as aschoolfor theperforming artsinManhattan,New York.The school is dedicated to the acting technique ofSanford Meisner.[1]Its founder, William "Bill" Esper, is occasionally referred to as the best-known of Meisner's first generation teachers.[2]
The William Esper Studio was listed as one of The 25 Best Drama Schools for aMaster of Fine Artsnumerous times.[3]
Background
editWhen Esper was a young man, he sawEli WallachandMaureen Stapletonin a touring production ofThe Rose Tattoo.
As Esper later recounted: "[I] was so struck by the acting...[A]fter the play was over, I decided to go around the corner to get a cup of coffee so I could think about it some more. I walked into a little drugstore, and Eli was sitting there having a bite to eat..."
Esper talked to the actor, and Wallach told him he had studied atSanford Meisner'sNeighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.After graduatingCase Western Reserve Universityin his nativeOhio,Esper moved toNew York Cityand began studying with Meisner, who was famous for his repetition exercise.[4]
In 1962 Esper undertook training as a teacher and director with Meisner and proceeded to work closely with him for the next 15 years. Esper was on the staff of the Neighborhood Playhouse from 1965 to 1977 and Associate Director of the Playhouse Acting Department from 1974 to 1977.
In 1977 Esper also founded theBFAandMFAProfessional Actor Training Programs atRutgers University'sMason Gross School of the Arts.He led that department until 2004.
Esper has been a guest artist/teacher atCanada'sBanffFestival of the Arts as well as at theNational Theatre School of Canada,the St. Nicholas Theater inChicago,Illinois, and the Schauspiel München School inMunich.Together with his wife Suzanne Esper, who also teaches at Esper Studios, he has conducted numerous workshops throughout Europe, most notably at theNational Film School of Denmark,theNorwegian National Academy of Theatre,and theNational Theatre Mannheim.In 2008 Bill and Suzanne Esper introduced Meisner's work to Russia at the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theater.
Esper has worked extensivelyOff-Broadwayandregionally.He is a member ofEnsemble Studio Theatrein New York. He was profiled in the bookThe New Generation of Acting Teachers,published byViking Pressin 1987. He is a past member of the National Board of the National Association of Schools of Theatre and a former Vice-President and Board Member of the University/Resident Theatre Association. He has lectured on acting at People′s Light and Theatre Company and theScreen Actors GuildConservatory, New York City; SAG honored him with a Certificate of Achievement for his service to the profession.[5]In 2011 Esper received theAssociation for Theatre in Higher Education(ATHE)'s Lifetime Achievement in Academic Theatre Award.[6]In 2013 he was inducted into theCollege of Fellows of the American Theatre.[7]
Esper died January 26, 2019. The studio is currently led by his widow Suzanne, who also was trained by Sanford Meisner both as an actor and a teacher alongside Esper.
Notable alumni
editIn 1965 Esper founded his eponymous studio. Among those he and his wife have coached and taught are:[8][9][10][11][12]
- Katheryn Winnick
- Mamoudou Athie
- Katherine Bailess
- Kim Basinger
- Kathy Bates
- Jennifer Beals
- Larry David
- Kristin Davis
- Kim Delaney
- Sofia Black-D'Elia
- Aaron Eckhart
- Michael Esper
- Peter Gallagher
- Jeff Goldblum
- Steven Adly Guirgis
- Laura Harrier
- Maryam Hassouni
- Patricia Heaton
- Dulé Hill
- William Hurt
- Christine Lahti
- John Malkovich
- Wendie Malick
- Marc Menchaca
- Michael Lombardi (actor)
- Gretchen Mol
- David Morse
- Timothy Olyphant
- Tonya Pinkins
- Maria Pitillo
- Stanzi Potenza
- Sam Rockwell
- Tracee Ellis Ross
- Richard Schiff
- Amy Schumer
- Paul Sorvino
- Mary Steenburgen
- Dean Winters
- Ramy Youssef
- Deborah Van Valkenburgh
Associated publications
edit- The Actor's Art & Craft,by William Esper andDamon DiMarco,featuring a preface byDavid Mamet(2008,ISBN978-0307279262)[13]
- The Actor's Guide to Creating a Character,by William Esper and Damon DiMarco (2014)[14]
References
edit- ^"Learning to Act How You Please".Backstage.February 21, 2014.Archivedfrom the original on February 6, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 7,2019.
- ^Susan Coromel (2009)."The Actor's Art and Craft (review)"(PDF).Theatre Topics.19.The Johns Hopkins University Press: 109–110.doi:10.1353/tt.0.0058.S2CID191606935.Archived(PDF)from the original on November 17, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 18,2015.
- ^"The 25 Best Drama Schools for a Master of Fine Arts".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on May 30, 2015.RetrievedJune 7,2017.
- ^Backstage MagazineNY feature on Studio
- ^"Esper Studio website".Archived fromthe originalon February 25, 2014.RetrievedJuly 3,2013.
- ^"Association for Theatre in Higher Education website".Archived fromthe originalon September 4, 2011.RetrievedJuly 3,2013.
- ^"College of Fellows of the American Theatre website".Archivedfrom the original on July 21, 2013.RetrievedJuly 3,2013.
- ^"William Esper Alumni".The William Esper Studio.March 9, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on January 16, 2020.RetrievedNovember 4,2022.
- ^"Where Did They Study?".Backstage.September 19, 2001.Archivedfrom the original on July 4, 2020.RetrievedJuly 7,2020.
- ^Resume: Pitillo, Maria - Innovative Artists
- ^"William Esper".The William Esper Studio.February 28, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on June 1, 2019.RetrievedMay 20,2020.
- ^"Alumni Spotlight".The William Esper Studio.March 20, 2018.Archivedfrom the original on October 16, 2019.RetrievedMay 20,2020.
- ^Esper, William; Dimarco, Damon (2008).Amazon listing.ISBN978-0307279262.
- ^Esper, William; Dimarco, Damon (2014).The Actor's Guide to Creating a Character: William Esper Teaches the Meisner Technique.ISBN978-0345805683.