Hey! Need a ride to stardom? This review might just be the key towards your much-awaited acting career!
In this review, you’ll find the best acting schools in Toronto for beginners, advanced entertainers, and those crossing from film to theater or vice versa. We’ve rated them on multiple fronts and will even go over some frequently asked questions afterwards.
The Cost of Attending Acting Schools in Toronto
Tuition fees for an acting school around Canada range from $4,000 to $20,000+ per year, depending on the school. This is different if you’re only taking a class or a workshop, of course.
Classes or workshops aren’t full-term or long-term commitments, by comparison. Acting workshops in Canada can cost around $280 per quarter and start at around $100 per hour.
Top Acting Schools in Toronto
To choose the best acting schools in the city, we looked at the following:
1. Alza Acting Studio
Total Scores
| Instructors | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Class description | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Courses | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Hands-on training | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Opportunities to perform | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Learning formats | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Online learning | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| ⮕In-person learning | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| School reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Facilities and environment | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Track record of student success | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Alza Acting Studio is a great model of what acting schools should be like in 2022 and beyond. They have various learning formats, comprehensive class descriptions, and a proven track record with outstanding faculty.
What we like is the structured combination of theory and practice in courses. Introductory classes start with acting and camera work before moving on to scene study and one-on-one coaching.
At the core of these acting lessons is Walter Alza’s technique – he’s the namesake of this school. And this leads us to the other exceptional part of their acting program, which is their team of instructors.
As of writing, they currently have four award-winning faculty members (excluding studio guests and workshop instructors). Collectively, they have a total of 50 years of experience as writers, directors, actors, producers, and musicians.
To learn from this stellar set of instructors, prospective students can choose between online and in-person coaching. In our opinion, in-person learning beats online any day, but it’s a great alternative if you have a tight schedule.
In-person learning earns our favor more due to the hands-on method of the format. Plus, their classes look more like a standard movie shoot than an audition set.
We also like that they have multiple cameras in the area so you can get playback of your performance along with practice in angles. Additionally, you get immediate feedback to help you tweak a few of your weak points in acting.
Throughout the years of being in business, the school has already helped hundreds of students achieve their goals. Some of their students have landed roles in famous shows such as Orphan Black and The Americans.
Pros
- Award-winning faculties
- Top guests casting directors, directors, and producers
- Family oriented acting studio
- Diversity in students
Cons
- Slots tend to fill up fast
Customer Reviews
Increases acting skills
I benefit a great deal from doing practical learning mixed in with theory. I took both private and group classes and I find them very useful and well delivered. Scene work is designed to progressively increase your skills. In my opinion it’s a very good approach to learning and developing acting skills. – Kristina S.
Pushes you out of your comfort zone
What a great first acting training experience. The coaches were warm and encouraging and pushed us to break through our comfort zone. Walter is inspirational and I look forward to furthering my journey in acting with the help from the Alza Acting Studio. Two thumbs up! – Sarah Zeversenuke
2. Milne Acting Studio
Total Scores
| Instructors | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Class description | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Courses | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Hands-on training | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Opportunities to perform | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Learning formats | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Online learning | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕In-person learning | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| School reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Facilities and environment | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Track record of student success | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Milne Acting Studio concentrates on educating students to help them launch their careers. In our opinion, they’re among the top acting schools in the city if you want to learn in a group setting.
The school’s approach is to put students of the same skill level in the same group. And the goal is to enable you to grow as a part of the team.
Classes are far less structured than some may expect, but each one covers the core concepts of action. For instance, students can enroll in a Monologue Class to fine-tune their memorization skills.
Speaking of classes, students enjoy having the freedom to choose among various class types. Like most acting classes today, their coaching sessions are also available online and in-studio.
What we liked best in either format is that students can enroll based on their current acting skills. Their regular program is available for beginners, intermediate actors, and advanced talent.
They also offer a 48-hour acting Bootcamp, which is a perfect brush-up experience for all types of students. However, the slots are fairly limited as only 8 students are accepted in both the online and in-studio platforms.
One thing worth noting is that the faculty have a combined 200 years of experience as industry professionals. Each instructor even has a specialty, such as general acting, body presence, teen acting, scriptwriting, improvisation, and more.
Their track record in the past 7 years has also been excellent, as they’ve handled over 1,100 actors. Plus, they have important industry links that allow their students to score opportunities around the world.
Finally, we’re in love with the quality of technology they have in their studio. They have multi-camera live editing tech that really puts you in the right setting for real-world acting.
Pros
- High-quality classes
- High-quality acting coaches
- 22 years of experience
Cons
- Limited slots in boot camps and workshops
Customer Reviews
Great love for the craft
I’m thrilled I joined Milne Studios for acting classes. Brad and Jason are working experienced, successful actors who love to share their craft. You know you made a great decision when you will see growth in yourself and fellow actors in each and every class. Such a joy all-around. – Dean Christensen
Best for beginners
Absolutely amazing. If you are new to the Business or have been around since you carried your Black and White headshot from Audition to Audition then you will come away a much better, stronger and more confident Actor after a couple of classes. – Raffaele Carniato
3. EVN Film Studios
Total Scores
| Instructors | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Class description | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Courses | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Hands-on training | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Opportunities to perform | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Learning formats | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Online learning | N/A |
| ⮕In-person learning | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| School reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Facilities and environment | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Track record of student success | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
EVN Film Studios takes a more personal approach to learning with small class sizes. Here are a couple of things worth noting in this school:
First, they have comprehensive courses available based on an acting specialty. There are beginner to intermediate classes, seminars on audition technique, advanced scene studies, and more.
Overall, these collections of courses make up all the core lessons for acting, so they offer a pretty rounded experience. That’s part of why they’re so popular – a lot of people recommended them to us during our research.
On the downside, it can be hard to book your spot since they run out fast due to high demand.
Second, the instructor, Earl, has impressive methods of teaching that go beyond the specifics of acting. Many of his students say that he is high-caliber, compassionate, and always gives the best constructive feedback.
Unfortunately, they do have only one acting coach, which is why classes tend to be limited. The classes are also only available in-studio, eliminating any online options.
The great side to this is that you can enjoy the full experience and get more individualized guidance. This way, students get to explore more of their craft and improve over time.
Third, with a 5-star rating on Google Reviews, we found many satisfied students who said they significantly developed their skills after going to the school. Plus, some of the school’s alumni have found roles in famous TV series such as Pretty Little Liars and Dark Matter.
Pros
- 32 years of experience
- On cam training
- Creative approach in acting
Cons
- Only one instructor
- Limited slots on acting classes
- No online classes
Customer Reviews
Boasts a wealth of knowledge
EVN studio is the best acting studio!! The classes here are great sizes, and you get feedback during each class. Earl has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom about the world. He genuinely wants his students to succeed. I am glad that I chose EVN studios for my acting training. I am excited about my future here. – Tanroop Sidhu
Wise, compassionate, and honest
I highly recommend Earl’s classes to anyone interested in the film industry or better yet for anyone who seeks to be enlightened in their everyday lives. He’s wise, compassionate and Honest. Three traits that are rare in these times. It’s definitely worth every penny and some. – Annieka Lisa
4. Miriam Laurence Studio
Total Scores
| Instructors | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Class description | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Courses | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Hands-on training | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Opportunities to perform | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Learning formats | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Online learning | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕In-person learning | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| School reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Facilities and environment | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| ⮕Track record of student success | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Miriam Laurence Studio is also a great place if you want a more personal experience with your acting lessons. Let’s talk about the things that make this school one of the best.
For starters, they offer online and in-studio acting sessions. Nothing too fancy, as other acting schools also offer these formats.
What we want to highlight instead is the instructor and her method of teaching.
Miriam Laurence has over 35 years of industry coaching experience. She uses the so-called Integrated Acting System (IAS), which aims to help actors develop their own styles.
One of the reasons we liked her approach is because it encompasses all integral acting skills. The system combines audition skills, on-camera skills, scene studies, and body integration.
According to current students, this multi-faceted approach helped them work in multiple skill levels. Moreover, the experience is super engaging, even in a remote setup.
As per the studio itself, students get to enjoy a spacious environment where they can do practice runs freely. This also enables a decent class size to receive personalized feedback and training.
By the way, her online acting classes can be taken with a group or on your own. What we liked about the solo sessions is that you can get four hours of individual coaching on a certain package.
The downside overall is that there is only one coach on board. But with very solid ratings on Google reviews, we reckon that you’ll be as satisfied as the other hundreds of students she’s taught.
Pros
- Over 30 years of experience
- One of Toronto’s most respected acting teachers
- Allows students to get their own style
Cons
- Limited slots per class
- Only one acting coach
Customer Reviews
Highly recommended
I’ve learnt a lot from Miriam with me being very new to Acting.The techniques and exercises which she teaches helped me & works for me. I’d recommend her training to every actor, she’s amazing. I will definitely go back to training with her in future. –
Maksood Ali
Sets the bar high
I had the pleasure of training with Miriam as a young actor. She has decades of experience teaching, and it shows in her kind, patient manner and in the dynamism of her curriculum. I’m grateful to have started acting with Miriam as my mentor — she certainly set a very high bar. I would highly recommend Miriam to all film and television actors, but especially so to women in the industry. There are not enough trailblazers like Miriam around. – Lauren McGoldrick
5. Cindy Tanas Actors Studio
Total Scores
| Instructors | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Class description | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Courses | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Hands-on training | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Opportunities to perform | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Learning formats | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕Online learning | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| ⮕In-person learning | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| School reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| ⮕Facilities and environment | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| ⮕Track record of student success | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Cindy Tanas Actors Studio offers a great range of in-person and online acting classes. Students can try anything from an embodiment class to an emotional connection class, channeling characters class, and more.
What makes these class structures great is that learning is personalized and done on a one-on-one basis. This ensures that you get complete attention to fine-tune your skills and receive feedback.
In terms of instructors, there aren’t a lot of coaches here like the other acting schools we featured. But with Cindy Tanas’s 25 years of experience, we can be sure that you’ll be in great hands.
Cindy’s approach rests on holistic learning, where she taps into one’s emotional, psychological, and physical energy. As a whole, this feeds into the students’ drives to improve and grow as actors.
To vouch for this, most of her students praise her techniques, which are tailor-fit to their goals. Plus, the learning environment feels safe, according to the students we talked to, which makes practice more fun.
We only wish that there were more tools and tech around so you can really feel that you’re in a movie shoot. But other than that, the overall experience is pretty good, in our opinion, and is probably just right for those who prefer theatrical or more old-school training methods.
To wrap it up, we love that this school offers a free consultation to all interested individuals. Not a lot of acting schools offer this, so it’s definitely something that helps them stand out.
Pros
- Free consultation
- Online acting classes available
- Over 25 years of experience
Cons
- Only one acting coach
Customer Reviews
Wonderful learning experience
I started training with Cindy during the pandemic, she’s one of the most wonderful people I’ve met. The way she teaches is so pure, I have grown as an actor and especially as a person. There’s so much love in her teaching and I’m so grateful that I started this journey with an amazing teacher like Cindy. – Vanessa Marucci
Great development among students
It has been more than a decade since I lived in Toronto and had the privilege and joy of studying with Cindy. I may live far away but the studio and the work stays with me. Under Cindy’s guidance I developed a willingness to be honest with myself that has informed my whole life. I hold the time I spent at the studio with Cindy and my fellow actors close to my heart. To anyone looking to expand their practice or their connection to themselves and the people in their lives I highly recommend joining Cindy in the studio whether it be virtually or in person. – Chloe MB.
FAQs about Acting Schools in Toronto
Looking for more avenues to unlock your talent and skills? Take a look a some of our reviews to expand your options: