The Melbourne Actors LAB carries on the tradition of professional actor training in the method originated by Lee Strasberg, Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford at the Group Theatre. The Group Theatre launched the careers of Elia Kazan, Clifford Odets, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner who went on to become teachers of talent like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Ellen Burstyn, Sally Field, Shelly Winters, Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, Mickey Rourke, and so on- all because their place of training fermented the work of the actor to new levels. The Group theatre went onto become the Actor’s Studio, the home of acting giants which pushed American Theatre and Film to a whole new standard.
THE MELBOURNE ACTORS LAB is the home of the actor who takes their work to such a level, a place beyond reasonable possibility, working with an absolute commitment toward one goal; the truthful revelation of character. It’s work that hones the actor’s instrument to a place where is it at immediate disposal wherever and whenever it is required. The repeated practice of the exercises of Lee Strasberg lead to something much more profound than at first glance – the absolute mastery of the actors’ instrument, body, mind and voice – creating artists that paint with a finer brush that also have the resilience and wherewithal to work under the most difficult of circumstances, in theatre or film.
Beyond the actor training, THE LAB provides an environment where actors can meet filmmakers and start a collaborative relationship together. Filmmakers are encouraged to come into class and observe the actors process. The work in itself inspires a passion for actors to create their own work; theaTre and film projects, and that is the drive that creates, builds and sustains a career.
