TESTIMONIALS
Annelise Cepero
West Side Story
A hidden gem is what I tell people when describing the Freeman Studio. It truly is an actor's playground tucked away. It’s a place where there is freedom to take risks and fall apart and then build yourself back together. You have the freedom to discover who you are at your core as an actor. My favorite thing about the studio is that the class sizes are small and you get an intimate experience. You create wonderful relationships with both the students and the teachers.
Christine Evangelista
Fear the Walking Dead, The Arrangement, Mrs. Fletcher
Immediately after working with Scott, my work and my career was taken to another level. Scott's extensive background as an actor truly informs how he communicates to his students. His clear direction and his sense of empathy guide you to find the tools to really connect you to your character. With Scott’s broad knowledge of plays he offers you material that challenges you, while also honing your abilities. In class, I have cracked inhibitions and developed a real confidence that I certainly didn't have before.
Cerelina Proesl
Succession
The Freeman Studio has been a savior for me during this pandemic. Scott’s online scene study class has given me a place to feel free and inspired during these unprecedented times. Working and creating with incredibly talented and hardworking actors on a weekly basis has helped build my confidence as an actor and keeps me feeling “fresh” for auditions that have come in. I’ve been taking classes with Scott for nearly two years now and I cannot say enough about him. The level of care, his knowledge and intuition has helped me grow as an actor and person.
Matt Biagini
Yale Rep, Williamstown
I'm a graduate of a top MFA acting program and was referred to Scott as one of the few best ongoing professional Scene Study teachers in NYC. He lives up to this entirely. He's quite simply one of the best teachers with whom I've ever had the pleasure of working. His own acting training and his proven track record as a consummate educator/studio head make him indispensable; he knows how to challenge working professionals. Scott knows EXACTLY how to talk to actors - and actors of different levels, at that. The Freeman Studio has become my artistic home of sorts and a treasured community post grad school, a place where I can stay sharp when I don't have gigs (or even while I do!)
*At first I was a little wary when things went online at the outset of the pandemic, but I've continued to take class on Zoom for a good chunk of the last six months. Scott's work on Zoom is intimate (the slightly smaller classes have actually been a pretty delightful element - sometimes it feels like a repertory company) and his scenes are always well-chosen in terms of variety one cycle to the next. It's really a sort of balm in the middle of the current global anxiety (particularly about the industry's return.) It's very, very close to the experience you have working in the studio, and I highly recommend it.*
Leah Kreitz
Dash & Lily
I love The Freeman Studio. While I desperately miss physically being there while we are going through whatever 2020 is, the option to continue training and creating remotely has been a literal godsend this year. I am so thankful to be able to feel artistically fulfilled from home (and almost keep track of the weeks that go by). Thanks team. Couldn't have done this year without you. xo
Elise Vannerson
Beautiful The Carol King Musical (Broadway National Tour)
Seriously the best. If you have any doubts about the abilities of an online acting class, just take one session and you will never leave!! Scott takes the class very seriously and has endless advice on how to feel comfortable adapting your scene for the camera. Having the camaraderie of the class is also life saving in times like these. The Freeman studio proves to be the best again and again.
Alexandre Bagot
Castlerock
As someone who was already beginning to get some on-screen work but who hadn't quite benefited from years of conservatory type training, I felt insecure about my place on stage. Taking the Core Training grounded me as a performer, made me feel more versatile, and helped me rid myself of anxieties I had relating to my theater experience or lack thereof. It reminded me that as growing actor, all it would take were a series of key processes, a dedication to the craft, and a willingness to put myself out there.
Kristen Misthopoulos
Theatre for a New Audience
I think I can safely say the Freeman Studio is one of the most nurturing artistic environments I’ve ever been apart of. It’s no secret that this time has been extremely scary for people in the entertainment industry and we are all looking for new ways of moving forward and continuing to create. Switching over to online classes has been a breeze - it is wonderful to be back with the familiar faces of fellow actors and theatre artists alike who know that the work is just as important now more than ever. My time at this studio has consistently shown me that there is a community of skilled teachers and supportive artists who are constantly around the corner (or now behind the computer screen!) to facilitate and challenge my growth as an actor.
Maddi Ridley
Hightown, Random Acts of Flyness
A TRUE ACTORS GYM. If you are an actor in NYC, then make joining this incredible community and studio your top priority. I have been taking class with Scott for years, and I highly recommend it to everyone. When I first joined, I found the classes to be intimate and filled with the hardest working, most talented actors, so the bar is high - which was very inspiring. Scott is the best acting coach I've worked with; he is incredibly intelligent, empathetic and encouraging. They also host lots of free workshops and networking opportunities.
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Jeffrey Grover
Dark Waters, I Feel Pretty, New Amsterdam
I was really sad when my weekly sojourn to Leonard Street came to an abrupt halt in early March at the beginning of the pandemic. Being a part of the Freeman Studio, and having the opportunity to work on challenging scenes with committed and talented actors, under Scott's discerning eye and supportive energy all coming to an end. It seemed like yet another exclamation point to the cancellation of productions, studios closing like Shetler, auditions and known opportunities to work toward, as well as the chance to grow as an actor, moment to moment, at Freeman Studios.
Yet, word came about a new format on Zoom. A virtual scene study. It seemed, at first, to be a sad vestige of what could only be experienced and achieved in person. After all, live theater is about being in a theater, on stage, in a studio. Together. Live. How would this work, and would it be just a weak substitute and a way of "holding on"?
I've discovered so much over the past several months in this "new" format. Scott mentioned that he and his team wanted to create something that would build on what we already knew was working, not be a short term substitute with deficiencies and glitches. And, while this is not what I hope will be permanent, (I want to be back on Leonard Street and I want to rehearse in person with my scene study partners), it is a wonderful way to stay connected. To grow. To connect with other actors. To observe and learn from each other, and to be challenged in ways that may actually make us all better actors.
You see, the process we follow still requires intelligence, preparation, the "ten points," observation, creativity, being present. If theater is "the suspension of disbelief," then being in a virtual studio requires the same "suspension." Once the reality of a computer screen and earbuds became a given, I discovered that my experience with Scott and my peers was actually very similar to being in person. In fact, it has required cultivating new skills. Innovative ways to utilize a "camera," the relationship to the environment. A greater focus on the other actor, in some ways. And the importance of the play's construction and language. And, greater clarity on what is happening "between the lines" and the non verbal, even when our ability to be fully physical present is more limited. It has demanded greater imagination, creativity, and in some ways an enhanced introspection and focus on the other actor.
Scott's work, the composition of each session, the scene assignments, the beginning "settling in," the scene work and feedback and adjustments. The song remains the same, in some ways. Yet, its increased dimensions have made it all the more resonant. I continue to be delighted, surprised, challenged, and look forward to each session's scene assignment and the associated preparation with my scene partner or partners for that particular round. And to the weekly session when we can all share and experience each other's work, and Scott (in my case) and his precise, supportive and very constructive feedback.
I recommend Freeman Studio to those actors who are constantly seeking improvement, who want to work with other actors and colleagues who bring the same commitment and work ethic. I continue to recommend Freeman in this new format, hoping to get back in the actual studio, yet content to know that what Scott and his team have created is not a bandaid or facsimile, rather the "real thing."