who we are
The Actor's Establishment (TAE) was developed as a space for actors to harness their work and to freely express their own creative interpretations. TAE's mission is simple, - It's All About Returning To The Work.
TAE creates an environment for actors’ exploration of their individual training needs through sharing knowledge and insight from master teachers in the art of acting. TAE’s focus is on the fundamental core techniques integrated with a deep understanding of script and text analysis, allowing the discovery of circumstances, relationships, and intentions.
Unlike so many other instructional offerings, TAE does not teach one specific method or technique but rather offers a myriad of workshops taught by professional experts trained in a wide range of specific skills. This approach accompanied by qualified instructors allows actors to choose workshops they connect with most while giving them the opportunity to explore new disciplines and vast possibilities. TAE is continually motivated by giving each actor a platform to expand their abilities, discover new avenues of growth, and find or reconnect with the artist within.
TAE is breaking the barriers of arts education and training by helping actors take control of their careers through the return to drama’s classic roots and the calling to dig deeper.
With sessions and workshops ready for your enrollment, come see for yourself why The Actor’s Establishment was created and designed for you. It’s time to get back to the work!
“To become a working actor of great skill, one must establish what it means to work first.”
-Jason James, TAE Artistic Director
artistic director
As an accomplished Actor, Producer, Director, and Acting Coach, Jason James has garnered himself a voice for the theatrical community. With multiple acting acknowledgements under his belt and a groundbreaking achievement at the Sturges Center for the Fine Arts, Mr. James is a true creative force to be studied. And for very good reason, some of his monumental performances include: Chicago, A Chorus Line, and My Fair Lady, not to mention his directing prominent musicals such as: Jekyll & Hyde: The Thriller Musical, Stephen Sondheim’s Company, and A Man of No Importance.
When it comes to cultivating his passion and love for teaching and creating artistic work, Mr. James is driven by the need for quality education that teaches aspiring artists the fundamental techniques of acting. This in turn, allows each artist and actor to build his or her skills from a solid and trustworthy foundation.
Mr. James highlights this core value when he mentions,
“Acting isn't just about technique or hitting the mark each time. It's about self: the mind, the body, and the soul. Acting is a personal endeavor; background, values, personal identity, and life circumstances all play a part when connecting a role.”
With more than twenty years of experience, Mr. James understands this important value along with integrating the key principle of "why" into the developing repertoire of an actor. Asking “why” to allow the actor to probe a deeper meaning to the text and harness a rooted connection to the material. Mr. Jason James has brought this same mindset and mastery into his current creative endeavor, The Actor’s Establishment, affectionately known as TAE. TAE doesn't just teach actors technique. An open space is created so the actor can establish who he or she is as an artist.
Mr. James’ past teaching and lecturing credits help give him a unique perspective with meeting each artist where they are, while giving them a safe atmosphere to guide and equip them along their acting journey. Mr. James incorporates what he’s taught at Institutions all across the country to harness the overall gifts of those working with him. His mantra “Keep asking, Why?" coupled with his goal of assisting actors through this difficult business, all while remaining true to their authentic selves, make Jason James both L.A.’s best kept secret and a growing force to be reckoned with in teaching actors about their ever growing industry.
“I teach because of the passion I have for instilling quality fundamentals in the technique of acting.”
Mr. James holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from AMDA, College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts and is completing his MFA in Performance Pedagogy from Loyola Marymount University.
our training
“Your job as actors is to understand the size of what you say, to understand what's beneath the word.”
- Stella Adler
Come learn among the best at The Actor's Establishment. No matter which workshop or masterclass you choose, you’re well on your way to exceptional training that will provide you with the tools you need in order to succeed.
“Wisdom...comes not from age, but from education and learning”
- Anton Chekhov
ACTING &
SCENE STUDY
Actors will focus on effective collaboration, efficient rehearsal practices, and bringing truth to each performance through analysis, by pursuing text driven, strong, specific actions and intentions, in an approach suitable for each actor. Workshop will cover at least one scene and/or monologue.
Currently in Session
*New Workshops will be announced January 2021*
SCRIPT & TEXT
ANALYSIS
Actors will interpret and discuss analytical approaches to a given text to enhance and hone a performance on stage. Actors will identify the elements of analysis, structure and form, historical and societal conflicts, and how these analytical approaches can impact courageous and bold choices. This workshop will culminate in a reading of a full play.
Currently in Session
*New Workshops will be announced January 2021*
All Workshops, MasterClasses, and Coachings will be virtual/online until further notice. Zoom links are sent out the day before your workshop or session via email.
THE AUDITION
A Musical Theatre Experience - Unlike Anything Else
6 Weeks
6 Expert Instructors
Individual One on One Coaching Time
Covering: Audition Material, Text Work, Voice Work, Owning Your Song, In The Moment Feedback, Industry Q&A.
COMING SUMMER of 2021
Registration opens January 2021
SUBSCRIBE!
featured member
Sarah Ayotte
Sarah Ayotte is a born and raised Southern California native who recently made her Off-Broadway Debut at The Player’s Theater (NYC) in Revelation the Musical.Singing in front of live audiences by the age of five, she spent her formative years performing on stage in over 500 shows including venues such as Disneyland and Anaheim Stadium. Sarah has toured with More Than These Productions (Revelation, Noah with Prod. Dustin Ceithamer, 2007-2019) and most recently with Piercing Word (A Time For Christmas, Ruth, The One Story, with Prod. Caleb Hughes, 2019-2020).Favorite past credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Dir. John Lalonde, Candlelight Pavilion) Ragtime (Dir. Bill Risinger, The Grove) and A Christmas Carol (Dir Jason James, RCP).An award winning vocalist and voice actor, Sarah’s voice is featured on many studio recordings and audio dramas, including the critically acclaimed “Hiding In Plain Sight” and “The Count of Monte Cristo.” When she’s not performing, Sarah offers private vocal coaching and performance consulting. She holds an undying love in her heart for Trader Joe’s, matcha lattes, and unforgettable live performances. SDG
SAnford Meisner
"Acting is the ability to live truthfully under the given imaginary circumstances."
KONSTANTIN
STANISLAVSKY
“Your main task as an actor is technique…technique…and more technique”
UTA HAGEN
“One cannot demand of art that it pay you in any other way than in the satisfaction of the work itself.”
