Black Box Acting

After a 9-​year hiatus from performing, I landed in Chicago. Tired of my life, tired of feeling as if I didn’t have the right tools to «do this» at my age (I’m in my early 40s). Frankly, feeling tired. I also wasted a lot of money taking classes at places people told me I «should» be taking classes and feeling as if no one cared if I showed up and there was no measure whether I was improving or making progress.
*bangs head on wall*
I first found Black Box’s Studio classes through a fellow improv student. From the pre-​admissions interview process and then day one in their B1 class, I knew something was different. They weren’t going to put up with my BS (or let ME put up with it any longer) and there was no choice except to tell the truth and be myself. It wasn’t about getting it RIGHT. It was about being honest.
After B1, I decided to audition for the ACADEMY conservatory program (I just graduated from Winter ACADEMY 2015 last week). I went ahead and took B2 while I was waiting on admission results.
Well, I got in. And here’s what I can say about The ACADEMY.
1) It’s intense. If you’re not ready to redefine your Level 10, keep doing what you’re doing. It’s one helluva shock to discover your idea of Level 10 was closer to a 6.
2) You’re treated like a professional. There is no «hey, you paid — show up when you want» mentality like most studio classes in Chicago. Our ACADEMY class saw one ensemble member dismissed mid-​term. You’re an ensemble and your partners rely on you to be there. Black Box won’t let you forget that. Just because you paid doesn’t mean you get to come and go as you please (how refreshing).
3) The instructors in this program (and the entire school) WORK in the industry. Incessantly. Audrey Francis is in The Herd at Steppenwolf, and no fewer than 4 of our other instructors are also in shows at this time at Step Up, Jackalope, Pegasus, and Red Orchid. They practice what they preach and are working professionals, not just professional instructors.
4) You’re going to have days where you feel like crap. But it’s good crap. That’s your crap dissolving into a pile of crap you no long need. You’ll keep going. It’s acting. If it were easy, it would be called «beer.»
5) The five months in this program transformed who I am as an acting industry professional and gave me a process that I can use on a moment’s notice at an audition when they throw another set of sides at you to season generals where you’re in a room full of people who hate monologues (but you now love them). My approach to text has been revolutionized, my relationship with my body in space is completely re-​thunk (yes, that’s a word), and my heart is sad that after graduating a week ago, I don’t see my friends’ faces every day.
So, if you’re looking for a ticket to fame or an easy button to push, keep looking. It doesn’t exist. But if you’re looking to do some hard (expletive) word and find your place in an industry that can chew you up and spit you out if you don’t know your place and value — then check out Black Box. I’ve found my voice, learned my value, and have a process to use throughout the continued growth of my career.
*They are kind, but blunt.
*They do not gush praise, but it’ll come when you least expect it (probably when you STOP expecting it).
*They will hold you to a higher standard than you’ve ever held yourself.
*If you think this is solely a Meisner school, you’re mistaken. The Black Box Method is a hybrid of many different schools of acting. And if you hate Meisner, that’s a damn fine reason to try Black Box.
And above all, for the actor considering where to spend his or her money in Chicago, I have found this to be the best money I’ve ever spent on my career — above a beyond my college degree.

If you are an actor and NOT taking class at Black Box I dunno what to say but… GO AND TAKE A CLASS. Really, these people have a great thing going over there. It’s a tough but loving studio. It’s real and gritty. It has made me a better actor, a better writer and an overall more aware and present human being. Best acting class I have taken since… I don’t know when. Do yourself a favor and train at Black Box. You won’t regret it.

As an actor, you get to be whoever you want to be without being declared insane. A vampire, a seductress, Queen of Scotland… BUT how do you do it and be REAL at the same time? Well, that’s why you need to attend the classes at Black Box.
I have recently completed levels 1 – 4 and their new «All Stars» class. I found myself pushed to limits that I didn’t know were in me. There teach the Meissner process at Black Box, and it is the most challenging, wonderful work I have experienced.
Studying at Black Box under the guidance of Laura Hooper and Audrey Francis, you are given a structure that allows you to connect with your partner, take risks and be imaginative while learning to read behavior.
Their process allows you to own your voice and feel confident in any role. The class sizes are small 10 – 12 and the cost is affordable.
If you want to be an actor, you should learn Meissner. And you should do it at Black Box.

I registered for a class with Black Box Acting. About 1 week after I registered, and 2 weeks before classes began, I realized I wouldn’t be able to make the scheduled weekly class time and I wanted to reschedule my enrollment for the next term. Over the course of 2 weeks I called Black Box Acting 6 times and left 4 messages — telling them I wouldn’t be able to make the class and I would like to-​reschedule to the next term. Black Box Acting did not return 1 of my phone calls. And they of course did not reimburse my tuition fee or reschedule me into the next term.
For all I know the classes are terrific (I’ve heard they are). But beware — when it comes to payment logistics they are extremely sketchy and borderline fraudulent after they have your money in hand. If you are registering for a class with Black Box Acting my advice is — no matter how far out the class is, DO NOT expect to be able to cancel or change the schedule (date/​time) of the class you registered for. They WILL NOT accommodate you on any level — won’t even pick up the phone or call you back. I paid $ 400 to Black Box Acting and in return I got 2 weeks of stress trying to get a hold of them and 0 acting classes. Pretty great deal.
The funniest thing is — I still get emails from Black Box Acting telling me about new classes they are offering and trying to get me to sign-​up. It’s as if they never took my $ 400 and didn’t answer my phone calls.

Hey there! My guess is you’re reading this because you’ve just read all these glittering reviews about Black Box, and you’re wondering if it’s too good to be true.
Let me shed some light; if you choose Black Box, you’ll continue to wonder if it is. You’ll ask yourself if you’ve stumbled upon a truly transformative experience or if it’s just others’ words that instilled in you that you should come here. Guess what? My words and everyone else’s aren’t what will create this thought. It’s how much you will grow as an artist that will shock you into skepticism, because regardless of where you’re at in your artistic journey, you were led here because you’re craving a change. Right?
I went 3 long, miserable, artless years doing nothing but job after job after a failed attempt to go to college. My passion was stifled of my own accord because I thought I needed a practical career. What was really happening was that I was terrified of my potential, intimidated by the enormous amount of artists fighting to succeed, and I didn’t feel worthy. Black Box reignited my fire to such extremity that I don’t even recognize who I was a year ago. It’s like finding love all over again. This training, no matter your experience, will push you to be the absolute most honest and brave you’ve ever been as an actor. It will lead you to the edge of the cliff and give you the courage to jump on your own.
The meisner method is something you should research if you’re not familiar with it, before you apply, because not everyone can handle it. It requires you to work harder than you ever have, be braver than you ever thought necessary, and re define what you thought acting was.
From the instructors, to the owners and administration; you can’t find people who are more invested in YOU. They are all currently working in the industry, and get down in the trenches with their students. They even continue to take classes there. You won’t find a single high horse there. It is truly a safe place to break down your walls and find your voice.
I could say more. All I want to achieve with this review is to inspire someone to follow their passion, to be brave, and to find their home at Black Box. I have nothing but the utmost respect for this School.

The program is fairly new. Laura Hooper and Audrey Francis, the owners, started the studio about two and half years ago. Most of the other teachers have been added in the last six months. I’ve met and worked with most of them too. I don’t think there is a bad one in the bunch. I’m been impressed with them all.
There are a couple things they do which I love and I hope they continue. One is team teaching. Every class I’ve taken has had at least two teachers. They don’t switch off. They both show up, they take turns running exercises and giving notes. In this last class, there were four teachers (three in training I believe). It was an incredible luxury to have that many eyeballs watching you work and thinking about how to improve your performance.
The other thing is that their teachers take classes there too. They are encouraged to be students and take the classes again periodically. In the class with four teachers, there were also two more teachers taking the class with us. So on most days teachers outnumbered students. That probably won’t happen again soon, but it’s an added perk when the person with whom you are doing a scene is a teacher.
If you take classes there you will learn a combination of a Meisner inspired approach blended with viewpoints and other tools.

I’ve taken several Meisner classes and I’m not a frequent Unilocal reviewer but I feel so STRONGLY about the great work Audrey and Laura do that I felt compelled to voice my opinion. The pros:
They start on-​time and they have CLEAR BOUNDARIES at every stage of the work
They are EXCELLENT communicators from first contact with administrative folks to receiving in-​class assignments
They are KIND AND AVAILABLE for questions both in-​class and via email outside of class. Questions are received with respect and answered with clarity
The space is clean and inviting
Audrey and Laura are smart and intuitive, they have the capacity to facilitate major BREAK THROUGH’S for each and every student but in kind, gentle ways that draw from student’s strengths
They walk their talk
cons:
Haven’t found them yet but will certainly let you know.

I found Black Box Acting Studio after a self-​imposed exile from acting that lasted over six years. I quit acting because I felt fake, and could no longer recall what had once fulfilled me about the work.
My prior studies had included years of Meisner training in both Chicago and New York. Nonetheless, a muscle at rest will eventually deteriorate. After six years I was extremely out of practice.
15 minutes into the first class at Black Box I felt a sense of absolute assurance that I had found my way home. In fact this was precisely true: at Black Box, under the impassioned instruction of Laura Hooper and Audrey Francis, I rediscovered the integrity of my own work.
I had quit acting because I loathed the inauthentic quality that I felt had come to taint my work; it was thus an extraordinary relief to be taught that I was enough exactly as I was. That there was no need to push heightened sentiment or concern myself with what I thought I «should» feel or how a scene was «supposed» to play out. That, as an actor, I had an obligation to commit 100% to the truth. 100% of the time.
I highly recommend Black Box Acting Studio to first-​time Meisner students and seasoned professionals alike.
The studio’s instruction is practical and accessible, and the amount of individual attention — inside and outside of class — is unmatched. Black Box is a safe space for actors to practice flexing their muscles of honesty and bravery without consequence; students return over and over to hone their skills such that they may better apply them in their professional lives.

I can’t say enough about Black Box! After taking a hiatus from theatre for several years, I decided the best way to «kick the rust off» would be to take a class. I got a referral from a director I had recently auditioned for (thanks again, Anne!), and met with Audrey for some monologue coaching. That went so well, I decided to take a full class with Black Box. Audrey suggested their Meisner 1.0 Class, and I haven’t looked back.
Laura & Audrey KNOW how to work with actors, and with each other as instructors. They create and nurture a safe environment in which to learn how to become honest in the work as an actor. I’m learning how to get past my fears, not apologize for my work, and know what I bring to the table as an actor. The people that I’ve met through class are absolutely wonderful and have become a support system as well. Laura and Audrey have definitely created a «home» where you can always go back and be reminded of your strengths and why you got into this business in the first place.
Trust me, these ladies are on to something. GODSPEED, y’all.