The Actors Circle Acting School

When you dedicate yourself to your craft, you automatically look for guidance to the right path. There are the choices made from budget, branding, name association and so forth. What makes Marcie Smolin’s studio every bit as of a gold mine as any $ 500 a week studio is that she produces hundreds of working actors that scale in every age range. It’s a fun working, safe, and healing environment where the actor learns intimately on how to take chances while learning the business of acting. Marcie has cultivated so many well known talent, that she doesn’t have to yell, scream and shout she’s the best. She simply is! The Actor’s Circle is great if you are an actor that cares about your craft and your future business. Marcie will definitely take your talents and put them to the test so that you book that million dollar contract. It’s about taking that chance and making it yours. Marcie is such a wonderful support so full of knowledge but at an accessible and honestly genuine guidance that is unmatched. I refer all my friends to her studio and her privates!!!

I love those classes! I love Marcie and the way she coaches. We all like a big family for a few hours. I am always SOOOOO upset if I have to miss her class. Every minute of being there teaches me something new. And Marcie such a fabulous private coach! THANK YOU MARCIE!!! Yours, Masha Malinina :-)))

The Actor’s Circle is a top-​notch acting school. Marcie Smolin takes great care in growing actors into strong, competitive actors. She helps each actor find their own unique strengths that they can use when they bring a character to life. She is one of the best coaches in town. Her group classes for professional actors are well organized, just the right size and fun. Marcie is definitely one of smartest, kindest and best acting coaches in Los Angeles. Her classes fill up quickly.

The Actor’s Circle is a wonderful school whether you’re serious about acting, or you want to perfect your public speaking or improvisational skills. I enrolled my son in one of the classes when we first moved to Los Angeles 5 years ago. He learned a tremendous amount about the business; made new friends and bolstered his self confidence. The director, Marcie Smolin is incredibly supportive and informative, and her classes are great for the young and old alike. Truly one of the best investments I’ve ever made.

Marcie is amazing! I reached out, to her, prior to filming our independent feature film — BORN & RAISED —
— to ask her assistance in getting me into «fighting shape» before the shoot. We met every other weekend, for a number of months, getting to know each other, breaking down the script, discussing goals, etc. She emphasized «listening,» which — for me — hasn’t always been a strong suit. I also liked her analogy of «working out» — as acting is a muscle, that needs to get stronger. I worked opposite her, as well as a number of her trusted actor friends, that she brought in along the way. BORN & RAISED went on to win 6 Awards and 2 for Acting: 1 Best Actor and 1 Best Ensemble Cast. None of that would have been possible without Marcie, which is why we were more than happy to give both she and the Actors Circle «Special Thanks» credits in the film. BORN & RAISED is now available on iTunes:

I started taking classes at the Actors’ Circle about 4 years ago and, despite being incredibly nervous upon arriving at my first class, it was exactly what I needed!
The Actors’ Circle has a small, family feel and both Marcie and the students, many of whom had been taking classes with Marcie for years, welcomed me with open arms. Marcie works with each student at their individual level making it an ideal class for beginners or people just wanting to cut loose with some comedic improv after work. If you are a more experienced actor, Marcie will recognize this and give you the extra push that you need with astute critiques and creative suggestions. Marcie’s classes take her students through a range of techniques including cold reading, scene study, character development, and improv (heavy on the improv). At the Actors’ Circle, you will be encouraged to push out of your comfort zone, to make bold choices, but above all, to play. If you want a class where the other students look down their noses at you and the teacher instructs you from an ivory tower, then this is not the class for you. But, if you are looking for a place to stretch, learn, and develop your skills both as an actor and as a person interested in personal growth, then get thee to the Actors’ Circle!
PS: It’s pretty affordable compared to other acting classes, plus parking is easy! Double score!

I’ve confidently referred many clients and friends to Marcie Smolin and The Actors Circle over the years. Although I’m not an actor, i’ve turned to Ms. Smolin, myself, for guidance when preparing for filmed presentations, live pitches, and other public speaking events. The perfect combination of challenging and nurturing, she works with her students «where they’re at» to get them where they want to go. She’s known as a kind of «miracle worker» with child actors, but those in-​the-​know will tell you her work with adults is just as productive and impressive.
Having built a reputation outside of this city, students young and old from all over the country head to The Actors Circle when they make their yearly pilgrimage to L.A. for «pilot season». One just needs to glance at the head-​shot gallery in the lobby to confirm what others have known for years — Marcie’s students get work.
It’s about the work at The Actors Circle — with the bonus of professional support of coaches and the personal support of classmates. If you (or your children) are most interested in finding a space to grow and learn, this is the place. If you want pretentious, this isn’t the spot for you.

I started at the Actor’s Circle about a year ago wanting to pursue a dream of becoming an actor, with little to no experience prior and being a huge movie geek. It was the best decision because in about 6 months I was cast as a lead in my very first student film. A dream come true. The environment, classes, curriculum, classmates and Marcie (the awesome teacher) are the best any aspiring actor could ever need in growing a toolkit of experience and wisdom to become the best actor they strive to be. I really recommend you give the Actor’s Circle a try, it’s a great family of actors and happy fun. A real joy to come to class every week.

Where to even start… I have been attending The Actor’s Circle for many years and with each and every class I grow closer and closer to not only my classmates but the coach herself, Marcie Smolin. I love every single thing about The Actor’s Circle and I would never be where I am today as a person or as an actor had I never attended The Actor’s Circle. I would recommend this class to anyone, whether a seasoned actor or a newcomer to the business, there is always room for improvement and The Actor’s Circle is the place to be!

The Actor’s Circle students work! That’s what first impressed me about the studio when I was looking for a new class. The instructor, Marcie Smolin, impressed me next — as a teacher, as a human being! She creates an environment that is so nurturing, so supportive, so challenging and so damn fun! She is accessible and honest and funny. And NOT a guru on a power trip! Marcie gives you the tools to soar as an artist. More importantly, tho, she gives you the freedom to experiment — to make mistakes, even — and, utimately, LEARN so much! I’ve been in classes where students work once a month and spend the remaining three weeks watching others work. Not at The Actor’s Circle! Marcie’s got us up about 27 times a night, doing this exercise, this improv, this scene. Trying this, trying that. And always having so much fun doing it! I go to auditions now with more confidence, making stronger choices. And always honoring myself as an actor. It’s not a mystery why so many students have studied there for years. I’ve been there over five, myself. I’m hoping for about sixty-​five more!

I don’t often write reviews, but I felt compelled to based on my very positive experience with this acting studio and, in particular, with the teacher Marcie Smolin. I decided to take a class here not because I want to become a professional actor but because I wanted to develop more self-​confidence and presence being in front of groups of people and be able to make more dynamic presentations in my job. I had some degree of fear about taking an acting class and was quite nervous. Marcie’s approach and incredibly supportive style set me at ease. Before I knew it I was doing a scene and actually enjoying it. I found the class to be way more fun than I expected and it definitely helped me be more confident in my work and professional world. I especially found the improv work that Marcie guided us through to be incredibly valuable.
The class also gave me a much greater appreciation of the craft of acting and I now look at TV and film performances in a much different way. I know that the professional actors in my class also had a great experience and it was fascinating for me to see the work they put into their craft and how they grew during the class… plus it was fun to hear about their «industry» experiences.
Finally, while I was part of the adult class program, I would highly recommend this place for kids’ classes too. The whole vibe of the place is very nurturing and family-​like and I can see how Marcie’s non-​critical style would help kids develop not only acting ability but also important life skills for whatever they choose to do. I wish I’d had a class like this as a kid.

I was a student of the Actor’s Circle for many years and I can’t say enough about the experience. Marcie is a great instructor and knows how to push her students to be better without being harsh or traumatizing them like so many of the other acting coaches in LA. She really cares for each student and wants to see them succeed. I also loved that the class was full of regulars and I became lifelong friends with some of my class mates. All the students are so supportive of each other and I think that is really amazing! The only reason I stopped studying with Marcie was because we had to move to another city for my husband’s job and then I stopped pursuing acting. But there are many Tuesday nights where I still miss attending class. If you want to take your acting career and skills to the next level I can’t recommend Marcie and The Actor’s Circle enough.

No wonder Marci Smolin won «The Best of Culver City in Arts Education». She is a kids and teen teaching guru.

Come here and have fun acting and improvising with people. Great energy and friendly atmosphere. Patient and knowledgeable director and coaches. I mean what else do you need?

Very small, hidden, cute, little place. They’ve made really good use of their space! Instructor Marcie was very nice. I met one student who comes every week all the way from way out in the valley — Canoga Park or something really far. I was shocked, but she said it’s really worth the drive! –Karen