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Join NYC’s Premier Acting Studio – January First-Year Program Starting Soon!

Space is limited. Classes begin on January 7th. Request more information about the program to see if it’s a good fit for you!

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The Maggie Flanigan Studio is recognized as one of NYC’s top acting schools. Limited spots for our First-Year Program starting January 7th!

Charlie Sandlan and a student sitted inside the classroom

What You’ll Learn in Our January First-Year Acting Program

    • Master the Meisner Technique from Artistic Director Charlie Sandlan.
    • Intense, focused training over 7 months to prepare you for a professional career.
    • Personal mentorship from experienced industry professionals.
    • Collaborative environment with fellow actors in NYC’s heart.
    • Develop the emotional and technical skills necessary to succeed in film, TV, and theater.

What Our Students Are Saying

“I was placed in the intense reigns of Charlie Sandlan.  I became a better artist, actor, friend, sibling and daughter because of the studio. Even now, I crave the studio every day. What I learned is present in my work every day. I truly believe in everything they stand for.”

Marco Bettencourt Urbina

Jes Macallan

Maggie taught me that I could control my work, my acting, and to throw all of the bullshit out that I had in my head about ‘what I should be doing’ and to just listen and respond honestly, in the moment. She gave me a craft. She is, quite simply put, THE BEST.”

Marco Bettencourt Urbina

Leslie Bibb

Maggie Flanigan taught me the true meaning of artistry, passion, and professionalism. I am certain that I continue to work as an actress because of my training with Maggie. At every audition and every performance, her guiding voice is with me. It is a gift beyond measure.”

Marco Bettencourt Urbina

Andrea Anders

MEET CHARLIE SANDLAN

Artistic Director and Master Teacher
I believe that the job of the actor is to create behavior. Exceptional actors do this organically and truthfully from genuine experience. The Meisner Technique, when taught properly, fundamentally grounds an actor in craft, and provides a roadmap to achieve vivid, fully realized human experience, consistently. As the caretaker of Maggie’s lifetime commitment to the craft of acting, I am privileged to have the opportunity to provide a safe, nurturing, and artistic home for our students to embrace the creative struggle and risk something deeply personal. The standards set by Maggie and me are high, rooted in work-ethic, discipline, and dedication to artistry. The students who have strived to reach our bar have turned themselves into serious professional actors.

January First-Year Program Starting Soon!

One Class Only, Limited Spots Available. Apply Now to Secure Your Spot!

January 7th – July 31st, 2025

Maggie Flanigan Studio, New York City

HOW TO APPLY

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
  1. Click the “Apply Now” button.
  2. Complete the short application form with your contact details and experience.
  3. Our admissions team will review your application and get back to you promptly.
Students taking classes at Maggie Flanigan Studio

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT MAKES MAGGIE FLANIGAN STUDIO DIFFERENT FROM OTHER STUDIOS IN NYC?
Without making direct comparisons to other NYC acting studio’s, we can say that MFS is not a factory. We do not have 300 students, and we are not throwing you into a class with unqualified teachers who are pulling out notes from classes they took ten years ago. Every single person who applies has a direct, in-person meeting with Artistic Director & Master teacher Charlie Sandlan. You do not interview with our studio manager or their assistant. If you are accepted to MFS, you are also guaranteed to be trained in the Meisner Technique with Charlie himself. We also do not make you purchase a book in order to meet with us. We are a boutique studio with one of the best reputations in the United States for training and developing serious actors and artists. You will not be therapized in class, nor will your personal life issues be used to embarrass or humiliate you. You will be provided a safe and nurturing space to play full out with yourself, and make mistakes. You will also be held to high professional expectations. Every teacher at MFS are masters of their craft, and have actually dedicated their professional career to the art of teaching. You will be surrounded by other students who are passionate, dedicated, and serious about why they are here. We will teach you, mentor you, listen to you, and be available for you not only while you are here, but long after. If you are accepted, we want MFS to be your artistic home for as long as you want it to be.
WHY SHOULD I TRAIN IN THE MEISNER TECHNIQUE?
Sanford Meisner created his renowned actor training method in the late 1930’s. A member of the legendary Group Theater, Meisner created a two-year technique that instills in the actor all of the necessary fundamentals required to consistently create organic, vivid, fully realized human behavior, consistently. The Meisner Technique will actually teach you how to act. You cannot learn how to act in a scene study, monologue, or on-camera class. This acting training will get you out of your head, onto your spontaneous impulses, fully present, in the moment, listening with empathy, vulnerability and sensitivity. You will learn how to truthfully do under imaginary circumstances, craft in a simple specific and personal way, break down a script, and emotionally prepare, all while fully grounded and centered every time you act.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH PROGRAM OPTION IS RIGHT FOR ME?
MFS has created three program options for you to choose from: the Bare Essentials, the Core Program, and the Professional Actor Training Program (PATP). Every student here has work and financial concerns that greatly influence how they approach their acting training in NYC. The decision on which program to choose will depend on your financial flexibility, and the class load you are capable of taking on. The PATP is every class offered here at MFS, the Core Program is a selection of important classes needed to enter the industry, and the Bare Essentials is what we believe is the absolute minimum needed in order to realistically pursue and sustain a long and stable acting career. Both the Bare Essentials and Core Program allows students the flexibility to add additional classes when they are interested. These classes are then added to the overall balance due.
DO YOU OFFER ACTING CLASSES FOR BEGINNERS?
It does not matter if you have acted before or have never taken an acting class in your life. The Meisner Technique was developed for all levels of experience. All students start at the very beginning of training, and progress through class collectively, step by step. You will not be able to tell who has experience and who hasn’t. In truth, there are benefits to beginning this training with no experience; you aren’t riddled with bad habits or confused by previously bad teachers.
DO YOU OFFER ACTING WORKSHOPS?
Our acting training is offered in our Acting 1 and Acting 2 Meisner Technique classes. We do offer workshops throughout the school year. Some examples include workshops on self-taping, on-camera technique, clown & mask, voice-over technique, commercial auditioning, and breathwork.
DO YOU OFFER PAYMENT PLANS?
If you want to train at MFS, we will work with you to create a payment plan that fits your needs. The biggest savings is to pay in full at the time of enrollment. We offer payment plans that can extend to 12 months.

Don’t Miss Your Chance—Limited Spots Available!