Beverly Hills Playhouse

How do you review a place that reminds you of a second family, a home away from home, and the birthplace of so much artistic growth and expansion? Well, I guess by saying this — The Beverly Hills Playhouse is, hands down, the best decision I made over three years ago when I moved to Los Angeles to be a working actor here. The consistent weekly study of my craft, the attention and care of the teachers, the essential skills learned in how to be a positive force in this industry, all have contributed massively to the success that has come my way since moving here. I studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for 4 years, have been acting since I was a child on and off, and this still may be my favorite creative place to attend. It’s because of the Playhouse that I learned how to write letters to the filmmakers who inspire me so much. It’s because of the Playhouse I’ve learned how to book television jobs. Most importantly, it’s because of the Playhouse that I have learned to not only do those jobs well, but to also leave the set a total pro. I am indebted to this wonderful place. I couldn’t recommend it higher. Bottom line — the Beverly Hills Playhouse is the ONLY place you need to study at in this city!

I have been a student in the advanced class for about 3 years and it is truly an incredible acting school and community. The teaching is specific to each individual actor’s journey, which I think is so important. It was the very first acting school I attended in Los Angeles and I fell in love immediately. Not only do they focus on developing your craft, they also emphasize the importance of each actors goals and how to meet them through administration work. I have also made many incredible friendships at this place! It has a special place in my heart.

I’d gone about as far as I could with the tools at hand when I found the BHP. I’d just left my highest paying gig ever, having turned 40 while working as a theme park actor in Japan. The irony was not lost that 9 months in Sasebo had paid nearly as much as my twenty previous years of TV and Film acting combined. It was obvious there was no turning back at this point; pharmacy school just wasn’t an option. Just as obviously, there was no going much further forward without some top-​notch training. A couple of my fellow costumed characters were BHP students, and since they seemed like pretty good eggs I decided to give it a shot.
I arrived at my first class in December of 1993. 21 years later I no longer attend, but consider myself a proud alumnus. The short review is this: very little I’ve done as an actor and writer would have been possible without the Playhouse. The raw material may have been there, true, but it would have remained largely undeveloped without the technique that Milton created, and the creative crucible that the BHP community continues to create to this day.
The long review is a book, so never mind.
Now I’ll address a few «FAQs» here just to save you some trouble:
1. Scientology? Used to be, but no more. It’s a long story, but a long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away…) they got mad at us, we got mad back and an ugly but necessary divorce was effected. Full disclosure: I was never of the flock, and was never approached to be. Any Kool-​aid residue has long since dissipated.
2. Milton was a jerk/​maniac/​megalomaniac/​Satyr/​bad painter/charlatan/huckster…got it. You’ve heard things. Me too. First hand, at the man’s right hand for most of my time there, right up to his death. Here’s the deal: you’re not really studying with a guy until you realize that, like us all, he’s got feet of clay. That’s when you strip it down to the bare essentials and really figure out what you’re doing there. Milton was human, no more, no less. For me, he did what he did better that anyone in my 60 + years, and I’m grateful for that. Everything else is gossip.
3. It’s expensive. Yup. So’s class at my CrossFit box. I can remember very few months when I didn’t pay for class, then scuttle around making up my rent after. I knew I needed the training, and was willing to do what ever it took to get it. Know what else costs a lot now? Me. As an actor. Thanks BHP! And thanks for my SAG pension and insurance, and the acting work I did that earned them.
I could go on, but you get the idea. You need training. All artists and athletes think their maestro is the best. The thing is to hurry up and find yours so you can get on with that career you say you want. If you want to see some first hand results, check out my IMDB page or take a look at
. 90% of what’s there I’ve done since starting my journey with Milton over 20 years ago.
I wouldn’t change a thing.