Be sure to get your tickets for the 4th annual Party in the Parking Lot on Sunday, November 20th, 2022! Food, drink, and dance are all included!

All proceeds go towards our Student Scholarship Fund, so every ticket helps to partially or fully fund a student’s education. Due to generous donor support, all ticket sales and sponsorships will be matched up to $2500!

Proof of Covid vaccination required at check-in.
Email Johnny@StellaAdler.com with questions or inquiries.
Purchase Tickets at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/11155422

January 7, 2022

The Stella Adler Studio of Acting announced a memorial for Ron Burrus, master acting technique teacher. Burrus was the greatest exponent of the technique developed by Stella Adler. There will be a memorial for Mr. Burrus on Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 6pm ET online via Zoom Webinar.

Through tireless work and lifelong passion Ron Burrus made himself into the most creative interpreter of the techniques of Stella Adler. His uniqueness as an Adler-inspired teacher according to Artistic Director Tom Oppenheim was, “not only his capacity to shape Stella’s techniques into a systematized series of very clear exercises but his inclination to combine those exercises with the work of the great Hindu spiritual master Jidddu Krishnamurti”.

Ron studied under renowned acting teacher Stella Adler serving as her assistant in a protracted apprenticeship that lasted ten years. He then taught side by side with her, working closely with some of the most important actors of our time including Donna Murphy, Matthew Modine, John Mellencamp, Bill Paxton to name but a few. Mr. Burrus opened his own Ron Burrus Studio in 1983 and returned to the Stella Adler Studio of Acting under the invitation of Stella Adler’s grandson, Tom Oppenheim. There he trained a new generation of actors including Bryce Dallas Howard, Caitlyn Fitzgerald, Olivia Washington to name but a few. In 2009 Ron Burrus worked closely with Oppenheim to build a West coast branch of the Stella Adler Studio, the Art of Acting Studio.

Ron Burrus studied Stella’s work, researched and expanded upon it, adding elements to sharpen the actor’s sense of focus and awareness in imaginative spaces. Stella Adler, with roots in the Yiddish Theater and Group Theater, was the only American actor to study with the great Russian master, Constantine Stanislavski. Burrus assumed and extended this legacy in his work. He trained actors from the 1960s through 2021. Burrus, 79, of Los Angeles, CA, passed away on Dec.13, 2021 after a four-year battle with cancer.

MEMORIAL DETAILS

What Did You Learn? What Did You See?
A Celebration of the Life and Work of Ron Burrus
Thursday, January 20 at 6pm ET
Via Zoom Webinar
RSVP: Please click here to register to attend.

SHARE YOUR STORY: Please click here to share some thoughts or memories about Ron.

GIVE TO THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND:
If you cannot attend, but would like to contribute to a scholarship in Ron’s memory, which will be an annual campaign, please click here.

The memorial will be conducted like one of Ron’s classes. A small group of invited speakers will be followed by community members sharing what they learned from Ron. Those who don’t share in real time will be encouraged to write thoughts into the chat. Those thoughts will be captured and printed into an online book. The Ron Burrus Center will add photos and links of Ron and that book will be offered as a gift to all.

Ron Burrus was an American acting teacher and coach and the greatest exponent of the acting technique developed by Stella Adler. Ron studied Stella’s work, researched and expanded upon it, adding elements to sharpen the actor’s sense of focus and awareness in imaginative spaces. Stella Adler, with roots in the Yiddish Theater and Group Theater, was the only American actor to study with the great Russian master, Constantine Stanislavski. Burrus assumed and extended this legacy in his work. Burrus, 79, of Los Angeles, Ca, passed away on Dec.13, 2021 after a four-year battle with cancer.

OBITUARY

Ron Burrus was an American acting teacher and coach and the greatest exponent of the acting technique developed by Stella Adler. Burrus studied Adler’s work, researched and expanded upon it, adding elements to sharpen the actor’s sense of focus and awareness in imaginative spaces. Stella Adler, with roots in the Yiddish Theater and Group Theater, was the only American actor to study with the great Russian master, Constantine Stanislavski. Burrus assumed and extended this legacy in his work. Burrus, 79, of Los Angeles, Ca, passed away on Dec.13, 2021 after a four-year battle with cancer.

He was born in Onawa, IA, March 11, 1942, the son of Joe Burrus and Audrey (Hutchison) Burrus. He is survived by sister Marlene Cowan, brothers Stan Burrus and Richard Burrus, brother in-law, Chuck Cowan and sister in-law Debra Eaton, nephews, Jeff Cowan, Logan Burrus, Ethan Clark, nieces Kristin Rawson, Dana Clark, Cindy Cowan, Yma Sautbine and Aubrey Clark.

Growing up Ron enjoyed singing, musicals and was in the Drama Club.  He tried playing football in the 9th grade. But no go. He would rather do a soft shoe dance in the kitchen. Ron graduated from Leeds High School in Sioux City, Iowa, 1960, and the same year he and his mother and brothers traveled the original Route 66 out to California and settled in Burbank, a block from the airport.

Ron would often run with his brother Rich the one block to the airport where they would follow unsuspecting travelers and imagine stories about unknown destinations. This sparked a love for travel which he would pursue over the entire course of his life.

He graduated from Pasadena College and served in the U.S. Army in Germany and after returning to California, jetted off to New York to fulfill his dreams. Ron studied under renowned acting teacher Stella Adler serving as her assistant in a protracted apprenticeship that lasted ten years. He then taught side by side with her, working closely with some of the most important actors of our time including Donna Murphy, Matthew Modine, John Mellencamp, Bill Paxton to name but a few. Mr. Burrus opened his own Ron Burrus Studio in 1983 and returned to the Stella Adler Studio of Acting under the invitation of Stella Adler’s grandson, Tom Oppenheim. There he trained a new generation of actors including Bryce Dallas Howard, Caitlyn Fitzgerald, Olivia Washington to name but a few. In 2009 Ron Burrus worked closely with Oppenheim to build a West coast branch of the Stella Adler Studio, the Art of Acting Studio.

Throughout his long career Mr. Burrus worked internationally leading workshops in The film school in Lausanne, Switzerland first invited Mr. Burrus to conduct workshops for their directors and actors. This led over time to workshops in major cultural institutions and festivals in Mexico City, Mexico; Bogata, Colombia; Hamburg, Germany; Cecina, Italy; Tokyo and Osaka, Japan; Mumbai, India; Manila, Philippines and Toulouse, France. He really knew how to travel. One bag and he was off.

Through tireless work and lifelong passion Ron Burrus made himself into the most creative interpreter of the techniques of Stella Adler. His uniqueness as an Adler inspired teacher according to Oppenheim was “not only his capacity to shape Stella’s techniques into a systematized series of very clear exercises but his inclination to combine those exercises with the work of the great Hindu spiritual master Jidddu Krishnamurti”.

Ron was a beautiful, generous person.  He believed strongly in helping others fulfill and achieve their dreams and through endless mentorships touched many lives and awakened a curiosity in others to live with joy, pride, presence and awareness without judgment.

October 27, 2021

From Tom Oppenheim, Artistic Director:

Dear community,

It is with great sorrow and a heavy heart that I’m writing to inform you that we’ve lost our beloved teacher, friend and family member, James Tripp today. Jimmy joined the faculty of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in the mid 1980s at the invitation of Stella Adler herself. By that time he had a full life in the theater working in major regional theaters, at the Public Theater and on Broadway. But Jimmy’s true artistic domain was in the classroom and his greatest performances were as a teacher. In that realm Jimmy’s talent knew no bounds. With a single gesture he could spank the devil and lick the sky. Jimmy was all theater. He was a theater bandit. He busted down borders with Dionysian glee and many of us who survive him at Adler and thousands and thousands of former students were freed by this man, were elevated by his greatness, were liberated by his passion, were made merry monsters like him. Jimmy made us feel like creatures in Where the Wild Things Are, “I’ll eat you up I love you so.”

My grandmother recognized her kind in Jimmy. She invited him to Adler after seeing a production of Moliere’s Tartuffe which he directed at his other artistic home, the National Shakespeare Conservatory, with me in the title role. It was my first production ever. Jimmy delighted in dressing me up in a long white wig and made me an aged, sex crazed, power hungry, hypocritical hippy. He gave me a comb as a prop to unsuccessfully comb the knots out of my tangled hair. He acquainted me with what was most corrupt in myself, what was most ghastly, grotesque, gory, ugly. He thus made a man of me. Stella appreciated him deeply for this, knew he was an artist, knew where he belonged, right in the heart of the Adler family

I first encountered Jimmy at Kerhonkson, National Shakespeare Conservatory’s summer program. I was so shy and scared and Jimmy’s energy was overwhelming to me. Jimmy was the contemporary scene teacher in those days with his dear friend Mario Siletti teaching Shakespeare. Jimmy was utilizing Meisner repetition technique but only as Jimmy could, repetition a la TRIPP!!! Actors were repeating what the other said but wildly, roiling into a frenzy. It scared the bejesus out of me in spite of the fact that I’m a Jew. After class I followed Jimmy to his car and told him that the exercise scared me. “Well, then you must try it!” he said with a face wide open like the sky. Jimmy opened up a door for me that day, a door that remains open and continues to beckon and challenge me.
There was so much freedom in Jimmy’s class, a freedom we desperately need. This freedom was scary for some, thrilling for others, scary and thrilling by turns. He would crack words over his knee and throw them in your face. You had the feeling that anything could happen. Passion, for example. Love. Hatred. High art. Low art. Lampoon. Anything. This freedom produced boldness, courage, a crystal clear understanding of the purpose of theater and the blessing. May Jimmy’s death inspire a resurrection of that freedom. May generations hence spring up as liberal as he, as outrageous, as passionate, as free.

We dedicate this year to our teacher, friend, family member James Tripp. We will soon open the James Tripp Theater. Long live Jimmy.

Love,

Tom Oppenheim
Artistic Director

Thank you so much for the outpouring of love we have seen online in the wake of Jimmy’s passing. It has been wonderful reading all the cherished memories you have had with him over the years. The Stella Adler Studio of Acting is in the process of collecting quotes, stories and favorite memories of Jimmy Tripp for the archives. Do you remember inspiring words he gave in class? Is there a favorite story of Jimmy? Please share with us by filling out the form linked below. Or you can simply reply to this email and I can add it for you.

Jimmy Tripp Memories and Quotes Form

Interested in training at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting (NY) or Art of Acting Studio (LA)? Attend our upcoming Virtual Open House running nightly from February 9-11, 2021. Take free classes and hear from current students and faculty over Zoom. This open house will be catered towards actors interested in the Professional Conservatory programs or Summer Intensives.

Attend as much or as little as your schedule permits. Can only join us for one or two evenings? No problem. Want to attend all four evenings for the full Conservatory experience? Happy to have you with us!

• Studio Overview & Discussion – Hear from Artistic Director Tom Oppenheim (grandson of Stella Adler) as he discusses the history, mission and core beliefs of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting and Art of Acting Studio. Faculty and staff will also discuss the studio’s various programming.
• Free Workshops – Get a taste of the studio’s world-class training with free workshops each night. Classes available will include acting technique, on-camera, and scene work!
• Student Q & A – Meet with current conservatory students who can answer your questions about studying at the Stella Adler Studio in New York or Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles.

RSVP to the Virtual Open House Here

SCHEDULE:

The times are in Eastern Standard Time and will be on Zoom.

• Tuesday, February 9th (7-10pm) – To kick off the open house, the first event will be “Meet the Studio” a discussion with Tom Oppenheim and the staff. Following that event will be a special Master Class with Ron Burrus on the Acting Technique developed by Stella Adler
• Wednesday, February 10th (7-9pm) – This evening will feature two workshops: On-Camera Acting and Monologue Coaching led by conservatory faculty.
• Thursday, February 11th (7-9pm) – The final evening will be a Question and Answer session with current conservatory students and faculty. Ask them anything! Perhaps we will also do a virtual facility tour if time permits!

Reserve Your Spot: This event is FREE (no cost)! Due to limited space each night, reservations are required. RSVP using form below or by Clicking Here.

A central tenet of Tom Oppenheim’s Artistic Directorship has been to make the studio’s work accessible to all, to diversify access to Stella Adler’s work. Under Oppenheim’s leadership, the studio has given nearly $1,000,000 in scholarships for BIPOC students in an informal application process. In an effort to make that work more transparent and visible, the studio has created a formal application process for future scholarships.

The studio is delighted to announce the 2021 application process for diversity scholarships for the 3-Year Conservatory, Evening Conservatory and LA Conservatory for matriculation in Fall 2020 in NYC or LA. These scholarships will cover up to the full tuition cost for the first year of training. The scholarships are one of several efforts to support the studio’s priority to develop a student body that reflects the society in which it exists.

Students also interested in the shorter term 10-Week Summer Conservatory can also apply for the Diversity Scholarship.

Deadline to Apply: Monday, January 25th, 2021

More information at https://stellaadler.com/classes/admissions/diversity/

Dear friends,

In a letter from the studio dated May 31, 2020 with the subject line “In Solidarity and Community”, we made a promise “not to rest until we multiply our energies to utilize theater and education to combat systemic racism.” We wrote that with full recognition that it will take work, lots of work. We are ready to do that work.

To this end we are proud to announce the engagement of Anita Dashiell-Sparks as Artistic Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the Stella Adler Center for the Arts. This appointment will begin immediately.

I met Ms. Dashiell-Sparks back in 2010 when we were building the Art of Acting Studio (AOA) in Los Angeles. J. Steven White, who taught Anita at New York University’s Graduate Acting program, introduced us when I asked him for recommendations for the best teachers in Los Angeles. Anita is indeed the best.

Anita is the best not only because she’s a compelling, dynamic, charismatic teacher and director, which she absolutely is. What makes her so wonderful is her gigantic heart and her rich, ever-expanding mind. It is her heart and mind, her curiosity, her deep engagement with life, with ideas, with theater as a vehicle for art and justice, that captivated me and made me wish to collaborate with her. She emanates the mission of the Studio, was and is a living, breathing example of a person whose growth as an artist is at one with her growth as a person.

But life steered Anita in another direction to the University of Southern California where she serves as Associate Professor of Theater Practice in Acting and Associate Dean of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

And yet we stayed in touch throughout the years. We met last spring in LA to discuss the possibility of Anita teaching movement at AOA. Three hours later we had a plan of how Anita could contribute and share her experience as an artist, educator, EDI practitioner, and community outreach advocate to enrich the center’s  community. Anita will indeed become an Artistic Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, a post that will involve engagement on both coasts and work with students, faculty and staff.

In the weeks ahead of us, Ms. Dashiell-Sparks and the administration of both the Stella Adler Studio and the Art of Acting Studio will meet. Anita will help us map out a robust program that focuses on theater and racial justice and I’m eager to take this journey too. We will reach back out to the community with a specific plan and look forward to engaging all staff, faculty and students in this work.

Twenty five years ago when I became the Artistic Director of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting I relinquished dogmatism with a question: “what does it mean to be the Stella Adler Adler Studio today”? It’s a question I ask myself everyday. I asked this question on May 25, 2020. I ask this question with a prayer. I ask this question as a prayer. I pray for the Stella Adler Studio of Acting to be forever dynamic, radically new and ever self-renewing and always to serve humanity…

I am so pleased to welcome Anita Dashiell-Sparks in her new position and I look forward to introducing her to you.

Most sincerely,

Tom

Tom Oppenheim
Artistic Director