Maggie Flanigan Studio

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I took the summer program at the Maggie Flanigan Studio and can honestly say it was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. Charlie Sandlan, our acting coach, is tough, honest and deeply committed to helping you become the best actor you can be. His approach is direct and cutthroat in the best way, it really forces you to think, dig deep, and confront what's holding you back, both as an artist and a person.

This program strips you down to the essentials of the Meisner technique. You’ll learn how to truly listen, respond truthfully through behaviour, and reflect your honest emotional life in the moment. You’ll be taught how to speak your mind, have an opinion, and understand that acting is not just about words it’s about the subtext of real human connection.

If you are committed, you’ll grow in ways you never expected. It’s demanding but in the most rewarding way. Wherever you are on your acting journey, this program meets you where you're at and pushes you to the next level. You will leave changed, clearer, and more grounded in your craft.

Highly recommend this to any serious artist ready to do the work. By the end, you’ll not only have answers, you'll come to life :)

Only come here if you want to be challenged and really grow. This is not the place to get a pat on the back and be told “good job” for whatever work you do, the teachers really expect your best work and there is absolutely no tolerance for laziness and carelessness. The faculty here is amazing, I’ve never had a teacher that I didn’t find really helpful and transformational, honestly. I especially recommend Movement, Clown, Voice, and any class with Richard Rand and Erin Cherry. I also received a BFA in Drama at NYU, the training here is better, 100%. It’s deeper, more challenging, and I’ve received more feedback here because the teachers genuinely want to see you grow. I’m beginning to learn here that the only way to grow and reach your full potential is to be pushed towards the things you are not yet able to do and learn to overcome them. Part of the training here is accepting that failure is an essential part of growth. And between all the teachers at the studio, I truly feel as though this is a safe place to fail. The community is also amazing, the studio always manages to bring together really passionate and driven individuals. MFS is such a gem and I plan to continue classes here long after I graduate from the 2 year program!

I’m currently enrolled in the Summer Intensive at Maggie Flanigan Studio, and it has been a truly transformative experience. The training is rigorous, focused, and deeply intentional. Yes, even for the summer intensive. Every class is rooted in honesty, craft, and discipline. We are learning how to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances, moment by moment. Easier said than done, trust me.

The teachers are incredibly passionate and committed. They challenge you to shed bad habits, push past surface-level choices, and take yourself seriously as an artist. This studio doesn’t offer shortcuts or gimmicks — just real work, the kind that builds a solid foundation for a lasting career.

I’ve grown so much in such a short time, and I’m walking away from each class with more clarity, confidence, and a greater sense of purpose in my work. If you’re serious about acting — not just the idea of it — this place will meet you where you are and push you where you need to go. My suggestion is to have appetite for growth.

Highly recommend.

The Meisner Summer Intensive at Maggie Flanigan Studio, led by Charlie Sandlan, has been one of the most transformative experiences of my creative life. I have two weeks remaining of my intensive, but I have already gained a deeper understanding of my emotional life, my artistry, and what it truly means to be a professional actor.

Charlie is an exceptional teacher. His precision, insight, and uncompromising standards push you far beyond surface-level performance into something honest, specific, and alive. He challenges you to let go of bad habits and ego, and helps you build a foundation rooted in truthful behavior and emotional vulnerability.

This course isn’t about learning tricks. It’s about learning how to really listen, how to craft with imagination and depth, and how to work with integrity. It’s demanding and at times confronting, but I will return to Australia feeling creatively reignited and far more equipped to pursue this craft seriously.

I travelled across the world to take part in this intensive, and it was the best decision I have ever made. I would do it again in a heartbeat. If you're ready to work hard, be brave, and take yourself seriously as an artist, this intensive will change the way you approach acting forever.

Thank you again to Charlie, Erin Cherry, and the entire team at MFS for changing my life!

I recently graduated from the two year program and I can honestly say it was the best choice I ever made for my artistry. Charlie is an exceptional teacher and will push you to be the best actor you can be. The other courses offered at the studio are phenomenal. It is a very community oriented studio and a wonderfully supportive environment.

Maggie Flanigan Studio is a place where artistry and discipline converge to create truly transformational experiences. A former student highly recommended this studio, and after visiting and speaking with some of the students—who all had glowing things to say—I knew it was the right place for me.

My understanding of acting has deepened profoundly. Here, acting is treated as a craft—an art form that requires discipline, authenticity, and dedication. The range of classes is incredible, from movement-based courses that develop the actor’s instrument to foundational education like film history. There’s truly something for every aspect of your growth as an artist.

One of the most impactful experiences for me was a class I took on a whim, Mask and Character. It opened up my imagination in ways I never thought possible, and it was an unforgettable exploration into the power of mask work.

If you’re considering joining Maggie Flanigan Studio, don’t hesitate. You won’t regret it. The study of acting here is also a study of life—helping you better understand yourself and others, even if acting isn’t your ultimate career goal. This place will leave you more attuned to your humanity and the world around you.

A truly safe and wonderful studio space with not only supportive staff, but also supportive students and alumni. Everyone here wants the best for you and genuinely wants you to succeed, while also giving you the space to work for it yourself. In this studio, the goal is to fail and then grow from it. It’s a school that pushes you to become the best you can be but you have to want it.

This school is a sanctuary for serious artists. The care and attention you get from the teachers here is phenomenal. Charlie is a master of his craft and has curated a team of mentors that bring out the best in you. If you’re serious about getting trained, you should seriously consider this school.

I've been a student at this school for over a year. The training and spaces not only competes with other top notch acting programs in the country, this school is accessible to all. Allowing artists from all walks of life to transform as an artist and human being.

Please consider this school if you want to better your art, acting and humanity.

I am currently a first year student 8 weeks in and I am thoroughly impressed with the quality of teaching and community at Maggie Flanigan Studio! I would highly recommend this studio to any artist that wants to develop their acting and performance skills at a deep level. Not only will you grow artistically and be inspired by a community of award-winning working professionals, you will become more attuned to who you are and learn simple tools to work from that place organically! I feel safe and seen there and that allows me to work at my best!

I would recommend Maggie Flanigan Studio to anyone who wants to develop their acting instrument and delve into human behavior. This studio works off of you as an individual, so whether you’ve had plenty or no acting training, this studio will help you grow.

I am still in the beginning of the first year but so far I am learning how to put my imagination into action and realizing what emotions are rising in me during the exercise that we do it’s hard but the end will be rewarding.
I am doing the full program so I am taking all the other classes and every class teaches me not only how to improve myself as an actor but also as a person and that is exactly why I came to this school.

If I were to talk about my experience at MFS as a whole, I'd run out of space... so let's talking about Cold Reading with Erin Cherry!

First and foremost, like all MFS classes, you are being taught by a master of the art form who is actively working in the industry. So being able to spend months working on cold reading for auditions, with someone who is frequently cold reading for auditions is invaluable.

The class does a great job to mimic the scenario of a cold read - you come to class and are given your sides. You have a half hour to prepare them, and then you come in and audition with Cherry. I watched myself go from being uncertain in my choices and unsure of how to craft in such a short period of time, to being confident in the decisions I make because of my refined process.
Cherry gave me the tools I needed to utilize such a short amount of time in a worthwhile way.

On top of that... it's just so much FUN! I really love being in the room with her because there's no humiliation, there's no degradation - she creates an environment where you feel safe, guided, and cared for. Mistakes don't feel scary. Not understanding your sides in 30 minutes doesn't make you feel dumb, because you have someone there to support, uplift, and guide you towards understanding how to conquer this aspect of your career as an actor.

I could go on, but to finish up: While I highly recommend taking any class at MFS and any class Cherry offers, the Cold Reading class is an invaluable resource to all professional actors who want to refine their process and build up a level of confidence that follows them into auditions throughout their career.

Maggie Flanigan Studio offers a wide range of diverse classes, and Combat For Stage and Film is certainly a class that you do not want to miss out on. Jayme Woj is an incredibly talented and well studied instructor. Safety is a priority from the first class all the way through the end of the course. There is a focus on technique in a way that will prepare you to learn any combat sequence safely and with an understanding of how to make it read well on film and/or stage. Jayme's passion for this work is contagious and his experience and knowledge are an inspiration. In this class you get the opportunity to learn both hand to hand combat skills as well as technique with swords. It is an incredibly fun class, it is physical, and it is highly rewarding to witness your own progress with an end of semester performance video. I highly recommend this class and this training. I have no doubt that this will be very useful in the future in my career, and even if not, this class was just lots of fun.

The Studio offers so many amazing classes and all teachers bring immense passion and care for their students. I took Voice III with Amanda Quaid, we worked on dialects. Especially for me as a non-native speaker, this topic freaks me out. Working with her was so much fun and made it easy to understand how dialects are built, how to practice them, and most importantly, have fun with them. I highly recommend taking the class if you want to create believable characters.

Movement 1 is insanely good. An incredible class that takes you on such an amazing emotional and spiritual journey. We travel through every shakra in the body. At the end of the class you will feel like a completely different person. The class is so euphoric and you fight it at first but the love and support just consumes you… it’s an amazing course Sarah Faye has a gift. An incredible person. Life changer… don’t hesitate … this class helps you blossom at a person.

The acting program here is quite literally life changing. I loved their stage combat class. Jayme is amazing, he really takes his time to show you how to do every move. As a complete beginner, I found that I was able to learn so quickly. Now I feel confident to tackle any combat on stage or film, and have a reel to show for it too. I highly recommend!!

You will see yourself grow so much at this studio! This place is amazing! Great people, great teachers, and a sense of community like no other!
I had no training before Maggie Flanigan and coming into the studio on the first day, I felt like I was accepted and starting a new journey that would change my relationship with acting. I feel so much more grounded and confident in my abilities, I learn everytime I step into the studio. Theres no other place like it!

I attended the MFS summer intensive because I wanted to be a better actor. In every class, my limits were pushed. The level of commitment that is expected from you is nothing short of 100%. Charlie has a complete domain of the craft. He is so tuned in with what's happening during class. It was very hard, but eventually, I was able to be fully present, to really listen, and to express how I feel. The best experiential, moment-to-moment acting of my life has been done in Studio A of the Maggie Flanigan Studio.
I am very much looking forward to attending the 2-year program!