A young man standing in front of a group of people seated and clapping, smiling, holding a piece of paper, in a room with dark curtains and a classroom setting.

EAST Acting Studio

Meisner-Based Training in Presence & Truthfulness for Adults

Details

Length: 8 Weeks
Class Time: Mondays, 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Tenn Little Birds Studio, East Nashville
Enrollment: Limited to 10 students

Investment: $400

Summer session: June 8th - Aug 3rd

  • No class 7/6

Foundations:
The Art of Listening

This is the first step into the EAST Acting Studio.

In Foundations, we begin at the core of truthful acting: listening. Through structured partner exercises rooted in Meisner-based training, students learn to respond instinctively rather than manufacture emotion.

The work is simple and profound.

In this course, we practice:

  • The Repetition Exercise

  • Cold readings

  • Responding truthfully in the moment

  • Building trust with a scene partner

  • Quieting self-consciousness

  • Strengthening emotional availability

Other Meisner tools, such as the Independent Activity, the Knock on the Door, the Provocative Question, and scene work, will be introduced if the class feels ready.

No pressure to be impressive. No performance required.

This is a space to build presence — to experience how much more alive storytelling becomes when you stop trying and start responding.

Who It’s For…

Adults (18+) — beginners and returning actors alike.

No prior acting experience is required.
Only a willingness to show up consistently and engage fully in the work.

Enroll & Pay

Meet the teaching artists

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Allison Link

Allison Link is the founder of EAST and Tenn Little Birds, with conservatory training from Westminster Choir College and years of Meisner-based study at the Matthew Corozine Studio Theatre in New York. A performer, educator, and mother of two, she is committed to creating a steady, supportive home for truthful actor training in Nashville.

Founder

Close-up portrait of a smiling man with blue eyes, brown wavy hair, and a beard, wearing a blue checkered shirt and a blue t-shirt, against a dark gray background.

Ryan Link

Ryan Link is a Broadway and touring performer, musician, and Meisner-trained teacher based in Nashville. Broadway credits include RENT and HAIR, and he spent 2013-2015 on the first national tour of Once. He trained—and later taught—Meisner-based technique at the Matthew Corozine Studio Theatre in New York, guiding actors to build truthful connection, presence, and instinct through deep listening and partner work.

A dad of two and a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association, Ryan auditions regularly for film and TV productions across the Southeast and continues to train on-camera in Nashville. Recent credits include Harley Coates in the world premiere of May We All (TPAC).

Acting Coach

A woman and a girl are seated and facing each other in a room with colorful, cartoon-style illustrations of birds, flowers, rainbows, and musical notes on the wall behind them. A person with a black cap and patterned blue shirt is sitting with their back to the camera, observing the scene.

Want to try a class?

You’re welcome to join us for a trial class during the current session, as space allows. It’s a great way to experience the work, meet the group, and see if it feels like a fit.

Try a Class!

What to Expect.

No final performance. Only progress.

This is a structured, partner-based class rooted in Meisner training.

Students will work consistently with the same ensemble each week, building trust and deepening their ability to listen and respond truthfully in the moment.

There is no final performance.
The focus is on foundation, presence, and process.

Class size is intentionally limited to preserve depth and ensemble trust.

Commitment:

Because the work builds week to week, consistent attendance is essential.

We ask students to enroll with the intention of completing the full 8-week series.

This is a studio practice, rather than a drop-in workshop.

A group of young people are gathered in a black box theater or rehearsal space, sitting on the floor and listening to a woman standing in front of them. The woman appears to be coaching or leading a discussion. Two men are standing to the right, smiling and observing, with black curtains in the background.