Created by Actors. Built for the Next Generation.
Young Actors Deserve More Than The Stage
They Deserve A Career
Every graduate from our 2025 program signed with a known agency or manager. You don't build working actors by handing out participation trophies. At Act First Studios, working actors are our standard, not a star student.
Setting The Standard
Booked Lion King On Broadway
five month Program
Booked Lion King On Broadway
one year conservatory
Booked Lion King On Broadway
five month Program
Booked Lion King On Broadway
one year conservatory
The Act First Audition
PART ONE The Workshop
Before your child steps in front of our coaches, we sit down with parents and performers together. A breakdown on the real information every serious family needs before taking their first step into this industry.
You'll leave knowing:
- How to identify legitimate agents and managers, and the ones to avoid
- What work permits your child legally needs to perform in New York
- The red flags that separate real opportunities from expensive dead ends
- What the journey from training to working actor actually looks like
PART TWO The Audition
Our head coaches give our young aspiring actors a cold reading on the spot. No monologue to memorize. No preparation needed.
We want to see who they are right now, because that's exactly where great training begins. Every family is seen individually. We don't rush what matters.
NOTE:
The Act First Audition is completely free. You should never pay to be seen by a serious studio, and if someone is charging you for the privilege, that's your first red flag.
This is a partnership from day one. Parents must attend.
The Industry Has Changed. Most Studios Haven't.
The big box acting schools were built for a different era. Large classes, rotating coaches, the same curriculum recycled year after year, and your child is just the next one through the door.
We've watched too many talented young performers get chewed up by that system and spit out with nothing to show for it except a lighter bank account and a bruised dream.
Act First was built as the alternative.
Our rooms are sacred
The work we do is sacred
And you're child's dreams are sacred
We audition every single student before they set foot in one of our classes. Not to be difficult, but to ensure everyone in the room is serious, committed, and ready. You'll feel that the moment you walk in.
The Difference In Practice
small class sizes
Your child is seen, coached, and challenged every single session. Maximum 8 students per class.
Monthly events
Broadway shows, film screenings, and industry Q&As. We know training doesn't stop at the studio door
Free resources
Free self-tapes, audition coaching, and rehearsal space. Working actors in a community deserve to feel supported.
WORKING COACHES
Coaches who are actively working in the industry. Who teaches you matters as much as what they teach you
Setting The Standard
Booked Lion King On Broadway
five month Program
Booked Lion King On Broadway
one year conservatory
Booked Lion King On Broadway
five month Program
Booked Lion King On Broadway
one year conservatory
Christopher Chwee Founder & Head Acting Coach
Launching Careers Since 2017
Christopher built Act First with a lasting career in mind. He's a working actor with credits on Broadway, Netflix, HBO, Marvel, and commercial campaigns for Zara, BMW, and Target. A Circle in the Square graduate who has studied under Larry Moss and Margie Haber for over 14 years, and a scholarship recipient at Juilliard's National Alliance of Acting Teachers program.
Act First Studios blends classical technique, contemporary on-camera precision, and a fierce belief in the power of personal truth.
YOUR PERFORMER IS READY
Are You?
Every working actor on our results wall started exactly where your child is right now. Talented, eager & looking for the right room.
This is that room.
Let us see the talent you know your child has. The quality of our community depends on every single person in it. Book your child's audition and let us show you what that community feels like from the inside.
Act First Studios
Copyright 2026. Act First Studios. All Rights Reserved.