Think like an artist. Act like you mean it. Commit to your practice. Want to go on that Acting journey? Come to HB Studio! We are a nonprofit organization that supports vigorous, lifelong practice in the theatre arts, based on a solid foundation of practical training. We set expectations, witness the level of commitment, and amplify the choices developing artists make for and against their own talents, balancing encouragement with demand so each may continue to stretch and grow. HB is open to any person with a serious interest in the theatre and its related disciplines. Our students, faculty, and alumni form a vibrant community of actors, playwrights, and directors.
History
Established in 1945.
Founded by Viennese actor/director Herbert Berghof in 1945, HB is one of the original New York acting studios. A refugee from Adolf ***'s Nazi regime, Berghof came to New York in 1939. He devised HB Studio as a place where artists at all stages of their careers could continue to work and practice between jobs, supported and challenged by their more experienced colleagues, in a space free from pressures related to commercial success. Berghof met the celebrated actress Uta Hagen in 1945 and invited her to join him in teaching at the Studio. The two were married 10 years later. Miss Hagen, author of the seminal acting texts "Respect for Acting" and "A Challenge for the Actor," became one of the most renowned and respected acting teachers of the 20th century. Together, Hagen and Berghof trained some of the most noted actors of the American theatre. Their students, colleagues, and a new generation of accomplished artists continue that tradition today.