Testimonials

We are very pleased to write this recommendation for Jason Bennett. As an acting teacher, he synthesizes comprehensive knowledge of acting processes with a profound understanding of the theory and methodology of Archetype Work and the Psychology of Selves. His original work keeps the focus on the development of the actor's process, utilizing Archetype Work and the Psychology of Selves to this end. We consider Jason Bennett an outstanding teacher and communicator. He is forging new paths in the training of aspiring actors, and in deepening the process of those actors already established.

I am a graduate of Columbia University's School of Social Work, a therapist in private practice, have been an actor and writer, and teacher of Archetype Work to professionals and novices. It is with deep respect for Jason Bennett as an original thinker and for his unique approach in using Archetype Work as part of his actor training that I recommend Jason Bennett. When I was an actress and improviser, I was always aware of the necessity to precisely hit your emotional and physical marks, exactly when the time calls, for both performances and auditions. His acting classes will arm you with tools that can profoundly advance your career. Archetype Work and The Psychology of Selves heightens consciousness, so working with Jason Bennett will not only make you a better actor, but can be instrumental to unblocking many areas of your life, increasing your personal freedom and authenticity.

I initially went to a demonstration of Jason Bennett's techniques just for fun. He demonstrated his techniques, including work from all the master acting teachers, in a very clear-cut way. Then he went into discussing Archetypes which resonated with my training and interests. His demonstrations instantly clarified all the vague comments from every acting class before his: “just be natural”, “follow your impulses”, “don’t act." I immediately saw an opportunity to acquire a real set of skills that I would be able to reproduce consistently and at will (like in the anxiety producing atmosphere of an audition or callback). I signed up for his summer acting intensive, where I practiced the skills of creating an imaginary world, and realized that while there is a lot of work to be done to prepare to perform, it is all within my grasp once these techniques are learned and my skills are honed. I began to feel much more optimistic about my career and more in control of my process. One thing that I especially admire about Mr. Bennett is that he constantly questions and challenges his teaching methods and is always open to feedback on how he is perceived by students. I think this keeps him from falling into the trap of becoming too powerful in his students’ eyes and avoids the whole “therapy acting class” experience I witnessed so many times. I highly recommend Jason Bennett as an acting teacher, as well as an instructor of acting through song and music. Knowing he has classical musical training makes me even more confident of his ability to help me improve my skills as a singer and actor.

I've taken classes from all sorts of acting schools, casting directors, and coaches as a professional actor. Many of these teachers, and the acting books I studied, focus on scene study, ignoring the importance of creating the emotional life of the character and the imaginary world of the story. When emotional life was mentioned, these teachers and books were vague and unclear compared to Jason Bennett, always leaving me feeling like there was something missing. Taking class with Jason Bennett has been incredible! He is the first teacher I have worked with that can explain the HOW of acting. He will show you HOW to truly breakthrough to all your emotions, liberating you from your emotional blocks and inhibitions.

Jason Bennett is passionate, articulate, and thorough in his knowledge of acting theory and history. But Jason's glorious achievement is that he takes all that theory and history and applies it in the most straight forward, accessible, clear and practical way. His profound teaching is in the spirit of the Chinese proverb, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Rather than only directing you in the specific interpretation of material, as many acting teachers do, Jason Bennett will expose you to many processes and tools, which will guide and facilitate your work for a lifetime. He is full of energy, totally devoted to his students, and his feedback is always dead-on. If you are a serious actor, you owe it to yourself to study with Jason Bennett.

Jason Bennett's work is truly revolutionary and absolutely essential for actors - in such a short amount of time it has cultivated my imagination and expanded my emotional range. I graduated from a respected MFA Acting program and spent numerous years training in specific techniques at well respected studios in New York. And I have NEVER experienced a more profound change in my work than from the work I've done with Jason. The work has stretched me to realms I never knew possible - all with a newfound sense of ease and play. And have I mentioned that it's really FUN?! And so much easier, less grueling than many of the ways I was taught to approach acting in the past... I am learning how to play again, how to access my imagination without limits. Jason sets up such a supportive atmosphere where all these elements are encouraged, cultivated and fine-tuned. But at the same time he has the highest professional standards - he will push you when appropriate for your growth as a professional actor - always respectfully. Check it out.

Because of training with Jason Bennett, my confidence in my acting has increased 1,000 times. The tools and techniques I've learned allow me to walk into an audition and enter an imaginary reality in seconds. My imagination is far more available to me. Although I learned some similar techniques while training with Mike Nichols at the New Actor's Workshop, the way Jason teaches enables me to "get there" in less than half the time. His teaching is very individualized. His ability to see where you are in your process and assign you specific exercises and work based on that, as opposed to having the same approach for every actor, makes him an extraordinary teacher. Time after time, I've seen him assign an exercise to an actor, in the middle of working a scene, that instantly reveals a psychological or emotional block that was operating on an unconscious level in that actor. He is perceptive, intuitive, and most of all passionately committed to helping his students cultivate their craft. If you are serious about having a career in this field, consider studying acting with Jason Bennett.

Although I studied acting for quite some time before studying with Jason, something always felt incomplete. I couldn't grow past a certain point and I was craving much more. At my previous school, I had a full scholarship so I didn't want to leave...But still I checked out the most respected private New York acting schools and did trial classes or met the main teachers at all of them. Jason Bennett's class was the last one I attended. At first I thought I was in the wrong place. People were doing weird imagination exercises and they seemed a little crazy to me. Late in the class Jason called on me to work, but I didn't want to participate. I remember looking for the door and I almost left. But I didn't. And I'm so grateful I stayed. I've been training with Jason and several of the other faculty members for over a year and I wouldn't trade what I've learned for anything! The work has changed my acting and it's changed my life. There is no other way to put it.

I studied acting for a long time before finding Jason Bennett. But even after all the acting classes I had before Mr. Bennett, I still had no real understanding of the word “choice,” no specific acting process, no access to my vulnerability, and relied entirely upon an intellectual approach to acting. After six months of studying with Jason Bennett, I understand what “choices” are and how to use them, am learning an acting process that can be tailored to every role, can access my vulnerability along with a myriad of other emotions that I couldn’t before, and know how to allow my imagination to guide my work. While we learn techniques from the great teachers of the past, we also learn a modern approach to acting, which includes psychology and dream analysis. Not only does this approach allow us to gain a greater depth of understanding of characters, it helps us to understand ourselves as well as the people in our lives. I came to Mr. Bennett with many emotional blocks. As an actor, I knew I needed to gain access to these emotions. The combination of class exercises and Archetype Work has helped me reach these intense parts of me and share them with others through my work. In class you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll do wild and crazy things that you’re convinced will just make you feel embarrassed. At first, you do these outrageous exercises just because Mr. Bennett tells you to. But very soon, you discover that you can do all kinds of things you never thought you could. While we all know the entertainment world can be brutal, Mr. Bennett teaches you to approach your work and the business with integrity, respect, and commitment.

Studying acting with Jason Bennett has been an eye-opening experience for me. I have taken classes at other reputable schools in the country and the work that he does is above and beyond any previous training I have had. His extensive knowledge of acting training today and the history of it is one of the main reasons why he is so effective as a teacher. He is always thinking outside the box and includes so much more in his training than the majority of other classes out there that lack the emotional and imagination component that is vital to becoming a successful actor. He uses tools from modern psychology that allow you to understand your characters “wants” and “needs” on the deepest levels so you can fully identify with their world-views which helps bring forth the multi-dimensional and unpredictable performances that audiences crave. Classes and weekend workshops are small and intense so you are always learning and getting the individual attention that helps take your acting to the next level. I highly recommend taking a trial class to see if Jason Bennett’s teaching style resonates with you.

Jason Bennett will help you to become an extremely skilled actor. His understanding of various acting techniques will give you many tools to help you create strong, interesting characters in any play, movie or television show. One of the best things about Mr. Bennett's class is that it does not focus on one acting technique. Mr. Bennett incorporates all the great acting techniques into his work, and a lot more. I still have a long way to go in my work. I haven’t even chipped the surface of all the exercises that Mr. Bennett has to offer, but I know I am on the right path. I feel much more confident as an actor. I know how to approach my work in a methodical way, using various tools to make great theatre. I love this class. I really do. Mr. Bennett will require and expect a lot of work out of you -- but he really gives a lot, too. His classes are not for the lazy, they are only for actors who are serious about the art of acting. If you are looking for a serious place to work on your acting process and tools, whether you are a beginner or veteran, I think that this is a great place to do it.