Denver may not immediately spring to mind as a city replete with film shoots and Broadway shows, but that doesn’t mean the Mile High City isn’t bursting with opportunity for aspiring actors. From scene study to on-camera workshops, Denver’s diverse acting classes draw young performers and seasoned pros alike. Whether your goal is a film role, commercial audition, or to simply feel more confident in front of a crowd, each program profiled here has a unique style and legacy worth considering.
As a major force in Colorado’s arts landscape, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) offers a comprehensive range of classes for adults, teens, and children, including acting, stage combat, movement, and scene study. The center also provides playwriting and screenwriting classes, as well as training for voiceover acting and improv. The instructors are industry professionals, and the center is credited with fostering the careers of countless local artists. Instructors frequently serve as mentors, offering audition tips and building supportive environments in which students can grow. DCPA has a phenomenal reputation, hosting Broadway touring companies and a New Play Summit among its exciting programming.
Hailed as one of Denver’s premier centers for film and television acting, Peak offers classes for all age groups, from tweens to adults. The faculty trains in Los Angeles, ensuring up-to-the-minute industry perspective. Owner Christine Reed, a former LA talent agent, offers agent meetings for students at no extra cost. Peak’s coaches have LA roots, bringing Hollywood standards to Colorado. Classes cover on-camera acting technique, audition skills, cold reading, and scene study.
This acting studio is run by Hollywood actor, director, and filmmaker Todd Babcock, and its focus is on developing your acting skills through the study of practical techniques. Past students, including Jesse Burch (“What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Flightplan”) and Ann Ryerson (“Minority Report,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm”), praise the supportive environment and how it helps them continue growing as actors. If you want to join the ongoing classes, you’ll need to complete a prerequisite course first—the studio maintains high standards for its programs.
With instructors who are working producers, directors, and LA talent managers, Front Range Acting Studio offers a blend of local and industrywide expertise. Workshops cover both introductory and advanced topics in TV and film acting. The studio’s bicoastal faculty network helps students connect with broader professional opportunities and insider perspectives. Workshops offered include audition techniques, self-tape techniques, acting for film and television, and specialty workshops.
The Colorado School of Acting offers film and TV training for young actors, with classes available both online and in person across the Denver metro area. The school is known for its supportive culture and industry-connected leadership, with a strong emphasis on practical, career-ready skills. Its highly respected Elite Program is particularly focused on building both skill and confidence. Training covers a range of levels, from beginner through professional-track, focusing on screen acting, audition preparation, and industry basics.
Green Room is highly regarded for its focus on audition preparation across film, TV, and commercials. A large number of its instructors are casting directors from LA and New York City, giving students exclusive, insider knowledge of industry expectations and the audition process. The coaching staff has cast hundreds of projects, offering instruction in casting strategies, on-camera skills, and audition technique. The studio also boasts an impressive list of alumni, including Amber Heard and Colin O’Brien.
Specializing in the Meisner Technique, this studio brings a conservatory-style approach, which is ideal for serious students who want rigorous, classical training. The Meisner Technique training has famously shaped artists such as James Gandolfini, and Lea Marlene’s two-year program is regarded as one of the best in the state. Aside from the Meisner Technique, Lea Marlene also offers private coaching, public speaking training, and confidence development.