Beginners acting class
A Monday evening class for adults who are new to acting, introducing the core tools of the Michael Chekhov technique through practical work.
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Acting Classes in Auckland
Elena Stejko Actors Studio runs weekly acting classes in Auckland for adults and teenagers, in seven week terms through the year. Every class is built on the Michael Chekhov technique and taught by actor and director Elena Stejko, with an online class for actors elsewhere in New Zealand. Term 5 2026 starts on 19 October 2026.
Find your level
Which Class Is Right for You
You take one class a week, chosen by your level and by what you want to work on. Start with the description that sounds most like you.
You have never acted before
Start with the Monday beginners class. It introduces the core elements of the technique from the ground up and assumes no training, no reading and no stage experience.
You have some training, or a few terms behind you
The Tuesday evening intermediate class takes the same tools further into scene work and character. It sits on the same page as the advanced class, because most students move from one to the other: see intermediate and advanced acting classes.
You are trained, or already working
The Wednesday evening advanced class is for actors who want to keep their craft sharp between jobs and stretch what they can do with a role.
You want more time on camera
Two classes are built around the lens. The Friday self tape class is improvisation and on camera practice with commercial and drama scripts. The Thursday short film class shoots an original short film during the term.
You are 12 to 16
The Thursday afternoon class for teenagers runs from 4pm to 5.30pm and covers acting exercises, improvisation and script work for screen and stage.
You cannot do evenings
The Tuesday daytime class runs from 12.30pm to 2.30pm and is open to any level.
You live outside Auckland
The Friday online class runs by video call from 4pm to 6pm. There is more for out of town actors on our acting classes in New Zealand page.
The classes
Every Class at a Glance
Intermediate and advanced classes
Tuesday and Wednesday evening classes for actors with training behind them, plus a Tuesday daytime class open to any level.
Self tape and screen acting class
A Friday evening class of improvisation and on camera practice, working at pace with television commercial and drama scripts.
Short film class
A Thursday evening class in which actors shoot an original short film during the term and learn how a set works from the inside.
Acting classes for teenagers
A Thursday afternoon class for 12 to 16 year olds: acting exercises, improvisation and script work for screen and stage.
Online acting classes
A weekly two hour class by video call on Friday afternoons, built on the Michael Chekhov technique for screen and open to actors anywhere in New Zealand.
The term
How a Term Works
A term is seven weeks, with one class a week on the same day and at the same time. The Monday to Thursday evening classes run for three hours, from 6.30pm to 9.30pm. The Friday self tape class, the daytime class and the online class run for two hours, and the teen class for an hour and a half. There are five terms in the year, so you can start at the beginning of any of them. The focus for Term 5 2026 is Script to Screen: the journey from the first read of a script through to truthful, connected performance on camera.
Classes are small. A class in the studio takes no more than 12 actors, and the online class no more than 20.
Classes are practical. The course introduces the elements of the Michael Chekhov technique and the character creation process, and it is designed to deepen your understanding of the script and the casting brief, give you confidence in the choices you make as you prepare, widen your tool box and your rehearsal methods, and wake up your creative mind through building a character.
Each term ends with a recording session with a casting director. Every actor receives a copy of their scene afterwards. That is useful in two ways: you see your own work as a casting director sees it, and you leave with footage you can show an agent or cut into a showreel.
The method
What You Learn: the Michael Chekhov Technique
Michael Chekhov was a Russian actor and teacher, a student of Stanislavski, whose book To the Actor set out a way of working that starts with the body and the imagination. In class you meet its main tools one at a time. Atmosphere is the mood of a place or a scene, and learning to play inside it. Psychological gesture turns what a character wants into a movement that you rehearse physically and then keep inside. Qualities of movement and body centres change how a character carries themselves and meets the world.
The reason to learn one method properly is that the tools add up. An actor who can find an atmosphere, a gesture and a centre has a repeatable way into any script, on a first read or under audition pressure. The full explanation is on our page about the Michael Chekhov technique.
Where and when
Timetable and Fees
Classes are held in person at Studio 3.2, 1 Cleveland Road, Parnell, Auckland, apart from the Friday online class, which runs by video call in New Zealand time. Fees are per term and include GST.
| Day | Time | Class | Fee per term | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 6.30pm to 9.30pm | Beginners class | $695 | Book |
| Tuesday | 6.30pm to 9.30pm | Intermediate class | $695 | Book |
| Tuesday | 12.30pm to 2.30pm | Daytime class | $495 | Book |
| Wednesday | 6.30pm to 9.30pm | Advanced class | $695 | Book |
| Thursday | 4pm to 5.30pm | Teen class (12 to 16 years) | $375 | Book |
| Thursday | 6.30pm to 9.30pm | Short film class | $695 | Book |
| Friday | 4pm to 6pm | Online class | $465 | Book |
| Friday | 6.30pm to 8.30pm | Self tape class | $695 | Book |
Discounts and booking
Members of Equity New Zealand, the performers' union, receive a 10% discount. Places are limited. You book on this site: when card payment is open for your booking you pay on a secure payment page straight away, and otherwise the studio confirms your place by email and sends the payment details. Dates for every term are on the term dates and fees page.
Term 5 2026 offer. Enrol in any two classes this term and receive 20% off your second class. To use it, book your first class, then contact the studio before you pay for the second.
Who teaches
Taught by Elena Stejko
Elena Stejko is an actor, director and acting teacher. She played the lead in the feature film Russian Snark, for which she was nominated for best actress at the Qantas Film and Television Awards, and won the Chapman Tripp Award for Actress of the Year in 2012 for her stage work. Her recent screen credits include Sweet Tooth and I, Object. She has taught the Michael Chekhov technique to actors in New Zealand for many years. Her full record is on the About Elena Stejko page.
On the Thursday short film class, actors also work alongside filmmaker Alex Farley, taking scenes through the filmmaking process.
What students say
In the Words of the Actors
As a newcomer to the industry and the craft, I found the classes very approachable and comprehensive at the same time. The students ranged from all backgrounds and experience levels, and the work we did really pushed the individual to grow and excel. Elena is an extremely caring and attentive teacher who will go out of her way to make sure everyone meets and surpasses their potential. Definitely a must for any aspiring actor or actress.
Johannes YoungStudent
I was drawn to Elena’s classes because of her in-depth industry knowledge. Her practical approach to acting, touching directly on the artists that we want to be, the journey and application of in class work to real world situations. Now enrolling in my fourth course, I continue to find growth with each class. Elena’s ability to make each student feel seen and tailor feedback and instruction to each individual keeps me coming back for more.
Melanie SwearsStudent
Questions
Questions About the Classes
Do I need to know the Michael Chekhov technique before I start?
No. The beginners class introduces the fundamental elements of the technique, and you do not need to have read anything first.
Are the classes for stage or for screen?
Both. The technique is taught for stage and screen, and the term ends with a recorded session. If screen work is your main interest, the self tape class and the short film class put you in front of the camera every week.
Can I join after a term has started?
Booking stays open through the term. Send a booking request or an enquiry and the studio will tell you whether joining part way through will work for that class, or whether the next term is the better start.
Is there a class during the day?
Yes. The Tuesday daytime class runs from 12.30pm to 2.30pm and is open to any level. The fee is $495 for the term.
How do I enrol and pay?
Use the booking page: choose your class, add your details and send them. When card payment is open for your booking you pay by card on a secure payment page straight away. Otherwise the studio confirms your place by email and includes the payment details.
Enrol for next term
Contact Us
Tell us which class you are looking at and a little about your experience, and we will confirm it is the right fit. To reserve a place straight away, use the booking page.
021 675 977