George Morrison

Mike Nichols

Paul Sills

GEORGE MORRISON has worked as a director on- and off-Broadway, in regional theater, and television. He trained at the Yale School of Drama and with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio and has maintained private acting classes in New York for over 50 years. He has taught at the Juilliard School and is Professor of Theater Arts Emeritus at the State University of New York at Purchase where he was a founding member of the Actor Training Program and prizewinning senior instructor of acting for eighteen years.

He has taught or directed Jane Alexander, Sandy Dennis, Susan Dey, Edie Falco, George Furth, Scott Glenn, Joel Grey, Barbara Harris, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Klugman, Ron Liebman, Ving Rhames, Stanley Tucci and Mary Louise Wilson among others. (Click here to read an interview with Mr. Morrison).

	Stanley Tucci says, “George Morrison’s teachings, like any great teachings, are at once simple and profound. They not only give actors the tools necessary to become accomplished craftsmen, but also the knowledge of how to grow as artists. They have been and still are invaluable to me.”
	Gene Hackman says, “I use what he taught me every day. I’ll be forever grateful to him.” (Click here to see a video of Gene Hackman)
	Edie Falco says, “George's teaching has always been far ahead of its time – so deep and so intense, but also very simple – the way children play.  I feel its reverberations every day in my own work.”

Mr. Morrison chairs the faculty and teaches acting technique and scene study in both the first and second year. Bringing over 50 years of experience and research to the classroom, he has developed a simple, effective and unique step-by-step, 21st century approach that utilizes the newest developments in understanding the functioning of the actor. No warmed over Meisner or Strasberg. (Click here to watch Academy Award winning actor Gene Hackman discuss studying with George Morrison).

MIKE NICHOLS was one half of the team of Nichols and May before he turned his hand to directing. He has been awarded nine Tonys for stage direction, two Emmys and an Oscar for film direction. His films include The Graduate, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Carnal Knowledge, Catch 22, Silkwood, Working Girl, Postcards from the Edge, The Birdcage, Primary Colors, Closer, and for HBO, Angels in America, Wit. Most recently, Mr. Nichols directed the Tony winning production of Spamalot on Broadway, and the film Charlie Wilson's War.  He is a 2003 Kennedy Center honoree for lifetime achievement in performing arts.

For more on Mr. Nichols visit Helping Actors Make Each Time the First Time.

PAUL SILLS was the son of Viola Spolin and was active in improvisational theater all his life. He was the original director of The Second City (1959-65) and creator of Story Theater, both of which played on- and off-Broadway and in Los Angeles. He was cofounder of the Compass as well as Game Theater and The Second City. He was the foremost exponent of his mother’s work and taught privately for many years until his death in 2008. Mr. Sills’ work continues with his many pupils, especially here at the Workshop and at the Wisconsin Theater Games Center, under the guidance of Carol Sills.

For more on Mr. Sills visit the Press Clippings pages.