We have successfully been training actors since 2010
To gain recognition as the leading method acting studio in the UK by developing aspiring actors into world class, professional actors.
StandBy was born October 20th 2010, the brain child of international actress Louise O’Leary (30). Before StandBy was conceived Louise had worked professionally in the acting industry for a number of years appearing in Hello magazine for her international acting work, at top regional theatres with her own original work, alongside Stephen Graham (Boardwalk Empire, This is England) in short film Shut Your Mouth, in panto as well as many independent feature films.
Between acting roles Louise found herself supply teaching, which didn’t inspire her the way acting does.
Rewind a few years, Louise had always been intrigued by “The Method”, her love for it began whilst she was undertaking her own professional actor training at the tender age of 18. She saw that The Method gained huge results for the actors using it and began using aspects of it herself.
She made many mistakes whilst she found her feet and strangely after graduating her ambition was not to get on TV or conquer the West End, but to keep honing her craft until she felt ready to work professionally. However sods law would have it that she kept being recommended for projects.
Louise took further classes in acting for TV, & honing the monologue after graduating from drama school but nothing felt juicy or raw enough for her until she came across Meisner’s repetition technique. From then on everything fell into place and Louise continued to train in The Method as laid down by Lee Strasberg whilst at the same time working professionally, which is a firm belief Louise lives by and is at the root of StandBy – that no actor should ever stop their training/learning no matter where they are In their career.
She was lucky enough to attend a Q&A with Al Pacino and attend the Actor’s Studio, New York (the home of the method) for extra method acting training, which has inspired the development of StandBy Method Acting Studio.
Louise was shocked to discover that this ground breaking technique, which has transformed the craft and careers of so many globally recognised actors, isn’t readily available in the UK, the way it is over in the States. Louise also feels strongly that aspiring actors shouldn’t have to give in to the pressures of moving to London for their professional training, which can be costly. Louise decided she wanted to pass on these world class skills to aspiring actors in the North of England and set up Sheffield’s first and only Method Acting Studio to do exactly that.
StandBy Method Acting Studio is the only acting studio outside of London that teaches The Method in depth as it was delivered by Lee Strasberg, Stanislavski and those at The Group Theatre.
Louise has taken everything she has learnt from her own drama school training at The Arden School of Theatre, Manchester and her further training at The Actor’s Studio, New York to develop the highly acclaimed 12 week method acting programme and weekend method acting training camp so those who are serious about their acting aspirations, can have access to that same world class technique that has won actors an astonishing 150 awards (at the last count).
Louise has created a highly respected place for actors to train each week where the under belly of the company is and always will be the craft first for long term success.
