About
Your future in the performing arts doesn't have to be a dream. For over 50 years, AMDA has launched some of the
most successful careers in theatre, film and television. AMDA creates industry professionals who don't just wait
for life to happen—they stage their own career path. Watched by the eyes of millions, our graduates take the
world's stages, film sets and movie screens, changing the way we think about art in the 21st century.
Now it's your turn.
Success requires more than just talent. From the moment you arrive until the day you graduate, AMDA trains you to
leave our doors a professional ready to work in today's competitive industry. With over 150 opportunities to
perform each year, you'll receive world-class training while living in the beating hearts of the world's
entertainment capitals: Los Angeles and New York City.
To become the best, you'll train with the best. You'll receive world-class training from our faculty of
successful Broadway directors, choreographers, actors, film directors, TV producers and casting agents who are
still working in entertainment. Each day will immerse you in a rigorous and demanding pursuit of excellence,
giving you the knowledge and skill set that will last you a lifetime. It's time for your next role—you're ready.
Welcome to AMDA.
The History of AMDA
The concept and vision of AMDA was created by dynamic artists and educators at the forefront of their fields in
Broadway, Shakespeare, Hollywood film, world-renowned dance, playwriting and academia. This group of
distinguished and successful artists shared a unique philosophy: that the training of any performing artist –
whether it be of an actor, a singer, or a dancer – benefits greatly by including core classes in voice, speech,
movement, dance, and acting. Recognizing the value that "cross-training" would have to each individual
performing artist, the AMDA curriculum was born. This was an original, non-traditional approach; in 1964, the
year of AMDA's founding, no other performing arts school or program offered an immersive, multi-disciplinary
style of AOS or Certificate study. Since AMDA's beginning, its signature model of training has been adopted as
the gold standard of performing arts education by colleges and universities throughout the country, and indeed
throughout the world.
Under the singular devotion and passionate leadership of David Martin and Jan Martin, AMDA has grown
exponentially in both size and scope. The Martins’ long-term vision for AMDA included having two vital campuses
in the capitals of the entertainment industry – one in the middle of Manhattan and the other in the heart of
Hollywood. In 2003, AMDA College of the Performing Arts opened its doors in Los Angeles, offering four
Bachelor of Fine Arts programs, one Bachelor of Arts program, and three Associates of Occupational Studies
programs. One of AMDA's exclusive opportunities for its more than 1400 full-time students is the Artist's
Laboratory, which provides the opportunity to create and perform original content for stage, media, and film in
a faculty-mentored setting. Another unique program created by AMDA is the BFA in Dance Theatre, which is the
only program in the country focusing on a combination of theatre dance and dance for film and television.
Over the past 50 years, AMDA has continued to lead the education community with creative and innovative programs
for emerging performing artists. AMDA's Degree Programs and AOS or Certificate Programs support, teach and guide
artists focused in all areas of the performing arts including actors, singers, dancers, content creators,
writers and producers. Today, AMDA remains at the cutting edge of performing arts higher education and is one of
the premier performing arts institutions in the world.
AMDA Alumni are contributing to the worlds of theatre, film, television, education, not-for-profit, business,
service – the list goes on and on. We celebrate the talent, skill and commitment of our Alumni, who are doing
incredibly worthwhile work all across the country and around the world.
Below is a list of a few of our AMDA Superstars:
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- Madeline Brewer (Primetime Emmy Award nominee for her portrayal of Janine Lindo in
the Hulu series “The Handmaid’s Tale;” starred as Sally Bowles in the West End revival of Cabaret)
- Tyne Daly (Tony Award winner for her portrayal of Mama Rose in Gypsy on Broadway,
six-time Emmy Award winner for her starring roles in "Cagney & Lacey," "Christy," and "Judging Amy")
- Jason Derulo (Teen Choice, BMI Pop Music, and CMT Music Award-winning recording
artist; achieved 11 platinum albums with 250 million singles sold worldwide; starred as Rum Tug
Tugger in the musical film adaptation of Cats and as Ronald Isley in the feature film Spinning Gold)
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson (four-time Emmy Award nominee for his portrayal of Mitchell
Pritchett in the NBC series "Modern Family;" Tony Award winner for his portrayal of Mason Marzac in
the Broadway revival of Take Me Out)
- J. Harrison Ghee (Tony Award winner for their portrayal of Jerry / Daphne in the
hit-Broadway musical Some Like It Hot; starred as Kwame in the Netflix superhero drama “Raising
Dion” and as Robyn in the Fox crime drama series “Accused”)
- Christopher Jackson (starred as George Washington in the original cast of the Broadway
mega-hit Hamilton; currently starring as Chunk Palmer in the CBS series "Bull" and Herbert Wexley in
the HBO series “And Just Like That;” Emmy Award winner for original song composed for "Sesame
Street")
- Caissie Levy (star of multiple Broadway shows including Frozen, Ghost, Les Miserables, and
Leopoldstadt; currently starring as Diana Goodman in the London premiere of the Pulitzer
Prize-winning musical Next to Normal)
- Jeremy Pope (Tony Award nominee for his portrayal of Pharus Jonathan Young in Choir Boy and
Eddie Kendricks in Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations on Broadway; Golden Globe
nominee for his portrayal of Ellis French in the drama film The Inspection)
- Anthony Ramos (starred as John Laurens / Philip Hamilton in the original cast of the
Broadway mega-hit Hamilton; starred as Usnavi in the musical film adaptation of In the Heights and
Ramon in the Oscar-nominated film A Star Is Born)
- Christopher Sieber (star of multiple Broadway shows and two-time Tony Award nominee for his
portrayal of Sir Dennis Galahad in Spamalot and Lord Farquaad in Shrek The Musical; starred as Kevin
Burke in the ABC sitcom “Two of a Kind” and Simon Banks in the ABC series “It’s All Relative”)
- Sarah Stiles (Tony Award-nominee for her portrayal of Sandy Lester in Tootsie and
Jessica in Hand To God on Broadway; starred as Bonnie Barella in the Showtime series “Billions” and
as Gladys in the Epic series “Get Shorty”)
In addition to our celebrated performers on Broadway; national, regional and international stages; film,
television and media platforms — our Alumni are also working in every other area of the entertainment industry,
including technical theatre, film/TV crews, playwriting, screenwriting, filmmaking, producing, directing,
choreographing, editing, teaching, and content development.
Congratulations, AMDA Alumni! We are so proud of you all.
Historic Photos
Liza Minnelli in The Act. Liza and other renowned performers often participated in AMDA benefits.
Artistic Director David Martin instructing AMDA students. (1968)
Sondheim: A Musical Tribute, an all-star tribute to Stephen Sondheim at the Shubert Theatre with
Angela Lansbury and Hermióne Gingold.
AMDA students rehearsing in the Bleecker Street building. (1970)
Sing Happy at Lincoln Center. Produced by David and Jan Martin. (1978)
Chita Rivera, Gwen Verdon and Liza Minnelli performing in Sing Happy, AMDA's all-star tribute to
John Kander and Fred Ebb, at Lincoln Center. Produced by David and Jan Martin. (1978)
AMDA individual voice teacher Eileen Schauler with student.
Artistic Director David Martin with AMDA students in the Ansonia building. (1985)
AMDA Acting for Film and Television class. (1990)
AMDA dance class in the Ansonia. (1995)
AMDA's first director Philip Burton with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Photo by: Friedman-Abeles
Philosophy and Mission
AMDA provides rigorous, performance-based training and an industry-focused education experience; one that
inspires excellence and prepares artists with an appreciation for the universal power of transformation through
art. AMDA's educational philosophy is based on close collegial interaction between instructors and students — in
class, in production and through active mentorship.
AMDA is committed to providing an unsurpassed performing arts education to a diverse community of creative
artists. AMDA serves as both school and stage, where students are given the support and opportunity to define
their own personal objectives and to develop and refine their own distinctive artistic voices.
AMDA strives to create an environment for students to develop the skills, confidence, imagination, and power to
contribute to their community as artists, entrepreneurs, visionaries, lifelong learners, and conscientious
citizens of the world. Above all, AMDA wants to teach students that commitment and passion are the hallmarks of
a successful and joyous career.
Learning Outcomes at AMDA
Every educational experience at AMDA has a goal. Learning outcomes explain what students are expected to learn as
a result of their AMDA education. Institutional Learning Outcomes describe what every AMDA student should expect
to accomplish from any program of study at our institution. Program Learning Outcomes describe what every
student should expect to accomplish within their specific program of study.
Institutional Learning Outcomes
- Artistry and Transformation: Graduates will be able to engage in their professional
artistic endeavors without fear of experimentation or risk taking, exercising imagination and divergent
thinking to create work that expands convention.
- Skills and Technique: Graduates will be prepared to demonstrate mastery of their chosen
artistic discipline by creating art that builds upon their accumulated knowledge and study.
- Collaboration and Teamwork: Graduates will be able to effectively work collectively
with colleagues in the artistic community and to share ideas in collaborative creativity.
- Social Responsibility: Graduates will demonstrate their understanding of the importance
of theatre and other artistic endeavors in their community and to develop and produce creative works
that offer, not only entertainment, but enlightenment of and solutions to societal issues.
Program Learning Outcomes
Please consult our Programs for each of our certificate and degree program’s learning
outcomes.
Accreditation and Approvals
AMDA is licensed to operate in the state of California by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) under the Department of Consumer Affairs.
AMDA is exempt from licensure in New York under the New York State Education law Section 5001 2 (f).
Institutional and Programmatic Accreditation
AMDA (American Musical and Dramatic Academy) College of the Performing Arts is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3)
entity and is accredited regionally by the WASC Senior
College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501,
510.748.9001.
AMDA is also accredited programmatically for discipline-specific programs with the National Association of
Schools of Theatre (NAST), 11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21, Reston, VA 20190, 703.437.0700.
Department of Veteran Affairs
AMDA is an approved educational institution recognized by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Eligible
veterans and their dependents seeking educational training may qualify to use Title 38, Chapters 30, 31, 33, 35
and 1606/1607. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S.
government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill. GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Online Programs and State Authorization
State authorization is a term for the regulation of academic activities by an out-of-state institution, including enrolling online students located in the state. Each state has different requirements for out-of-state institutions. Students located outside of California may or may not be eligible to enroll in AMDA’s online programs. See AMDA’s Online Programs and State Authorization page for more information.
Inquiries regarding accreditation status or approvals should be directed to the Office of Institutional
Effectiveness.
