The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts (NYCDA) was a private drama school in New York City. It was originally conceived for the purpose of training actors for film and television acting and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) to offer associate degrees.
On June 3, 2025, NYCDA announced that it would close on August 31, 2025, and began the process of assisting students in transferring to other programs.
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History
Actors in Advertising, which grew into the School for Film and Television (SFT) and later became the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts (NYCDA), was founded in 1980 by Joan See, a student of Sanford Meisner. NYCDA founded the annual Joan See Memorial Scholarship in 2018.
In 1995, NYCDA was accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre. In 2013, the institution began granting an associate degree in Film & Television Performance after approval by the New York State Board of Regents. In 2018, The New York Conservatory launched a two-year associate degree in Musical Theater Performance.
NYCDA's campus was located in Manhattan's Chelsea/Flatiron district, most recently at 39 West 19th Street.
The final day of instruction was on August 29, 2025.
Academics
NYCDA taught the Meisner technique, pioneered by Sanford Meisner. Auditioning for the school was part of the application process for all programs. The school offered two-year Associate in Occupation Studies degrees and a 4-week summer program worth 6 credits. Associates were offered in the following four areas:
Film and Television Performance
Musical Theatre Performance
Theatre Performance
Media Production for the Actor
Notable alumni
Jacob Batalon
Ser'Darius Blain
Keith Collins (2004)
Manish Dayal
Ryan Dorsey
David Del Rio (2009)
Reid Ewing
Matthew Fox
Justin Guarini
Zulay Henao
Shelley Hennig
Vicky Jeudy
Titus Makin Jr.
Ashleigh Murray
Carolina Ravassa
Alice St. Clair
Josh Sussman
Ashlynn Yennie