American Mime Theatre (AMT) is a Performing Company and School based at 137 West 25th Street in New York City. At AMT, we are proud to offer high-quality acting, movement, and physical theatre classes for adults and youth in the NYC area. Our mission is to preserve and evolve the art form known as American Mime, founded in New York City by Paul J. Curtis in 1952. American Mime is a Medium for silent actors who play symbolic activities in characterization and express the feelings and desires of their characters honestly through a kind of motivated movement we call form “acting in form”, that is both telling and beautiful. Every gesture must emerge from the deepest and most personal inner self, while remaining in direct contact with fellow performers through a dynamic interdependence—individual and symbiotic, vulnerable and powerful.

The Medium is taught through Classes at AMT’s Studio and outside institutions. The purpose of the Classes is not only to produce American Mime artists who may become teachers or members of the Performing Company, but also to teach the skills of the Medium to actors, dancers and other professional or beginning performers, teachers, directors, children and all those who find American Mime beneficial to their creative state. Initial American Mime Core Classes include the following Class Procedures: preparation, moving to words, characterization, Interplay, technique, elements of movement, freedom, pantomime and improvisation.