New York's acting studios face a shrinking role

New York

IN the late 1950s, Robert Duvall was studying acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse, sharing a Manhattan apartment with Dustin Hoffman and going to parties at Gene Hackman's place.

The three friends would all go on to win Academy Awards, helping to establish the classic blueprint for pursuing an acting career in New York: move here, hone your craft at a gritty acting studio, do a handful of plays, conquer Hollywood.