ABCT — a cultural institution with authority and legacy
More Than Theater
– It’s Culture!
At the Anthony Bean Community Theater & Acting School, we do more than produce performances—we train artists, develop voices, and preserve culture through disciplined storytelling.
ABCT stands as a New Orleans–based cultural institution dedicated to advancing Black American theater through truth, practice, and responsibility
Our Impact
25+
Years of Excellence
Serving the New Orleans community
150+
Productions
Powerful stories brought to life
1500+
Students Trained
Artists Developed and Nurtured
50+
Lives Touched
Through our performances and programs
The Bean Method
The Bean Method is the foundation of all training at ABCT.
Developed over decades of practice, it is an action-based, culturally grounded approach to actor training that prepares artists to work with discipline, clarity, and responsibility.
This is not casual training. This is structured, intentional work.
Students are taught to: • Listen with precision • Respond truthfully in the moment • Understand the weight of the story they carry • Commit fully to the work and to each other
The Bean Method rejects shortcuts and surface-level performance. Instead, it builds artists through repetition, accountability, and lived understanding.
At ABCT, training is not about pretending—it is about becoming.
Through this method, students gain more than performance skills. They develop confidence, discipline, and a deeper connection to themselves, their community, and their cultural voice.
The Bean Method is not just how we train—it is how we build artists.
Get In Touch
Ready to Join our theater family? Have Questions about our shows or classes? We'd love to hear from you
The People Who Carry the Work
Anthony Bean, originally from New Orleans' Seventh Ward, has been an enthusiastic advocate for theater and the performing arts since co-founding the Ethiopian Theater in 1973. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1985, he returned to New Orleans to establish the Anthony Bean Community Theater and Acting School.
With over 50 years of contributions to Black theater, Bean has received numerous accolades. These include the New Orleans City Council's proclamation of "Anthony Bean's Day" in 2010 and the Trailblazer Award at the Southern Black Theatre Festival in 2012. Under his artistic direction, his company has won several Ambie and Big Easy Awards. Additionally, he was honored with the New Orleans Arts Council's Community Arts Award in 2010, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Big Easy Entertainment Awards in 2017, In 2020, the Center for African and African American Studies at Southern University at New Orleans honored Anthony Bean with the prestigious Living Legends Award, recognizing his outstanding contributions and dedication to the community.
In 2023, he received a proclamation from the Ashe Cultural Arts Center for outstanding community service. The City of New Orleans acknowledged him for his impactful contributions to Black theater the following year, and he earned the WYES-TV 2024 Celeste Seymour Judell Arts Award. In 2025, he was honored with the prestigious Giving Gracefully Awards, which celebrate individuals who drive positive change in their communities, This initiative, established by The OMBI Group, was founded by the mothers of NFL players and actively recognizes those making a difference in Super Bowl cities.
Founder/Artistic Director - Anthony Bean