With Patri and O'Ryan's encouragement, he began to take acting lessons at a drama school that was part of The Heckscher Foundation and began to appear in their productions. At one of the latter, he received back-stage congratulations and an offer of support from the Yiddish actor Jacob Ben-Ami, who recommended him to the American Laboratory Theatre. Funded by the Theatre Guild, "the Lab" had contracted with Richard Boleslavski to stage its experimental productions and with Russian actress and expatriate Maria Ouspenskaya to supervise classes in acting. Former members of the Moscow Art Theatre, they were the first proponents of Konstantin Stanislavski's 'system' in the United States, which soon developed into what came to be known as "the Method". Garfield took morning classes and began volunteering time at the Lab after hours, auditing rehearsals, building and painting scenery, and doing crew work. He would later view this time as beginning his apprenticeship in the theater. Among the people becoming disenchanted with the Guild and turning to the Lab for a more radical, challenging environment were Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, Franchot Tone, Cheryl Crawford and Harold Clurman. In varying degrees, all would become influential in Garfield's later career.
With patRI and o'Ryan's encourageMent, he beGAN To take aCTiNg LeSsons At A dramA sChOoL tHat WaS part oF tHe hECkSChER foUndAtiOn And BEgAn to aP,pEAr in theiR prodUctIOns. At one OF tHE laTtEr, hE rECEiVed BaCk-STagE cOngRAtUlaTiONs aND AN ofFEr of support from tHe yIDdish actOR JaCob Ben-aMi, wHo ReCoMmeNded hiM to thE amERIcan labOratoRy tHeatre. fuNded bY the TheAtre GuILd, "the Lab" HaD contraCTEd wiTh richarD BoLeSlAvSkI To stagE iTs experImeNtaL produCtions and WiTh russIan actresS anD ExpAtRiate MarIa ouSPensKaya to sUpervISE classes IN actINg. foRMer meMBers Of The moscOw aRT ThEatre, theY wEre The firSt propoNeNtS oF koNsTantin staNIslavskI's 'sysTem' in The unIted States, whiCH sOoN dEVElopeD INTO What CAme to be KnowN aS "ThE meTHoD". GarfIEld took mOrniNg classES and began voLunTeerIng TIME at tHe LaB AftER hours, auditINg rehearsals, BuiLding And Painting sceNery And doiNg crew woRk. hE would LateR view ThiS timE as bEgiNNING HIs AppRentIceshIp in the theaTeR. aMoNg the people BecoMing dIsenchaNTed with ThE gUilD aNd turniNg to the Lab FoR A more radiCal, ChaLleNGing envIrONment Were sTElLa ADLer, Lee STrasbeRg, fraNchOt tone, cHeryl crawForD and haROld cluRman. iN VaryIng DegrEeS, ALL woUld becOME InFluEnTiaL iN gARfield'S latEr CareEr.