Category: Training
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Drama School Stories: A Degree vs Drama School Training
Melissa Dalton on her undergraduate experience in a drama degree, versus a formal drama school programme This is the first in our series of perspectives from members on training as an actor in the UK/Ireland. To help you learn more about the training on offer out there, Spotlight asked Melissa Dalton, graduate of Trinity College Dublin…
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Seraphina Beh: Alternative Training & Overcoming Rejection
EastEnders star Seraphina Beh on getting past rejection with ‘unashamed confidence’ and different ways to hone your craft! Seraphina Beh talks to Spotlight about all things acting as a young performer – including her work on EastEnders, how she found her passion for acting, and her advice for other aspiring young actors. If I’d decided I…
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Drama School: To Be or Not To Be? The Pros & Cons of Formal Training
Actors Katie Redford and Katie Elin-Salt discuss the ins and outs of drama school training, comparing their experiences Somehow, by the good grace of Liza Minnelli, I was offered a place at Royal Welsh College and I shot off with my tap shoes in hand quicker than you could say: “You don’t need tap shoes,…
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Spotlighters Share Their Drama School Stories
With applications for drama schools about to open, we thought we’d share our funny and embarrassing stories from our time there! Ease the audition nerves and take a look…
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Alternative Training with Fourth Monkey
We speak to Artistic Director Steve Green about Fourth Monkey and their training programmes. Based in London and Bristol, Fourth Monkey is a contemporary drama school offering three full-time professional, accredited training courses: CertHE Acting and Theatre Making, BA (Hons) Acting and MA Collaborative Theatre. The training programmes are founded on the principles of ensemble and are designed…
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Playing Up at the NYT: Alternative Training for Young Performers
An insight into the Playing Up course at the National Youth Theatre The Playing Up course is an access to education course provided by the National Youth Theatre. It offers aspiring actors between the ages of 19 and 25 a 10-month training programme, specifically for young people not in education, employment or training. On completion, there is the…
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How to Ace Your Showcase
An Oxford dictionary definition: Showcase 1. An event that shows someone’s abilities or good qualities in an attractive way. 2. A box with a glass top or sides that is used for showing objects in a shop, store or museum. Despite first hand experience, I am still at times confused as to which of these…
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The National Youth Theatre Rep Season: An Insider Guide to Training at the NYT
A chat about the NYT’s programme for actors The National Youth Theatre offers a variety of opportunities for young performers looking to hone their craft. None is so recognised as their rep season: 15 students train for 9 months, learning essential skills and performing a season of shows at the end of the programme. Spotlight spoke to…
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Everything You Need to Know About Rep Theatre
The ins and outs of performing rep theatre! What do Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Imelda Staunton, and Vanessa Redgrave have in common – other than being some of the best names in the biz? They all began as actors in repertory theatre. For those privileged to have experienced thorough drama-school training, the challenges…
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How to: Audition for Drama School
Deciding to audition for drama school is a great show of someone’s determination and passion to begin the path of following your dream but (and this is a big but) getting in to drama school is not the only path you could take to follow desire to become a successful actor. When I started auditioning for drama schools…