News & Advice

The Spotlight Prize 2024 winners and finalists share their top tips to help you prepare for your drama school auditions. Many acting careers start with a pivotal choice: should you go to drama school or not? While training at drama school is not essential for a successful career, your time there will definitely help you […]

The Spotlight Prize 2024 winners and finalists share why they went to drama school and how you can tell whether this is the right path for you. It’s no longer the case that you need to have gone to drama school to have a successful acting career. Drama school can equip you with useful and […]

Advice for making the most of your time at drama school, including common mistakes and how to avoid them and improving your acting skills after graduation. In the final instalment of this two-part special of The Spotlight Podcast, we talk to Charleen Qwaye (Co-founder and Director of Training, Fourth Monkey), Stewart Nicholls (BA Musical Theatre […]

A look back at past Spotlight Prize winners and nominees, and how the Rodney Millington Award evolved into the celebration of talent we continue to host today. Not many companies can boast about having the history and reputation for quality that Spotlight has, and normally we’re modest to a fault about our prestigious past. But […]

Performer Laura Dawkes on playing ‘Anna’ in Disney’s ‘Frozen the Musical’, and going straight from drama school to the West End. Laura Dawkes has had an exceptional start to her career. Within weeks of graduating from Emil Dale Academy, she was cast in the lead role of ‘Anna’ in Disney’s Frozen the Musical on the […]

A guide for aspiring performers about how to get into the acting industry in Ireland, the acting courses available and where to look for acting jobs. Ireland is renowned for its music and literature and is home to many gifted storytellers – it’s no surprise a long line of talented actors hail from here. Liam […]