Tag: drama school

  • Tips for a Successful Drama School Audition

    Tips for a Successful Drama School Audition

    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…

  • Is Drama School the Right Path for You?

    Is Drama School the Right Path for 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…

  • The Spotlight Podcast: Thriving During and After Drama School

    The Spotlight Podcast: Thriving During and After Drama School

    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…

  • The History of the Spotlight Prize

    The History of the Spotlight Prize

    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…

  • My Casting Story: Laura Dawkes in Disney’s ‘Frozen the Musical’

    My Casting Story: Laura Dawkes in Disney’s ‘Frozen the Musical’

    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…

  • How to Start Your Acting Career in Ireland

    How to Start Your Acting Career in Ireland

    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…

  • The Spotlight Podcast: Getting Into Drama School

    The Spotlight Podcast: Getting Into Drama School

    What you need to know before applying for drama school, including different types of training, advice for auditioning and the importance of inclusivity. In the first episode of this two-part instalment of The Spotlight Podcast, we talk to Charleen Qwaye (Co-founder and Director of Training, Fourth Monkey), Stewart Nicholls (BA Musical Theatre Programme Leader, Guildford…

  • Book Recommendations for Actors in Training

    Book Recommendations for Actors in Training

    ​​​​14 books for actors to read during drama school training to help inspire and improve their acting skills​​. ​​The most imperative time in a working actor’s career is arguably the years spent at drama school. Within the safe perimeters of training​ and studying​ the craft of acting, ​drama students​​​ will learn to use tools and…

  • Choosing a Part-Time Acting Class

    Choosing a Part-Time Acting Class

    What to consider when looking for a part-time acting course and how to choose one that’s right for you Whether you’d like to get a taste for acting, train to be a professional, or upskill while working as a professional actor, part-time acting courses have much to offer. They can help you secure a place…

  • Angela Jones: Triumphs, Trials and Tips from a Spotlight Prize Winner

    Angela Jones: Triumphs, Trials and Tips from a Spotlight Prize Winner

    Best Stage Performance winner Angela Jones on life after drama school and her Spotlight Prize experience. Before graduating in 2022, Angela was nominated by her drama school, the London Academy of Dramatic Art (LAMDA), for the Spotlight Prize, and went on to win for Best Stage Performance. Since then, she’s gained agency representation, worked in…