Academy of Live and Recorded Arts
Encyclopedia
The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) is a British drama school
situated on Wandsworth
Common, South West London
and in Wigan
, Greater Manchester making it the only CDS
drama school to offer identical training at two separate institutions across The United Kingdom. It was founded in 1979 by director and actor Sorrel Carson who then directed the school as its Principal until 2001. The current Directors of the school are Clive Duncan and Adrian Hall. ALRA was the first drama school to offer training which included all media; live theatre, film, TV and Radio. Now 30 years old, ALRA is still the only CDS drama school to offer all four media forms throughout the entire three years of training to its acting students.
ALRA is a member of the Conference of Drama Schools
(CDS), runs courses accredited by the National Council for Drama Training
(NCDT) and receives funding from the Young People's Learning Agency
(YPLA). It is one of only twenty-one schools approved to offer Government funded Dance and Drama Awards
, a scheme established to subsidise the cost of professional dance and drama training for the most talented students, at leading institutions.
Drama school to offer identical training at separate locations throughout The United Kingdom.
The first and original location, now dubbed ALRA South, is located within the Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, a Victorian Gothic Grade 2 listed building on the edge of Wandsworth Common
, South West London.
The second location, named ALRA North, will be located in Wigan
, Greater Manchester in a newly refurbished state-of-the-art complex. ALRA North accept its first group of students in September 2010. The curriculum and teaching methods will be exactly the same as ALRA South’s and as such all courses at ALRA North are still accredited by NCDT, recognised by the CDS, the degrees awarded by Greenwich University
and diplomas awarded by Trinity College London
. The only difference between the two institutions is that the fees at ALRA North are substantially lower than that of ALRA South due to the lower running costs incurred by its location.
Students accepted onto any of ALRA’s courses now have the choice of which institution they would prefer to study at. Acting students studying at ALRA South will now stop at ALRA North during the touring sections of their 3rd year productions and will receive a showcase at ALRA South, The Criterion Theatre
(London) and at ALRA North to ensure maximum exposure to industry professionals. Acting students at ALRA North will also benefit from the same exposure.
All of ALRA South's facilities are state-of-the-art, with the theatre and other areas being refurbished as recently as 2006
ALRA North's facilities:
All of ALRA North's facilities are state-of-the-art and newly refurbished on the 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) complex.
Normal entry requirements for the Three Year Acting course are two A levels, BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts with a high profile or GNVQ Advanced in Performing Arts. Applicants for the One Year Acting course must be 21 or over, and have a first degree (BA or BSc) or equivalent life experience.
Drama school
A drama school or theatre school is an undergraduate and/or graduate school or department at a college or university; or a free-standing institution ; which specialises in the pre-professional training in drama and theatre arts, such as acting, design and technical theatre, arts administration, and...
situated on Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
Common, South West London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and in Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Greater Manchester making it the only CDS
Conference of Drama Schools
The Conference of Drama Schools comprises 22 accredited drama schools in Britain. Founded in 1969, the 22 member schools offer courses in Acting, Musical Theatre, Directing and Technical Theatre training.-Members:...
drama school to offer identical training at two separate institutions across The United Kingdom. It was founded in 1979 by director and actor Sorrel Carson who then directed the school as its Principal until 2001. The current Directors of the school are Clive Duncan and Adrian Hall. ALRA was the first drama school to offer training which included all media; live theatre, film, TV and Radio. Now 30 years old, ALRA is still the only CDS drama school to offer all four media forms throughout the entire three years of training to its acting students.
ALRA is a member of the Conference of Drama Schools
Conference of Drama Schools
The Conference of Drama Schools comprises 22 accredited drama schools in Britain. Founded in 1969, the 22 member schools offer courses in Acting, Musical Theatre, Directing and Technical Theatre training.-Members:...
(CDS), runs courses accredited by the National Council for Drama Training
National Council for Drama Training
The National Council for Drama Training is a partnership of employers in the theatre, broadcast and media industry, employee representatives and training providers....
(NCDT) and receives funding from the Young People's Learning Agency
Young People's Learning Agency
The Young People's Learning Agency is a government organisation based in Coventry. It funds further education in England and apprenticeships for ages 16-19.-History:...
(YPLA). It is one of only twenty-one schools approved to offer Government funded Dance and Drama Awards
Dance and Drama Awards
The Dance and Drama Awards are a scholarship scheme which subsidises professional vocational training at some of the leading performing arts schools in the United Kingdom...
, a scheme established to subsidise the cost of professional dance and drama training for the most talented students, at leading institutions.
Locations
ALRA is the first and only CDSConference of Drama Schools
The Conference of Drama Schools comprises 22 accredited drama schools in Britain. Founded in 1969, the 22 member schools offer courses in Acting, Musical Theatre, Directing and Technical Theatre training.-Members:...
Drama school to offer identical training at separate locations throughout The United Kingdom.
The first and original location, now dubbed ALRA South, is located within the Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, a Victorian Gothic Grade 2 listed building on the edge of Wandsworth Common
Wandsworth Common
Wandsworth common is a public common in Wandsworth, south London. It is close to Clapham Common and Wandsworth Common railway station. It is wholly in the London borough of Wandsworth...
, South West London.
The second location, named ALRA North, will be located in Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, Greater Manchester in a newly refurbished state-of-the-art complex. ALRA North accept its first group of students in September 2010. The curriculum and teaching methods will be exactly the same as ALRA South’s and as such all courses at ALRA North are still accredited by NCDT, recognised by the CDS, the degrees awarded by Greenwich University
Greenwich University
Greenwich University is a controversial distance learning institution, originally founded in 1972 in Missouri , trading from 1990 to 2003 in Hawaii--1998 to 2003 under separate ownership--and from 1998 to 2002 in Norfolk Island...
and diplomas awarded by Trinity College London
Trinity College London
Trinity College London is an international examinations board based in London, England. TCL offers qualifications across a range of disciplines in the performing arts and arts education and English language learning and teaching...
. The only difference between the two institutions is that the fees at ALRA North are substantially lower than that of ALRA South due to the lower running costs incurred by its location.
Students accepted onto any of ALRA’s courses now have the choice of which institution they would prefer to study at. Acting students studying at ALRA South will now stop at ALRA North during the touring sections of their 3rd year productions and will receive a showcase at ALRA South, The Criterion Theatre
Criterion Theatre
The Criterion Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Piccadilly Circus in the City of Westminster, and is a Grade II* listed building. It has an official capacity of 588.-Building the theatre:...
(London) and at ALRA North to ensure maximum exposure to industry professionals. Acting students at ALRA North will also benefit from the same exposure.
Facilities
ALRA South's facilities:- The ALRA Theatre
- The Television Studio
- Editing Suite
- The Radio Studio
- Eight rehearsal studios
- The Great Hall
- Prop making workshop
- Construction workshop
- Large Library
- Newly installed Macbook Lease system for student use
All of ALRA South's facilities are state-of-the-art, with the theatre and other areas being refurbished as recently as 2006
ALRA North's facilities:
- The ALRA North Theatre
- TV Studios
- Radio Studios
- Rehearsal studios
- Modern café
- Large library with state-of-the-art IT facilities.
All of ALRA North's facilities are state-of-the-art and newly refurbished on the 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) complex.
Courses
ALRA offers the following courses:- Three Year Acting course - leading to BA (Hons) Acting/National Diploma in Professional Acting
- One Year Acting course - leading to MA Professional Acting/National Certificate in Professional Acting
- Foundation Acting
- Stage Management and Technical Theatre Foundation Degree
- Various short courses throughout the year, see website.
Acceptance
Admission to the school is based on an intensive audition and selection process. Successful applicants progress through three rounds of auditions, consisting of the performing of speeches to The Audition Panel, practical acting, improvisation and movement workshops watched by The Audition Panel and finally an interview with The Directors of The School, The Registrar and The Audition Panel. The audition is held over the course of a single day with applicants who make it through to the third stage usually notified by letter within a matter of weeks if they have been accepted to the school or not.Normal entry requirements for the Three Year Acting course are two A levels, BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts with a high profile or GNVQ Advanced in Performing Arts. Applicants for the One Year Acting course must be 21 or over, and have a first degree (BA or BSc) or equivalent life experience.
Alumni
- Jimmy AkingbolaJimmy AkingbolaJimmy Akingbola is a British television, theatre and film actor. Born in 1978 in Plaistow, London to Nigerian parents, he was the youngest of four children...
- Samuel Anderson (actor)Samuel Anderson (actor)Samuel Anderson is an English actor. He played the role of police officer Ross Kirk in Emmerdale up until early 2009.He originated the role of Crowther in the 2004 National Theatre production of Alan Bennett's play The History Boys and subsequently performed the same role in the Broadway, Sydney,...
- Clive AshbornClive AshbornClive Ashborn is an English actor. He is probably best known for appearing in V for Vendetta as Guy Fawkes. He graduated from Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in 2001. He also played the character Koleniko in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest...
- Anna BreconAnna BreconAnna Brecon is an English actress, known for portraying Lady Tara Thornfield in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale.-Background:...
- Stephanie ChambersStephanie ChambersStephanie Chambers is an English actress, born in Birmingham. She is known for playing Gabby Parr in the British soap Brookside, but has also appeared in New Tricks, Doctors, Emmerdale and the American horror movie Seed of Chucky...
- Ian ChampionIan ChampionIan Champion is an English film, theatre, television and voice actor who has appeared in television movies and soap operas such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Brookside....
- Elizabeth CroftElizabeth CroftElizabeth Croft is a British actress.Elizabeth Croft started her career as a member of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, and performed with them in several projects, including Faliraki: a Greek tragedy at the Lyric Hammersmith in 2004...
- Alexis Jayne DefoeAlexis Jayne DefoeAlexis Jayne Defoe is a British actress and model. Following an early acting career in fringe theatre she came to fame after being cast as the moody and irreconcilable Dawn in the cult horror film Sparrow...
- Amanda EliaschAmanda EliaschAmanda J. Eliasch is the poet, Fashion Editor for Genlux Magazine in Los Angeles, as well as British photographer and writer for The Collective Review...
- Denise GoughDenise GoughDenise Gough is an Irish actress. She was born in Ennis, County Clare and is the elder sister of the actress Kelly Gough. She graduated from the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in 2003. She is notable for her work in theatre and television, including the play The Painter and Messiah V: The...
- Miranda HartMiranda HartMiranda Katharine Hart Dyke , known professionally as Miranda Hart, is an English actress, writer and stand-up comedienne. She writes and stars in the BBC sitcom Miranda...
- Joanna JeffreesJoanna JeffreesJoanna Jeffrees is an English actress. She was born in Winchester, Hampshire. She is notable for her work in television, including the British TV series The Ruth Rendell Mysteries and Killer Net....
- Elizabeth KeatesElizabeth KeatesElizabeth Keates is a British actress, born on 12 June in Otley, West Yorkshire. She was educated at Benton Park School and after A-Levels Elizabeth left Leeds to study at The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts drama school in London. Since then her theatre credits have incuded performances at the...
- Lucy LiemannLucy LiemannLucy Liemann is a British actress. Liemann was born in Middlesex, UK. After graduation she was spotted at a supermarket by a voice scout who urged her to become a voice artist. Liemann then went on to study acting at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts...
- Patrick MonckebergPatrick MonckebergPatrick Mönckeberg is a London-based German actor, born in Guatemala City. He trained at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in London....
- Christopher Nichol
- Sarah ParishSarah ParishSarah Parish is an English actress.Parish is known for her work on such TV series as: Peak Practice, Hearts and Bones, Cutting It, Doctor Who, Mistresses, Merlin and the new ITV medical drama Monroe....
- Vincent ReganVincent Regan-Career:Regan was born in Swansea on 16 May 1965, the son of Irish immigrants. As a youth he moved to Ireland with his parents, but returned to Britain and attended St Joseph's College, Ipswich in Suffolk....
- Hannah WaddinghamHannah WaddinghamHannah Waddingham is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her contribution to West End theatre, particularly her original performance in Spamalot and in A Little Night Music...
Resident staff
- Sarah Double (Programme Manager)
- Clive Duncan (Co-Director)
- Adrian Hall (Co-Director)
- Maureen Gibbins (Finance Manager)
- Amy Smith (Development & Marketing Officer)
- Katie Abbott (Counsellor)
- Saul Reid (Registrar)
- Daniel Rowson (Learning Resources/IT Manager)
- Susan Watson (Admin Assistant)
- John Wild (Head of Voice)
- Fiona Rae (Head of Movement)
- Janet A. Cantrill (Stage Management Course Leader)
Board of trustees
- Jimmy AkingbolaJimmy AkingbolaJimmy Akingbola is a British television, theatre and film actor. Born in 1978 in Plaistow, London to Nigerian parents, he was the youngest of four children...
- Richard Gill
- Harry Cowd (Vice-Chair)
- Jane Morton (Vice-Chair)
- Peter Elborn