Drama school
Encyclopedia
A drama school or theatre school is an undergraduate and/or graduate school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...

 or department
Department
A department is a part of a larger organization with a specific responsibility. For the division of organizations into departments, see departmentalization.In particular:...

 at a college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...

 or university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

; or a free-standing institution (such as the Drama section at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...

); which specialises in the pre-professional training in drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...

 and theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...

 arts, such as acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....

, design and technical theatre, arts administration
Arts administration
Arts Administration is the business end of an arts organization responsible for facilitating the day-to-day operation of the organization and fulfilling its mission...

, and related subjects. If the drama school is part of a degree-granting institution, undergraduates typically take a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

, Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...

, or, occasionally, Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...

 or Bachelor of Design
Bachelor of Design
A Bachelor of Design degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts three or four years. It is an arts-centered degree that is a counterpart to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree...

. Graduate students may take a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...

, Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...

, Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...

, Doctor of Arts
Doctor of Arts
The Doctor of Arts is a discipline-based terminal doctoral degree that was originally conceived and designed to be an alternative to the traditional research-based Doctor of Philosophy and the education-based Doctor of Education . Like other doctorates, the D.A. is an academic degree of the...

, Doctor of Fine Arts
Doctor of Fine Arts
Doctor of Fine Arts is doctoral degree in fine arts, typically given as an honorary degree . The degree is typically conferred to honor the recipient who has made a contribution to society in the arts...

, or Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...

 degree.

Entry and application process

Entry to drama school is usually through an audition
Audition
An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performing artist.Audition may also refer to:* The sense of hearing* Adobe Audition, audio editing software...

. Some schools make this a two-stage process. Places on an acting course are limited (usually well below 100) so those who fare best at the audition are selected. Most academies state that applicants must be over 18 years of age.

Auditions usually involve the performance of monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...

s and group workshops, and may also include a singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...

 activity. This varies from academy to academy. If this is the case for an acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....

 degree, the school looks more at how an applicant can put character into the song rather than how well they can sing. For a musical theatre
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...

 degree, the emphasis is on showing one's talent as a singer. Most colleges offer callback auditions, often in several stages, in which students being considered for entry onto a course are brought back to audition again, demonstrating their talents further. It is also possible to get into a drama school by previous grades. Some audtioners may be under 18.

Course content

The courses offered by drama schools are heavily based on practical work; after all, their aim is to train students as professional actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

s for stage and camera work. Students are required to be enthusiastic and motivated in order to meet the demands offered by the course.

At the beginning of the final year (usually the third), most drama schools stage a series of performances throughout the academic year to which agents
Talent agent
A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, film directors, musicians, models, producers, professional athletes, writers and other people in various entertainment businesses. Having an agent is not required, but does help the artist in getting jobs...

 and casting directors are invited. This helps to build the future of the graduates and serves as a showcase of what the students can do.

United Kingdom

In the UK 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:...

 comprises Britain’s 22 leading Drama Schools. CDS exists in order to strengthen the voice of the member schools, to set and maintain the highest standards of training within the vocational drama sector, and to make it easier for prospective students to understand the range of courses on offer and the application process.

Founded in 1969, the 22 member schools offer courses in Acting, Musical Theatre, Directing and Technical Theatre training. Graduates of CDS courses are currently working on stage, in front of the camera and behind the scenes in theatres and studios across Britain.

In the UK, funding varies from drama school to drama school. Historically drama schools were not part of the mainstream academic system, and therefore were not funded on the same basis as universities. Some drama schools are now part of a university, such as the Central School of Speech and Drama
Central School of Speech and Drama
The Central School of Speech and Drama was founded in London in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students...

, which is part of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...

, and these tend to charge similar tuition fees to universities. Some drama schools however, such as the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts is an independent drama school situated in the Wood Green area of North London. It was founded in 1945 by Peter Coxhead and Ralph Nossek as 'The Mountview Theatre Club', an amateur repertory company staging a new production for a six-day run every second week...

, are private schools, and may charge up to four times as much as other academies. Student loans, drama awards and scholarships may help to provide students with their funding.

The most prominent funding scheme for performing arts education in the UK are the 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...

. This is a government scheme which subsidises the training offered at a selection of the leading performing arts schools in the fields of dance, drama, musical theatre and stage management.

Ireland

A number of third level institiutions provide courses in Drama and Theatre Studies, including Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...

, NUI Maynooth, and Dublin City University. A decision by Trinity in Jan 2007 to drop its BA in Acting Studies for cost reasons met with disappointment from the theatre sector. A Forum for Acting Training was convened with leading professionals from the industry who recommended in a report published 27 May 2008, that an Academy for Dramatic Arts, independent of a University, but with third level accreditation should be created. The report was submitted to the Irish Government. On 1 August 2008, The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...

 reported that a RADA
Rada
Rada is the term for "council" or "assembly"borrowed by Polish from the Low Franconian "Rad" and later passed into the Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian languages....

 graduate, Danielle Ryan
Danielle Ryan
Danielle Ryan is an Irish actress. She is the daughter of the late Cathal Ryan and the granddaughter of the late Tony Ryan, founder of Ryanair. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art....

, granddaughter of the late Tony Ryan
Tony Ryan
Thomas Anthony "Tony" Ryan was an Irish multi-millionaire, philanthropist and businessman.He was a founder of Guinness Peat Aviation as well as co-founder of Ryanair with Christy Ryan and Liam Lonergan...

 who founded Ryanair
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....

, had announced plans to develop an Irish Academy of Dramatic Arts part-funded from a Trust created by her late father, Captain Cathal Ryan.

This plan went ahead and the academy, known as The Lir, opened in September 2011. The Lir is part of Trinity College and is situated in the Grand Canal Dock area. It is officially associated with RADA. (http://www.thelir.ie)

British Schools

  • Academy of Live and Recorded Arts
    Academy of Live and Recorded Arts
    The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts 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...

     (ALRA) • (website)
  • Acting School North
    Acting School North
    Acting School North was an independent drama school in Leeds, Yorkshire, which opened in 2009.-Principal:The school was run by Sorcha Donaldson, who graduated with a Diploma in Acting in 2004 from Birmingham School of Acting, and a BA in Drama with Cultural Studies from Manchester Metropolitan...

     • (website)
  • Academy of Creative Training
    Academy of Creative Training
    The Academy of Creative Training is an independent drama school in Brighton, East Sussex, England. ACT has two sites: one in Kemptown, Brighton and one in Hove - History :The school was founded by actor and director John Moulder Brown in 1997...

     • (website)
  • The American Musical Theatre Academy of London (website)
  • ACT 2 CAM
    ACT 2 CAM
    ACT 2 CAM is a production company and acting school based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.The company is notable for producing independent films with cast and crew of young people from 8 to 18 years old...

     • (website)
  • Arden School of Theatre
    Arden School of Theatre
    The Arden School of Theatre, also known as The Arden,was an independent drama school located in Manchester, England; it is now affiliated as part of the Creative Performance Department of The Manchester College....

     • (website)
  • The Arts Educational Schools
    The Arts Educational Schools
    Arts Educational Schools, London is an independent co-educational school specialising in the performing arts and based in Chiswick, London in the United Kingdom...

     • (website)
  • Birmingham School of Acting
    Birmingham School of Acting
    Birmingham School of Acting is a drama school located in Birmingham, England....

     • (website)
  • Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
    Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
    The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, opened by Laurence Olivier in 1946, is an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama, an organisation securing the highest standards of training in the performing arts, and is an associate school of the Faculty of Creative Arts of the University of the...

     • (website)
  • Central School of Speech and Drama
    Central School of Speech and Drama
    The Central School of Speech and Drama was founded in London in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students...

     (CSSD) • (website)
  • Drama Centre London
    Drama Centre
    Drama Centre London is a British drama school in King's Cross, London, where it recently relocated after a major reshaping of the university. The school is part of the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design of the University of the Arts London and is a member of the Conference of Drama...

     • (website)
  • Drama Studio London
    Drama Studio London
    Drama Studio London is a drama school based in Ealing, London, England, United Kingdom. It is accredited by the National Council for Drama Training, London and is a Member of the Conference of Drama Schools...

    (website)
  • East 15 Acting School
    East 15 Acting School
    East 15 is a British drama school in Debden, Loughton, Essex. At the main campus, Loughton, it occupies an 18th century mansion, Hatfields, and has its own theatre, the Corbett, which is adjacent. The Corbett Theatre is an adaptation of a 15th-century barn...

     • (website)
  • Guildford School of Acting
    Guildford School of Acting
    Guildford School of Acting is a drama school located in Guildford, Surrey, England. It is an affiliate of the University of Surrey and is an accredited member of the National Council for Drama Training and The Conference of Drama Schools.-Overview:...

     (GSA) • (website)
  • Guildhall School of Music and Drama
    Guildhall School of Music and Drama
    Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...

     (GSMD) • (website)
  • Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts • (website)
  • Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) • (website)
  • London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
    London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
    The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art is a leading British drama school in west London. LAMDA's president is Timothy West and its new principal is Joanna Read, who recently succeeded Peter James...

     (LAMDA) • (website)
  • London School of Musical Theatre
    London School of Musical Theatre
    The London School of Musical Theatre is based in Borough Road, Southwark, south London, England. It was founded by Glenn Lee. The school is currently owned by Principal/Course Producer Adrian Jeckells....

      . (website)
  • Manchester Metropolitan University School Of Theatre • (website)
  • Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
    Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
    Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts is an independent drama school situated in the Wood Green area of North London. It was founded in 1945 by Peter Coxhead and Ralph Nossek as 'The Mountview Theatre Club', an amateur repertory company staging a new production for a six-day run every second week...

     (website)
  • Oxford School of Drama
    Oxford School of Drama
    The Oxford School of Drama is one of the most prestigious drama schools in the United Kingdom, and the only professional drama school in Oxfordshire...

     • (website)
  • Rose Bruford College
    Rose Bruford College
    Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance is a British drama school, offering university-level and professional vocational training for theatre and performance and the BA and MA degrees, based in Sidcup, Southeast London.-History:Founded in 1950, Rose Bruford "pioneered the first acting degree...

     • (website)
  • Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
    Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
    The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...

     (RADA) • (website)
  • Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
    Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
    The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a conservatoire of music, drama, and dance in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Educational Association, it is the busiest performing arts venue in Scotland...

     (RSAMD) • (website)
  • Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
    Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
    The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is a conservatoire within the University of Glamorgan Group located in Cardiff, Wales....

     (RWCMD) • (website)

For more on British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 drama schools see the Conference Of Drama Schools Website below;

Canadian Schools


American (U.S.) Schools


Australian Schools


South African Schools


Indian Schools

  • National School of Drama
    National School of Drama
    National School of Drama is a theatre training institute situated at New Delhi, India, established . It is an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It was set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and became an independent school in 1975...

  • Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts
    Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts
    Bhartendu Academy of Dramatic Arts is a theatre training institute in Lucknow, India...

  • University of Hyderabad
    University of Hyderabad
    The University of Hyderabad is a post-graduate teaching and research institute in India. It was established by an act of the Parliament in 1974 as a Central University. The university also offers courses under distance learning programs...

  • FLAME School of Performing Arts

External links

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