The Ottawa School of Speech and Drama (OSSD) is a centre for education and training in drama, theatre, musical theatre and speech arts. Since 1988, the school has offered specialized courses to students of ages 3 to 75, with professional instruction to develop skills such as acting, singing, vocal production, movement, dance, sight-reading, language arts, text analysis, scene study, character development and technical aspects of theatre.

Programs

Children and Teens

Students explore their creativity and develop the tools they need to express their thoughts and ideas through a range of courses as well as specialized classes in Shakespeare, playwriting or auditioning techniques. The classes aim to help to build self confidence and develop a love of literature and the spoken word.

Adults

Adult courses at OSSD have expanded, with a team of experienced instructors to help students develop new skills or improve existing ones. The School offers classes for both beginning and experienced actors.

The Pre-Professional Acting Program

The Pre-Professional Acting Program at OSSD is certified as an educational institution offering a unique opportunity for dedicated students. A curriculum of professionally based training helps students to develop the skills they need for a career in acting.

The primary emphasis of the program is on embedding the basic skills that an actor relies on to work successfully in the profession. At OSSD there is a focus on the development and creation of new work, coupled with intensive and specific training.

Enrolment is limited, ensuring individualized attention and a personalized approach benefiting students from a wide range of experiences and backgrounds.

March Break Camp

OSSD offers 3 courses for kids aged 7–15 during the week of March Break.

Summer Camp

OSSD’s summer programs have been running for 15 years. They give children and youth a chance to discover theatre with professional actors, directors and teachers.

The camps help to develop self- confidence, spontaneity, empathy, the ability to articulate and ability to work collaboratively with others. The camp works to create an environment that is supportive, encouraging, safe and fun.

Each day begins with a physical and vocal warm up

Vocal warm up

A vocal warm-up is a series of exercises that prepare the voice for singing, acting, or other use.-Purpose:Changing pitch undoubtedly stretches the muscles, and vocal warm-ups help the singer feel more prepared....

 to get campers ready for a day of drama. The emphasis is on learning creative skills, making new friends and exploring ways that theatre can bring ideas to life. Every camp session ends with a presentation for family and friends.

They have one, two and three-week workshops offering a wide variety of choices. The workshops are for beginners and advanced students aged 6 to 16 years old.

History

The Ottawa School of Speech & Drama was founded by Natalie Stern in 1988. The School began by teaching speech and drama courses aimed at developing effective vocal skills and dramatic awareness and culminating in examinations through the International Examination Board, Trinity College London, England.

The School moved into a two-studio location at 111 Pretoria Avenue in 1986. In 1990, a summer arts camp, The Young Actors’ Space, was added to the programming, and which operates for seven weeks each summer at Arts Court, enabling the School to offer year round activities.

Over the years OSSD has expanded programming to include courses in acting, creative drama, musical theatre, Shakespeare, auditioning techniques, improvisation, voice, movement, playwriting and collective creations.

In 1995 the School became a not-for-profit registered charity.

In August 2003 Amanda Lewis was hired as Artistic Director.

In August 2005, OSSD moved into a brand new facility at 294 Picton Ave. in the neighborhood of Westboro

Westboro

Westboro is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Canada, often referred to as Westboro Village. Located along the Ottawa River, the neighbourhood is bordered on the east by Island Park Drive, and on the west by Woodroffe Avenue. The Southern border can be stretched up to Carling Avenue...

. Housed with three studios the new space allowed the School to expand its programming further.

External links

• The Ottawa School of Speech and Drama