Acting
You will focus on using the techniques you have practiced from year one and putting them into various different dramatic situations and contexts required of the modern actor. Using texts from different periods you will look at how to apply your technique efficiently and methodically. You will also learn the connection between the actor and the director in the rehearsal room and how to get the most out of that relationship.
Throughout the year there will be an expectation of growing independence and autonomy. This will require you to create your own daily practice routines to warm up, exercise, learn and analyse your acting work.
Areas of work may include:
- Improvisation
- Play a Week: You will read a new play every week and learn to analyse and understand it.
- Text Class: Including work on the seminal classical and contemporary playwrights which may include Shakespeare, Chekov, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Pinter and David Hare.
- Acting Technique: Looking at the approach of practitioners such as Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, Stanford Meisner and Mike Alfreds. You will create a tool-box of techniques you can draw on to create a truthful performance.
- Heightened Acting: Working on non-naturalistic drama styles such as Pantomime and ‘stage combat’, allowing you to explore the wide range of styles you will encounter in your career.
- Monologues: You will explore how to choose and perform monologues suitable for acting and musical theatre auditions.
- Self-Tapes and Screen: With a screen director, you will learn the technique of effecting self-taping for auditions and the concerns of the actor for screen and film work.
- Voice classes: Voice work includes learning the basic techniques of the actors voice such as: Resonance, Articulation, ‘Forward Placement’, Breath Control and work on accents.
- Scene Study: Putting your technical skills into practice, you will work on scenes from set plays with a director.
Singing
This course focuses on the performative application of your core technique. You will explore the various styles within Musical Theatre, Pop/Rock and other CCM genres. Using this material, you will explore how to use your technique to create accurate, detailed, truthful journeys through the year. You will also learn more about Music Theory and how to gain greater insight from the composer and lyricists, which will inform your artistic choices as a rounded and integrated Musical Theatre performer. You will look at your acting techniques and how to best integrate them into your singing at all times and, how to use the approaches you learn in acting to influence the decisions you make regarding resonance, vocal quality, articulation and breath use. Throughout the year there will be an expectation of growing independence and autonomy. This will require you to create your own daily practice routines to warm up, exercise, build on your core technique, improve your sight singing/harmony work and, make creative artistic choices within your own performance and repertoire work.
Areas of work may include:
- Vocal Technique: You will build the vocal, physical and mental strength, flexibility and stamina required to succeed in the competitive singing industry, through establishing a rigorous practice regime.
- 1-to-1 Singing Technique: Work individually with a singing teacher on a regular basis throughout your training.
- Repertoire: Learn how to find appropriate songs from across the breadth of the Musical Theatre genre. Understand how to cut and present sheet music required for professional auditions.
- Vocal Performance: Work with Musical, Movement and Acting Directors to develop your individual performance by acting through song.
- Audition Technique: Working with Musical Directors, Agents and Casting Directors you will gain greater understanding of the techniques behind successful singing auditions, including how to cut for 32-bar auditions.
- Musical Theatre History: You will learn the history of the rise and development of Musical Theatre. This will allow you to contextualise your work effectively and build your working knowledge of Musical Theatre writers, composers and styles.
- Performance Confidence: Work through the common problems of anxiety and lack of confidence in a safe, nurturing environment.
Dance
Continuing to grow from your development from previous training, this course is about pushing your personal limits within dance. You will be expected to work fast and accurately in classes. The details you achieve within various styles of Dance and Movement will be looked at more closely and worked on. You will be required to pick up auditions routines quickly, allowing you to have a good understanding of professional Musical Theatre dance auditions. You will also explore your own body and develop a greater sense of your personal movement identity and what styles suit you and your casting. You will look at how to connect your understanding of Dance to your work in Acting and Singing and how your movement influences your overall performance. As in the other subject areas, throughout the year there will be an expectation of growing independence and autonomy. This will require you to create your own daily practice routines to warm up, exercise, build on your core technique and understand the wider context of dance within the contexts of their style and application.
Areas of work may include:
- Dance Technique: You will work on a range of dance techniques from Ballet to Jazz and Contemporary Dance. Building your language of the body and how to use it.
- Musical Theatre Routine: Working with choreographers and current industry performers, you will explore the different styles and genres of dance and movement within the world of Musical Theatre which may include work inspired by choreographers and practitioners including: Agnes de Mille, Bob Fosse, Gene Kelly, Michael Bennett, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp and Matthew Bourne.
- Movement Practice: You will build your strength, flexibility and stamina by using body conditioning practices which may include: Cardio, Pilates, Yoga and Alexander Technique.
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Industry
Industry classes at Associated Studios London are given throughout the course of your study. We are incredibly proud of the strong links we have within the wider theatre industry and through your training you will come into contact with a number of different agents and casting directors, as well as visiting directors, choreographers and musicals directors currently working in the industry both nationally and internationally:
- Casting Workshops: Including sessions with Agents, Casting Directors and Industry experts
- Marketing: Teaching you the skills necessary to become an independent professional performer including: How to write a good industry standard CV, getting your head shots right, writing to agents and understanding theatre terminology.
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Projects
There are many projects which aim to build the other tools you will require to succeed in the professional Musical Theatre Industry. Some of these are listed below:
- New Writing: Work with leading contemporary theatre composers on new musicals.
- Public Production: You will take part in a full scale musical that will be performed in a professional, central London theatre, after a production period of approximately six weeks. In this time all regular classes will be suspended and replaced by company rehearsals.
- Industry Panel week: The course culminates in the opportunity to be included in our industry presentation taking place for an entire week for invited Agents and Casting Directors. Students sing two contrasting songs and have one monologue to present to a daily changing panel of agents and casting directors.
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*please note all course content is subject to change
