Search the website
Acting Foundation Courses
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s Acting Foundation Courses provide three tailored pathways for aspiring actors seeking their first steps in professional training.
The three courses give students industry-leading training from our expert staff, immersing you in the vibrant and creative life of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which has been at the forefront of world leading actor training for 80 years.
The focus of each Acting Foundation Courses is on developing the actor’s craft through intensive, conservatoire-style training, which is rigorous and broad in all aspects of the actor’s toolkit.
Training includes foundational introductions to acting, singing and musical theatre, movement, stage combat and screen acting techniques.
Everything taught in these courses will be shaped around the needs, and evolving nature of the industry landscape.
Acting Foundation Course Pathways
The three pathways available are:
– Acting for Stage and Screen Foundation Course, 2-term full-time (6 months)
– Acting for Stage and Screen Foundation Course, 3-term part-time (9 months)
Further information:
The courses will cover:
– Building foundations of craft in voice and body
– Acting technique foundations including Stanislavski, Meisner and others
– Singing tuition through both ensemble and solo tuition focusing on the craft of acting through song
– Acting for screen
– Devising theatre
– Analysis skills for contemporary and classical play texts
– Exploration of movement technique including Laban and animal studies
– Classical craft focus including Shakespearian verse speaking
– Audition technique coaching
– Group Industry insight sessions with agents, casting directors, directors and producers to share real-world knowledge from today’s industry best practice
– Direct teaching from leading industry professionals
Jonathan Grosberg is the Foundation Course Leader, and is looking forward to the first cohort of students to join this new initiative: “These courses are perfect preparation for students wishing to go on to study further at drama school and university, or as a stand alone course that provides them with tools to support their journey into the creative industries.”
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is passionate about broadening the reach and accessibility of our training to students who are underrepresented or marginalised within the performing arts, due to race, disability, socioeconomic background, gender identity or sexuality.
We are also keen to encourage young people from Bristol and the wider South West region to think about staying local and training with us.
To help support this ambition of increased diversity of students, we are working hard to secure additional funding for successful applicants to these courses. Our ambition is that on the 2-term and 3-term foundation courses, eventually, at least 50% of all places will have a £5,000 bursary available.
So when completing your application, if you would like to be considered for this funding support, please make it clear – there is an additional form to complete under the ‘fees and bursaries’ section of the course information pages.