Our exciting course focuses on a collaborative approach to acting, creating a drama school atmosphere for our degree students whom work with a range of creative programmes, including
Costume, Film TV and Theatre production, Photography, Production Designand
Model Making & VFX to produce brand new material created by film and theatre scriptwriters. Because of our joint approach students have the opportunity to gain valuable communication skills and to generate a dynamic and original body of work.
Performance students look at the core acting skills of voice, physicality and characterisation. Working on devised and scripted text for both stage and screen. You will be part of two full theatre productions each academic year to showcase the skills gained. This degree explores classical theatre, clowning and acting for media.
Your three years of study will culminate in your final year enabling you to produce an extensive CV, professional standard show-reel, a full theatre production and a solo show at The ARC Theatre to agents and industry professionals. On this course we treat our students like actors in training, by working alongside guest lecturers and industry professionals from the theatre and film industries you will develop professional skills. As working actors we expect professional standards on all projects.
Year One
The focus of Year One will be on introducing concepts, developing technique and professional standards. Industry standards and professional practice will be embedded in all modules ensuring students know from the outset what is expected of a professional actor. Modules will look at the core acting skills of voice, physicality and characterisation working on new work and scripted text for both stage and screen. The students will work on devised pieces in order to develop the ability to create their own work and enhance their ability to have longevity in their careers. These skill-based modules will culminate in a full production, with students working collaboratively with their peers on films, theatrical productions and new writing.
• Core Acting Skills 1
• Script Interpretation
• Creative Thinking
• Contemporary Practice 1
• Production 1
Year Two
As students progress onto Year Two they will continue to develop skills but also be more industry facing as they will produce work that is moving towards industry standard. They will expand on the core skills developed in Year One by working with classical text, clowning and acting for a wide range of mediums including recorded voice. The year will culminate with the production of a classical text to showcase their skill development. Throughout the year students will work with local practitioners to expand their contacts and also their knowledge of industry expectations. Career planning and employability will also be embedded into modules to ensure students are beginning to plan for after graduation.
• Core Acting Skills 2
• Film and Media Production
• Creative Discussion
• Contemporary Practice 2
• Production 2
Year Three
In the final year students will take more autonomy over their own career path by specialising in the fields they want to pursue after graduation. As the acting industry is so competitive it is important that whilst students specialise, they continue to be open to all opportunities whether performing for stage or screen and continue to develop their skills in creating their own work. Students will create their own solo shows which could be developed in the future. Alongside this they will work on new material for stage and screen with their peers. For their final project they will be directed in a major show that will showcase the skills they have developed throughout the programme and be a springboard into industry. Students will develop a learning agreement as part of Project Research & Development for what projects and roles they will undertake as part of Production 3. All students will be part of productions in Advanced Acting Skills. Similarly, all students will take part in a production as part of Showcase & Professional Development in addition to creating appropriate material to prepare them for the sector including a showreel, voice reel and CV.
• Advanced Acting Skills
• Project Research & Development
• Dissertation/Report
• Production 3
• Showcase & Professional Development
Year Four (Optional)
Optional Master of Arts. Develop your creativity even further with a postgraduate study year -
https://northernart.ac.uk/masters-degrees/ Guest Lecturers
This course is enriched by a host of work shops and lectures previously including:
•
Frantic Assembly
•
Tony Jayawardena, Actor, The RSC, The Crown, The Globe, National Theatre
•
David Kirkbride, Actor, National Theatre, Play That Went Wrong, Silent Witness, Sherlock, Lady Macbeth
• Maria Crocker, Director, at The National Theatre, Broadway, West End
•
Mee Mee Theatre
•
Alex Jacobs , Director, Hollyoaks & Casualty
•
Ishy Din, Playwright & Screenwriter
•
Open Clasp Theatre Company
•
Gracefool Collective
•
Theatre Hullaballu
•
Stockton Riverside Festival
•
Umar Butt
• Rob Icke, Olivier Award winning director
• Elijah Young, Actor on Smoggie Queens and writer on Byker Grove
• David Crowley, Director on Emmerdale and Hollyoaks
• Janet Plater Agency
Industry Links
Students are encouraged and supported in securing professional opportunities throughout the acting programme.
The North-East has a thriving theatre & creative scene which our professional staff continue to work in. Because of this the programme has strong industry links, offering an important network of contacts for our undergraduates. These include:
•
ARC Theatre
•
Newcastle Puppetry Festival
•
Northern Stage
•
Janet Plater Management
• Spotlight
• North East Screen
• Stockton International Riverside Festival
• Theatre Hullabalu
•
Gyre & Gimble
• Andy Berriman, Film maker
•
Tangled Feet Theatre
Our students and graduates have been involved with a range of companies and projects such as:
Channel 5's All Creatures Great and Small
Ken Loach's film Sorry We Missed You
Channel 4's Sparks Comedy
Recent graduate Connor Dorrian won Live Theatre's Young Playwright Award
Stockton International Riverside Festival
BBC Tees Radio's Crossing the Tees
National Youth Theatre
Alphabetti Theatre
ARC Stockton Arts Centre
Newcastle Fringe
Live Theatre
Durham Fringe Festival
Hartlepool Waterfront Festival
Welcome to the Jungle (theatre tour)
The Boy and the Seahorse (theatre tour)
A is for Amy (theatre tour)
Daisy Donald (theatre tour)
Menstrual Rage (graduate theatre company)
Northern Stage
Tangled Feet's Production Half Life
The talented acting students on this degree gain a range of invaluable skills and experience working across both stage and screen during their three years of study. To find out more you can view the profiles of our graduating class
here.No Audition Fee
Auditions and interviews can take place either virtually or in-person.
Your Audition
For the audition you are required to prepare 2 contrasting monologues:
• 1 Classical
• 1 Contemporary
The Classical piece should be Elizabethan or Jacobean (for example, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Webster) and preferably in blank verse.
Your Contemporary piece should come from a published play produced post1980 although the more recent the better.
With the monologues, try to choose pieces that suit your age and showcase your skills. You will perform the monologues to our panel and may be re-directed in one of them.
As part of the audition you will also take part in a movement session lasting approximately 30 minutes. Please wear comfortable clothing you can move in. This is an opportunity for you to get a taste for what a typical session will be
like and for the Lecturer to assess your physical theatre skills.
If you have any injuries or disabilities that may mean you cannot take full part, please inform the Lecturer at the start of the session.
Your interview
After the audition, a short interview will follow to allow you the opportunity to talk about your previous experience and to find out more about why you want to study Acting. If you have any questions or would like further details about our audition process please contact
interviews@northernart.ac.uk
If you require any support or special arrangements during your interview/audition, please let us know beforehand so that we can have everything in place for you before you arrive.
If you would like to discuss any support needs contact Student Services who will be happy to help.
You will have the chance to view our facilities, either virtually or in-person.
Interview questions
It is good practice to do a bit of background research on the programme by reading the prospectus or attending an open day so we can make sure you are on the right track. We also like to know what activities you do to feed your cultural appetite. This may include:
• Visits to the theatre, galleries and/or museums.
• What films/TV Programmes you watch Gigs/festivals attended.
• Reading books, newspapers or magazines.
• Music you have listened to.
• Conversations you have had about the subject applied.
• What acting practitioners interest you and why.
• Researching other actors/performers.
Useful Checklist
• Here is a handy checklist to help you before you come to see us:
• Select monologues you can talk confidently about
• Consider the contextual background of the play your monologue is from
• Demonstrate your thought processes
• Have a practice run-through with family or friends
• Although not essential, you may want to bring work completed outside your studies e.g. involvement in shows, exhibitions, competitions, work
experience etc.
• Remember to include evidence of your writing skills
• Contact us beforehand if you have any support needs
