Teen Group (Ages 16-18)
Exceptional training for motivated students
Our Post-16 Teenage Class provide young performers who have the drive and determination to learn their craft with unparalleled professional training. Taking the drama colleges as our model, we have developed and continue to refine a unique programme which helps our students acquire the skills they need to access further training.
Almost all our Teen students continue onto our Foundation Course, in preparation for drama school auditions.
Sunday sessions (4.00 to 6.00pm) start with movement and voice, followed by group exercises to hone focus, imagination and spontaneity. Our students then work with our teachers on specific areas of focus, ranging from Meisner to Shakespeare, physical theatre to screen acting and much more.
Over the course of two years, students gain a thorough grounding in the basics of their craft, which is then developed further during their Foundation year. Though our extraordinary success rate speaks for itself (90% of students awarded places on BA/MA Acting courses every year) it isn’t just about nailing the audition process: our students have a deep understanding of core elements of the craft which sets them apart and gives them a head start at drama school.
Entry is by audition: this is a small group (maximum number - 20) of dedicated students who are hungry to progress as actors and put their training first.
Alumni - Maia Tamrakar (Mountview) and Noah Marullo (Guildhall) as teenagers.
Both are now forging successful careers in the industry.
At The Actors’ Workshop, we are committed to providing professional training to those with the talent and drive to succeed in the profession.
If you successfully audition for our Teen Group but demonstrably cannot afford the fees, we can offer full or partial bursaries to help you.
Core Skills
Understanding Relationships and Objectives
Living the character and telling the story whilst being present in the moment. This is approached using a wide variety of techniques. Students are also introduced to the ideas of key practitioners in the field, from Ute Haagen to Meisner and more.
Screen Acting
With the explosion in online providers such as Netflix and Amazon, there is huge and ever-increasing demand for highly-trained performers who also understand the parameters of acting for film and tv. Screen acting is therefore a key component of or training.
Shakespeare
How to understand and speak Shakespeare’s verse; how to relate to Shakespeare’s characters and bring them to life. Our teachers combine a thorough understanding and deep working knowledge of Shakespeare with personal experience performing and/or directing the plays.
Voice and Movement
All students learn the basics of physiologically correct voice production for speaking and singing. In addition we have regular musical theatre sessions, learning to integrate voice and action to tell a story in song. Movement work is integrated into every session.
Contemporary Theatre
Brecht, Stoppard, Ayckbourn, Willy Russell, John Godber, Dennis Kelly and exciting newcomers like Laura Wade, Ella Hickson and Nell Leyshon are just some of the playwrights whose work we have looked at in the past year or so.
Making Theatre
What makes a good script and how do we bring it to life? Building on our scripted work, students become extraordinarily adept at creating their own scenes under expert guidance. Our small groups foster an atmosphere of safety and support, where students are unafraid to push their boundaries and take a risk.
Performance Opportunities
Our Spring Showcase (carefully timed to minimise impact on exams) is a polished and professional event for the public and invited industry insiders.
Showcases are an eclectic and thematically coherent medley of scenes and songs from Shakespeare and Chekhov to cutting edge modern drama and musical theatre.
This format is fantastic because, like the drama college graduation shows, it guarantees each performer appropriate stage time.
Book an Audition
In order to maintain our standards, keep our classes small and make sure that students work well together, we audition all applicants for places in our Teen Group.
We are not necessarily looking for lots of experience: aptitude, a passion for acting and the willingness to give it your all are the essential qualities for success.
SUNDAY Teenage Classes
Classes are held on Sunday afternoons from 4.00 - 6.00pm at our studio on Chatterton Street, BS1 6PR
Cost is £150 per 3-month term/£450 per academic year.
We will always offer you an audition if there is space in the group and operate a waiting list when the group is full.