Theatre Royal: Project A

"Theatre Royal Project A" redirects here. Not to be confused with Project A.

Project A

The main entrance to Theatre Royal on Shakespeare Street
Type	Drama school
Established	2014
Students	16 (max)
Location	Newcastle Upon Tyne , England
Campus	Royal House, Theatre Royal.
Website	www.theatreroyal.co.uk/taking-part/project-a

Project A is a one-year actor training programme at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle, one of the United Kingdom's oldest theatres and one of only eight Grade I listed theatres. The programme was founded by the head of learning Kim Hoffmann.

The course started in September 2015 and is supported by many industry professionals including the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The programme aims to give training similar to which students would receive at a Drama school as that is what it hopes to become in the near future. But the ethos of the course is to give actors more freedom in developing their own craft and personal method than traditional drama schools. The first year of the course was free for students due to a donation from The Barbour Foundation by Dame Margaret Barbour, company chairman of J. Barbour and Sons.

The current Artistic director of the course is actor Phillip Hoffmann as well as an array of teachers coming from all corners of the world to teach and the course has received a lot of vocal support from many artists and actors in the entertainment industry.

Course

Project A is a one year actor training programme led by an artistic director and supported by leading industry specialists. Delivered from within Theatre Royal over an academic year (3 terms) participants will gain professional standard actor training culminating in a production term to be performed in the theatre and toured. The course, like all drama schools specialises in Stanislavski Technique but it is one of the first of it's kind in the United Kingdom to incorporate a heavy inclusion of Meisner Technique and other techniques devised by the Group Theatre in New York. Members include; Stella Adler, Robert Lewis and Lee Strasberg. Students are encouraged to develop their own acting technique from the teachings over the year.

Term 1

September - December The development of vocal, physical and performance skills in relation to creating character through the study, development and performance of contemporary and classical text.

Term 2

January - March The development of participant’s specialist skills working with nationally and internationally renowned artists. Each area has been chosen specifically to develop the skills needed in the performance arts industry.

Term 3

April - July During this term, participants will engage in a full time professional production process culminating in performances at the Newcastle Theatre Royal Studio and other venues as a local tour.

The course will run in line with hours associated with degree level courses.

Admissions

Project A accepts a maximum 16 actors each year, admission is based on suitability and a successful audition. Applicants are first selected carefully through the application forms they sent and then asked to take part in an audition process consisting of them performing two monologues (one classical, one contemporary) and a workshop.

Applications are open to young people between the age of 18 & 25 who have acting experience with the ambition of becoming a professional performer.

The first year of the course received over 200 applicants.

History

Granted its Royal licence by George III of the United Kingdom, the Theatre Royal Newcastle opened on Drury Lane in 1788 and soon established itself as one of England’s leading theatres.

Three months before Queen Victoria ascended the throne, in February 1837, the Theatre moved to Grey Street, a flagship building in Grainger and Dobson’s famous city plan. It features what is generally regarded as the finest Theatre façade in the UK, later combined with a fine 1901 auditorium by one of the great Theatre architects, Frank Matcham after the original interior had been destroyed by fire in 1899.

Over the centuries, many of the great names of the English stage have played at the Royal, from Keane to Irving, Olivier to Dench and the Hollywood greats Orson Welles, Charlton Heston and Jack Lemmon have also trodden the famous boards; Ian McKellen has described the Theatre Royal as his favourite theatre.

The Theatre Royal launched it's Taking Part programme in early 2007 with a selection of summer schools, from then it has just expanded from weekly workshops with the RSC to adult training classes. Project A is just the next step in a history of actor training the Theatre Royal has started to build. Many former students are now thriving in the West End of London of on screen.