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National Institute of Dramatic Art

Coordinates: 33°54′57″S 151°13′31″E / 33.9158°S 151.2252°E / -33.9158; 151.2252
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National Institute of
Dramatic Art
250x191
Established1958
Location
Kensington
,
New South Wales
,
Australia

33°54′57″S 151°13′31″E / 33.9158°S 151.2252°E / -33.9158; 151.2252
CampusUrban
Websitewww.nida.edu.au

The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an Australian national education and training institute for students in the performing arts. Since 1958, NIDA has educated students in performance and production for theatre, film, and television, and today offers programs ranging from degrees to public short courses, including holiday programs and corporate training.

NIDA is recognised for the centre’s world-class approach to dramatic arts education and practical training philosophy. This hands-on focus has laid solid foundations for NIDA’s sought-after graduates who are currently working on stage, on screen and behind the scenes all over the world. In 2013, NIDA was ranked as the 8th best drama school in the world by The Hollywood Reporter.[1]

NIDA's main campus is based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington, located adjacent to the University of New South Wales, and is made up of a range of rehearsal and performance venues.

NIDA recieves funding from the Australian Government through the Minister for the Arts (Australia), Attorney-General's Department and is a member of the "Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence (Arts8):"[2] an initiative between the national performing arts training organisations and the Australian Government committed to providing unique and high-level training for emerging artists.

History

Founded in 1958, NIDA commenced acting classes in 1959. More than 50 years later, NIDA has grown to approximately 170 full-time students annually, approximately 70 full-time staff members and added courses in costume, design, directing, make-up, musical theatre, production, properties, staging and writing for performance.

Admission

Entry to NIDA’s higher education courses is highly competitive, with nearly 1,900 applicants from around the country competing for an annual offering of approximately 75 places across undergraduate and graduate disciplines. The student body for these courses totalled 199 in 2014.

Graduates from NIDA’s full-time courses have gone on to national and international success.

Campus

The National Institute of Dramatic Art complex

NIDA is located on Anzac Parade in the Sydney suburb of Kensington, across the road from the University of New South Wales. The campus was first opened in 1987, followed by additional buildings opened in 2001, which were awarded the 2002 Sir John Sulman Medal for public architecture.

Theatres

NIDA has five theatres[3]. The largest of these is the Parade Theatre offering seating for audiences of up to 707 people in its three-tiered, horseshoe-shaped auditorium. The Playhouse, Studio Theatre, the Space and the Atrium offer a variety of flexible performance spaces.

Library

The Rodney Seaborn Library is a specialist library for NIDA students, graduates and staff and is also open to the general public by appointment. Created in 1980, the Rodney Seaborn Library is now one of Australia’s leading performing arts-based libraries.

The NIDA Archives collects, organises and preserves archival records created by or relating to NIDA. As a valuable resource for research, teaching and education, the Archives supports NIDA’s role as Australia’s leading national educator in the dramatic arts.

Other facilities

The NIDA campus includes, rehearsal rooms, multi-media and computer-aided design (CAD) studios, a sound stage, a lighting studio, fully equipped production workshops, the latest in audio-visual facilities, and the Reg Grundy Studio film and television training and production facility.

Courses

The National Institute of Dramatic Art complex with interior neon lights

For those wanting to start a career in the creative arts, NIDA offers full-time fully-accredited bachelor degrees in Acting, Costume, Design for Performance, Properties and Objects (props), Staging, and Technical Theatre and Stage Management, masters degrees in Directing and Writing for Performance and diploma courses in Musical Theatre, Live Production and Technical Services and Specialist Make-up Services.

NIDA also makes training available to the public with term classes, short courses, school-holiday programs, evening and weekend classes. The NIDA Open programs are designed for children, young people and adults and NIDA also runs Corporate presentation workshops for business professionals.

NIDA’s vibrant schools program allows teachers and schools across Australia to access the centre’s educational expertise and training philosophy through customised workshops and professional development programs.

Student productions

National Institute of Dramatic Art theatre

The National Institute of Dramatic Art has many prominent industry professionals visit the institute throughout the teaching year to assist in the training of students in their selected fields.[citation needed]

  • Director / CEO: Lynne Williams
  • Director, Operations: Allan Morgan
  • Director, Student & Staff Services: Julia Selby
  • Director, Business Development: Dustin Lockett
  • Director, Finance: Jim Shanahan
  • Director, Undergraduate Studies & Head of Design: Michael Scott-Mitchell
  • Director, Postgraduate Studies & Head of Directing: Egil Kipste
  • Head of Acting: Jeff Janisheski
  • Head of Screen: Di Drew
  • Head of Music: Andrew Ross
  • Head of Voice: Katerina Moraitis
  • Head of Writing for Performance: Stephen Sewell
  • Head of Production: Graham Henstock
  • Head of Stage Management: Mary Benn
  • Head of Production Crafts: Nick Day
  • Head of Costume: Fiona Reilly
  • Head of Scenery: Tony Pierce
  • Head of Properties: Todd Arthur

Program

Play productions are NIDA's most important teaching activity, with around 20 plays being produced at NIDA each year.

Each course is centred on training practitioners for work in the industry. Each day provides students with a structured series of activities, which balance the acquisition of skills with artistic excellence.

All the full-time courses are conducted in two modes. The first, the Teaching Program, consists of formal class work, practical instruction, seminars and research, often supplemented by periods of secondment in the industry. As part of the teaching program, students attend formal classes, seminars and/or discussion groups.

The second mode, the Production Program, provides practical learning experiences. Each student is given the opportunity to practice the intellectual, imaginative and technical skills acquired in the Teaching Program, working in the performance, design, manufacture or management of productions for presentation to the general public. Production work involves morning, afternoon, night and weekend rehearsals or performances.

The NIDA School Year consists of four terms of 6 to 12 weeks. Courses usually commence in early February and end in early November.

Productions

Play productions are the National Institute of Dramatic Art's most important teaching activity. Actors in particular learn by repetition, by performing a role many times in the theatre before different audiences. Once they have acquired the basic skills, students in the other courses learn by taking on the kinds of responsibilities they will be faced with in the industry.

All NIDA plays are a microcosm of the industry, with every element of the production from lighting and set construction to costumes and properties being produced by the students.

There are also opportunities to develop skills for working in film, with Acting students having access to a film and television studio.

Controversy

In 2012, one of NIDA's board members, Chris Puplick, who was on the board from 1994 to 2000 and from 2007 to 2010, resigned after criticising the school for producing a lack of sustainable content.[4]

Notable Alumni

See also: Category:People educated at the National Institute of Dramatic Art

Notable graduates from the National Institute of Dramatic Art include:

Acting

Directing

Design

References

  1. ^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/top-25-drama-schools-world-558898
  2. ^ Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2008-09-15). "Arts training bodies". Retrieved 2008-10-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ https://www.nida.edu.au/venue-spaces
  4. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksandartsdaily/the-nida-controversy/4343288
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