The Role of the Drama School

At the outset the role of the drama school appears to be obvious: To teach drama to students. What is not so obvious but vitally important, is that a good drama school provides a place that facilitates learning. The atmosphere of the drama school has to be one where the student or actor can relax, explore concepts, and have no inhibitions. This allows the student to go on a voyage of self discovery through exploring his or her craft.

The importance of the voyage is far reaching. Acting comes from within, the actor’s tool is him or herself, and only by understanding him or herself can the actor hope to act. This leads to an actor understanding concepts such as motives, emotions, and sensations, the articulation of which helps to bring a character to life.

Learning the skill of acting can only be done if the drama school is right for the actor. There are many facets to acting, and the more an actor can perfect the better the chances of success. The right drama school will connect with the actor and offer not only a good learning environment, but set challenges that once conquered, will result in a better more confident actor.

Good drama schools allow an actor to learn the different types of acting but crucially will allow them to be explored too. The better understanding of the concepts involved and the better the freedom to explore them, the more informed the actor is as to his or her suitability to that style. Once a style has been discovered and adopted, it can be perfected. Should the actor wish to pursue acting as a career, they will be more competitive when auditioning for parts.

The drama school should also be able to give an insight into what it is like to act in different environments. Television, film, and theatre, have their own requirements specific to the format. An actor may wish to pursue a career in one of them or all of them, and this can be dependant upon a number of factors, such as ambition, opportunities, and finances.

It is important that an actor feels that he or she is learning something they can take away from the drama school, and put into practise when auditioning. If they find the acting classes are not really teaching them anything they can relate to, then it could be time to think again about the drama school. Feedback, discussion of ideas, concepts, fresh perspectives, and the feeling of making a positive contribution should be apparent in the drama school acting classes. It is through these practises that an actor learns and perfects his or her abilities.

It is clear that the actor discovers his or her acting abilities through discovering themselves. A good drama school teacher will recognise this process and what stage the actor is at as they attend acting classes, and nudge them in the right direction through introducing new concepts, giving direct and not so direct advice, and ensuring they feel able to express themselves. A good teacher is priceless to a drama school, and makes all the difference to the feel of the acting class week in week out. The teacher sets the tone.

The benefit of attending acting classes at a drama school cannot be overstated. Learning through self discovery are essential elements for any actor, and a good drama school will facilitate a good learning environment, which for a craft such as acting, can be complex. Positive experiences while attending acting classes will help make actors become the actor they wish to be.

Taking Risks from Brian Timoney on Vimeo.

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