Overview

Led by industry experts, experience hands-on, skill-based learning. Our classes are for students at any stage of their creative development with a focus on both personal and artistic growth. NIDA Open provides a dynamic environment where young artists can explore their passions, gain confidence, and develop their craft in an inspiring and supportive environment. 

Learning framework

Each term we focus on a specific area of performance practice to ensure students have a varied experience and learn a range of essential creative skills. Students are able to join us at the start of any term during the year. NIDA Open Drama courses are designed across a four term structure within the following learning framework: 

Term 1 Improvisation and Performance Craft 
Term 2 Voice and Movement 
Term 3 Devising and Contemporary Performance 
Term 4 Script Work and Staging 

Term 1: You’re Making a Scene

The scene is set… Now the rest is anyone’s guess! Inspired by beloved improvised shows Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Thank God You’re Here, develop your improvisation skills as you create new characters and plot twists each week. Discover how to follow your impulses, think on your feet and stay present in the moment, as you work with your ensemble to bring unexpected ideas to life. Invite your friends and family along in the last week of term to set the scene as you craft a completely spontaneous performance.

Components

• Craft: Participate in improvised scene work to develop basic acting and improvisation technique.
• Spontaneity: Engage your imagination and develop lateral thinking skills through spontaneity and improvisation exercies.
• Ensemble: Work as part of a team to achieve a shared goal through improvised performance.

Term 2: Animated!

From the smallest gesture to the boldest voice, discover what makes an animated character leap off the screen and onto the stage! Be inspired by animated worlds as you explore how voice and movement work together to create larger-than-life characters. Discover how specificity in gesture, movement and vocal delivery support authentic performances in scripted scenes. Create believable characters and truthful performances, even in the most extraordinary worlds!

Components

• Voice: Introduction to how the voice works, exploration of fundamental vocal performance techniques.
• Physical Awareness: Practice and apply movement technique for the actor including alignment, presence and spatial relationships in a live presentation.
• Performance Skill: Experiment with specific voice and movement choices to influence character and performance.

Term 3: The Journey

Every journey has a story: a wrong turn, a chance encounter, a discovery that transforms your world. Take a spectacular location as your starting point and imagine the different paths that led people there. Work as an ensemble to devise original scenes, drawing inspiration from contemporary visual storytelling techniques. Explore how improvisation, movement and staging can shape a narrative, connect characters and build dramatic tension as your stories intersect. Invite family and friends into the world of your journey as you share your story in an end-of-term performance.

Components

• Characters: Experiment with vocal and physical expression to create an original character.
• Creative Voice: Assume a variety of roles in a creative development process to generate new ideas for a live presentation.
• Collaboration: Work with a group to develop a new concept into a short live presentation.

Term 4: The Rehearsal Room

A script is just the beginning – discover what it takes to turn the words on a page into live theatre! Work as a company of actors to rehearse and stage scenes from contemporary plays, exploring the objectives of your character and identifying the obstacles in their way. Develop your acting skills as you apply the given circumstances to your scenework, explore character relationships and make clear choices in the rehearsal process. Experience the shared focus, creativity and teamwork that take a scene from rehearsal to performance!

Components

• Text Analysis: Interpret and bring to life through the application of acting technique a short written text for live performance.
• Stage Craft: Consider the elements that contribute to the physical realization of a performance.
• Performance: Apply acting, voice and movement practice to a short scripted, live presentation.

For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.

For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.