The summer holidays are a time to relax, rest and recover. They can also be a time when young people sit around a lot, ‘do nothing’ and get bored. Doing something purposeful, structured and fun is essential for making the most of the holidays and this is where summer schools can help.
One exciting and dynamic option for pupils of all ages, abilities, skill sets and backgrounds is to sign up for a drama summer school. There are lots of reasons for doing a holiday drama school. They can:
- be an informal place to make new friendships
- engage heart, body and soul and provide opportunities to go on an exciting personal journey
- stimulate creativity and open up new thinking and interests
- challenge young people's perceptions about the world and their place in it
- allow young people to explore situations from a variety of points of view in a safe and happy environment
- improve all aspects of their communication skills including team-building
- reinforce tolerance, compromise and empathy
- develop self-control and discipline, confidence and self-esteem
- help young people find their passions and be in their element
- be hugely pleasurable and a source of motivation and inspiration.
Many of the prominent drama schools offer top-quality summer courses. There are no auditions and they are often taught by fun, supportive and understanding teachers at the top of their game and professionals from the theatre world. They are bursting with activities and are brilliant destinations to learn, be active, be challenged and have undiluted fun in an immersive and practical context.
Here's a selection of who does what. And remember, some of these courses could be for you too!
Liverpool Institute For Performing Arts 4-19 Academy (LIPA)
LIPA 4-19 runs a popular summer schools programme across its academies carefully designed to appeal to targeted age groups. There are a variety of week-long programmes throughout the summer ranging from £120 to £160.
For 16-17 year olds LIPA offers a free three-day residential summer school called Get Set which is exclusively targeted towards students from neighbourhoods where participation in higher education is low.
Booking will be available from June 2019.
Contact: wp@lipa.ac.uk or 0151 330 3009
The Old Vic Theatre Trust 2000
Free workshops for young people aged 16-25. Participants devise their own work, attend a follow up session after the programme has finished, and receive a free ticket to an Old Vic production.
The Old Vic are particularly keen to hear from people who have had limited or no access to arts opportunities in the past.
Contact: oldvicsummerschool@oldvictheatre.com or 020 7960 4102
Tring Park School for the Performing Arts
Tring Park's 4-day ‘Summer Acting Course’ is for day pupils or boarders aged 10 to 16 years giving them firsthand experience of working as a TV actor, filming on location, using sound and editing equipment and meeting a professional actor from children's TV. Also included is teaching in acting technique, improvisation and drama games and devised and text work (Day pupils £352.00; boarders £473.00). A summer dance course is also available. Contact: info@tringpark.com or 01442 824255
Sylvia Young Theatre School
Two five-day courses are offered costing £310 per week.
‘Theatre Skills’ (7-18 years) offers a combined course of non-stop theatre skills classes in drama, audition technique, singing, singing and microphone, street dance, jazz dance and basic circus skills.
‘Musical Theatre’ (10-18 years) is ‘a truly hectic week’ of dancing, acting and singing rehearsals culminating in a studio style workshop performance presenting excerpts from musicals. Each group has a production team consisting of a Director, Musical Director and Choreographer. Contact: holidaycourses@syts.co.uk or 0207 2582337
Guildford School of Acting (GSA)
GSA runs a dynamic and inspiring Summer Conservatoire programme for young people from 8 to 25. There are musical theatre courses available for Juniors, Teens and Adults with classes in acting, singing and dance. Prices start at £225 for a 5 day course.
Also available are 5 day courses in acting for 16-17 year olds and Seniors aged 18-25 years. These are designed to give young aspiring actors an insight into what it takes to train as an actor. Intensive practical sessions look at voice, movement and text analysis with focus on the actor's neutral, listening and responding, and storytelling-based ensemble work (£300). Contact: gsasummerschool@gsa.surrey.ac.uk or 01483 68 4047
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Summer courses vary in length from three days to three weeks developing acting, drama and theatre skills in young people and adults.
‘Youth Theatre For Actors’ is a dedicated one-week course for 6-17 year olds with a focus on developing skills in ensemble working, voice, movement and acting. Students will learn to work together through games, exercises, storytelling and looking at text (£585).
For adults there are three voice courses and nine acting courses including ‘Acting For Camera’, ‘Summer Shakespeare’ and a ‘Summer Theatre Company’.
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
The GSMD offers two Summer School experiences for young people.
‘Summer School for 12-15 Year-olds’ is a 2 week Mon-Fri course for children to learn acting skills through theatre games and acting exercises. Suitable for all levels of experience (£1250).
‘Drama Summer School for 16-17 year-olds’ is a 2 week inspirational and intensive introduction to actor training. Working as an ensemble, students gain essential insights into acting in Shakespeare and modern drama. Classes and workshops include acting, voice, exploring actors’ movement based on Laban and Litz Pisk, improvisation and character mask. Two visits to attend performances in London theatres are included in the fees of the course (Course fee £1,275; Course fee + bed & breakfast: £1,901.86; Course fee + bed, breakfast & evening meal: £2,044.86) Contact: shortcourses@gsmd.ac.uk or 0207 382 2310
Mountview
Mountview offers a 6 week course and two 3 week courses for students aged over 17 and 18 years.
The 6 week ‘Musical Theatre Summer Semester’ is a serious commitment for students 18+ with 30 hours of training a week. This intensive and immersive drama school experience includes acting, singing and dance for building skills in musical theatre (£3,250).
The 3 week ‘Summer Boot Camp: Acting’ course includes intensive professional actors’ training, unlocking Shakespeare's words and characters, mock auditions, advice and tips (£1,050).
The 3 Week ‘Summer Boot Camp: Musical Theatre’ involves intensive training in acting, singing and dancing with attention to detail, rehearsal process and auditioning preparation (£1,200). Contact: shortcourses@mountview.org.uk or 020 8881 2201
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA)
LAMDA runs a series of short courses between two and eight weeks for anyone aged 16 years and over.
‘Introduction to Drama School’ is a 2 week course with a focus on performance-based training. This course gives students an insight into the rigours of drama training including acting, voice, movement, dance, improvisation and Shakespeare. Cost: £981
Also on offer are ‘Introduction to Screen Acting’, ‘Audition Technique’ and ‘Shakespeare Summer School’. Contact: enquiries@lamda.ac.uk or 020 8834 0500
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)
RADA offers a number of summer courses to those aged 16 years and up, with some for over 18s only.
‘Clown’ is a 3 day course which includes devising and participation in solo and ensemble clowning, ending in an informal presentation (£495).
‘Dynamic Acting for Young Actors Week’ is designed to stretch the abilities of young actors developing physical and vocal confidence and deepening their understanding of the crafts of acting and playmaking.
Students can choose between ‘Exploring Shakespeare’ and ‘Focus’. In the Shakespeare course students explore characters, work on scenes, monologues and sonnets and have classes in voice, movement, stage combat and choral speaking.
In the Focus option, students work on building their confidence through training in voice, physicality, storytelling, Meisner Technique, stage combat and physical performance.
Two weeks are available at £910 per week with options in Week 2 between ‘Devising Theatre’ and ‘Contemporary’.
Other courses available include ‘Set and Costume Design’, ‘Scenic Art’, ‘Lighting Design’, ‘Musical Theatre’ and a 10-day ‘Contemporary Drama Summer School’. Contact: enquiries@rada.ac.uk or 020 7636 7076
The Lir Academy
The Lir Academy is Ireland's National Academy of Dramatic Art and offers a variety of summertime courses.
For students aged 15-17 there is the ‘Young Actors’ Programme’, that introduces young performers to the reality of intensive training, replicating four weeks in the life of a full-time acting degree. It provides an introduction to the skills required to become a professional performer and combines the two week ‘Young Actors’ Programme’ with the two week ‘Musical Theatre Intensive Programme’ (1,980 Euros). Also available as a 2 week course.
For students 16 years and over there are 2 week courses including the ‘Young Filmmakers’ Programme’, ‘Stage Management’ and ‘Technical Theatre’. For those 18+ years there are 1 week courses in ‘Costume Design’, ‘Lighting Design’, ‘Set Design’, ‘Character and Scene Study’, ‘Musical Theatre’ and ‘I A Clown’. Contact: admissions@thelir.ie or +353 (0) 1 896 2559