Theatre Arts – Performance Program (P104)

Program Description

Program Overview

Ranked as Canada’s Top 20 Acting Schools, the Theatre Arts – Performance program offers you vigorously concentrated, career-oriented training in the fundamental skills, practicalities, traditions and professionalism needed to work as a professional actor in theatre, television and film.

Students can explore the artistic and technical facets through practical and hands-on training at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto’s Distillery District. Learn more about the Theatre Learning Environment and on-stage productions.

Disclaimer: This program has expectations of professionalism, group work, intimacy between actors, whispering, consensual touching, combat training, expressions of physicality, deep exploration of self, personal psychological examination, conflict, and successful failure.  This program is meant to train a student to be a professional actor which includes all of these aspects listed here.

Full Description

The Theatre Arts – Performance program at George Brown's School of Media and Performing Arts offers you vigorously concentrated, career-oriented training in the fundamental skills, practicalities, traditions and professionalism needed to work as a professional actor in theatre, television and film.

The conservatory, hands-on training is an integrated curriculum in which almost all subjects are related directly to the acting profession. Five skill courses form the core of our classical approach to training the actor: voice, speech, movement, music and dance. The acting curriculum features improvisation, contact improvisation, storytelling, poetry, text analysis, contemporary and classical scene studies, neutral mask, character mask, clowning, commedia dell’arte, television and film technique, and audition preparation. Further classes include: stage combat, dialectology, theatre history, the business of acting and 00.

Besides great partnerships with Soulpepper Theatre Company, Tarragon Theatre and Theatre by the Bay, George Brown has run a successful mentorship program for a number of years. In the final year, students will be paired with a successful theatre practitioner. This partnership starts in the students’ final semester and continues for roughly a year-long period. Mentors will meet with the student for a minimum three times as the student graduates and begins to transition into the field. This program has been not only a success for the students, but mentors have also expressed how great the experience has been and how rewarding it is to be there for the students as they graduate.

Career & Postgraduate Study Opportunities

Career Options

An ever-expanding local theatre scene creates a consistent demand for fresh faces and new talent in a range of educational, entertainment and commercial activities. Students should be aware, however, that the field is extremely competitive.

George Brown College is recognized by ACTRA and UDA as an accredited training institution. As a graduate of George Brown College’s Theatre Arts – Performance program, you will be eligible to become members of these professional performers’ unions sooner.

ACTRA: A new grad from an approved school can apply within one year and join ACTRA as an Apprentice member. As a member, you can look for representation and audition as a union member.

UDA: You can acquire 15 of the 30 credits required to become an active member, under certain conditions.

Educational Pathways

For information on future study options, see Transfer Guide.

"If you want the very best classical theatre training program this country has to offer, nothing compares to George Brown Theatre School. George Brown offers the best guest artists, faculty and facilities.

This program is highly demanding and challenging, but no other place in the country is this committed to providing its students with the most current and practical training in classical theatre.

From George Bernard Shaw to Judith Thompson, George Brown offers the best training in text-based theatre. If you’re prepared to take risks and do intelligent, thought-provoking work, George Brown is the place for you.

As a graduate of George Brown Theatre School, I feel prepared to enter the industry with the confidence of a trained professional."

Hear more about Carys' story by watching her video.

Carys Lewis
Ontario College Advanced Diploma

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