LONDON THEATRE PROGRAM

Opened in 1985, the London Theatre Program is BADA’s undergraduate Conservatory Acting Program in London, accredited by Sarah Lawrence College.

The London Theatre Program is designed for talented and dedicated students who are passionate about their craft and about the art of theatre, and who are seeking personal challenges and new perspectives. Students may enroll in the London Theatre Program for either the Fall or Spring semester.

The Program is open to Juniors and Senior year students at any accredited American college or university.

  • To start an application, or for information about applying to the London Theatre Program including application deadlines and auditions, visit the London Theatre Program page at Sarah Lawrence College.


    If you’d like to be notified about future London Theatre Program semesters, please sign up for our mailing list.

     

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    Please prepare the following for your audition:

    • Some words about yourself: your name, age, what school you attend; when you began studying acting; how you heard about the London Theatre Program, and why you are applying.
    • A memorized speech by Shakespeare or one of his contemporaries, no longer than 2 minutes.
    • A memorized speech from a modern or contemporary text, no longer than 2 minutes.

    One speech should be delivered in close-up, the other in mid-shot (waist up). Each individual meeting will last no more than 15 minutes and will include a chat with Ben Naylor, Dean of BADA.

  • The London Theatre Program runs in both the Fall and the Spring. The semester is divided into two parts: eight weeks of training, with five weeks of rehearsals after the week-long mid-term break. Students will be in class or rehearsal around 30-35 hours a week, with weekly theatre trips and an expectation of learning and preparation outside the class or rehearsal room. Classes will number between 12-16 students, and last either two or three hours.

    The eight weeks of training begin with community workshops on Boundaries and Consent, and then comprise:

    • Acting (classes and tutorials, 1 credit, some memorization required): Acting classes and tutorials use both classical and modern texts to examine the fundamental principles of a contemporary post-Stanislavskyan acting methodology.
    • Shakespeare (classes, 2 credits, some memorization required): a contemporary and progressive approach to acting Shakespearean text, focusing on clarity, psychology and performance conditions, and responding to discourses around identity and ownership.
    • Comedy (classes, 1 credit, some memorization required): classes examining the acting of plays from the Restoration and comedy of manners traditions, focusing on verbal and mental dexterity, heightened performance style and comic timing.
    • Physical Theatre (classes, 1 credit): classes in the Lecoq/Gaulier physical theatre tradition, focusing on improvisation, physical presence and ensemble performance.
    • Voice (classes, 2 credits, some memorization required): classes in the fundamentals of voice, focusing on breath, body, articulation and the connection of voice & text.
    • Movement (classes, 2 credits): classes training the actor’s body for performance, drawing on a variety of contemporary movement methodologies.
    • Stage Combat (classes, 1 credit): classes in unarmed combat focusing on safety, control, period styles, and technical virtuosity.
    • Dramatic Criticism (seminars, 2 credits): seminars respond to the weekly theatre visits during the first seven weeks, encouraging students to develop fresh ways of watching, thinking and writing about theatre in the digital age. Formal written work is a component of the class.
    • Theatre History lectures underpin the practical training by situating and contextualising playtexts and performance styles in the ritual, political, social and psychological development of European theatre.

    The final five weeks of the course are devoted to:

    • Acting in Performance (rehearsals, performance, 3 credits, memorization required): Students will rehearse studio productions of British and European classical plays, culminating in performance in a small-scale professional theatre. Each production is led by a professional director, working with professional creative and technical teams.

    Additionally, the first eight weeks of classes include:

    • Weekly theatre trips to see significant productions at major theatres
    • Masterclasses and Q&As with leading UK theatre practitioners, including actors, directors and other creative specialists. Recent Masterclass instructors include Brian Cox, Bryan Cranston, Sope Dirisu, Brandon Victor Dixon (MIO ’98), Julian Glover, Henry Goodman, Anna Gunn (LTP ’88), Greg Hicks, Robert Icke, Adam Kantor (MIO ’06), Fiona Shaw, Owen Teale and Deborah Warner.

  • This is a sample timetable from an average week in the teaching block (click the image to expand).

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    Spring 2024

    Students Arrive: Saturday 20th January
    Classes: Monday 22nd January – Friday 15th March
    Break: Monday 18th March – Friday 22nd March
    Rehearsal Period: Monday 25th March – Friday 19th April
    Production Week: Week of Monday 22nd April
    End of Term: Friday 26th April
    Students Must Vacate Housing: Saturday 27th April

    Fall 2024

    Students Arrive: Saturday 7th September
    Classes: Monday 9th September – Friday 1st November
    Break: Monday 4th November – Friday 8th November
    Rehearsal Period: Monday 11th November – Friday 6th December
    Production Week: Week of Monday 9th December
    End of Term: Friday 13th December
    Students Must Vacate Housing: Saturday 14th December

  • Accommodation

    Housing on the London Theatre Program may range from individual studios with kitchenettes to shared apartments with communal kitchens and living areas shared with other London Theatre Program students. All accommodations are conveniently located with easy access to BADA and all central London locations.

    Full details about the accommodation options for the semester will be available upon acceptance and also described in full detail in the pre-departure handbook.

  • Facilities

    BADA’s London Theatre Program is hosted in our historic Crown Estate building in one of London’s most prestigious residential areas, which is home to a number of national embassies and ambassadorial residences.

    The building has six teaching spaces, a library, the Academy’s offices, a canteen, and a Green Room for students to relax or study in between classes. There are designated computer and printing facilities for students and wireless internet connection available throughout the building.

    BADA is located beside the beautiful Regent’s Park, perfect for walks between classes and picnics on sunny days. BADA’s location offers easy access to the theatres in London’s West End and is a few minutes from Camden Town, famous for its bustling markets, coffee bars, health food stores, art house cinemas and distinctive shops. BADA is also close to Primrose Hill (home to many actors, directors, writers and other artists) with a spectacular panoramic view across London.

    Studying in London enables you to take advantage of the cultural and theatrical riches of one of the world’s great cities, with a history that stretches back more than two thousand years; and also to travel easily around the rest of the United Kingdom and Europe during the nine-day mid-semester break.

  • The London Theatre Program Faculty is comprised of distinguished teaching artists from a variety of theatrical backgrounds. To learn more about our current Faculty, please visit our Faculty page.

  • The London Theatre Program fees are the equivalent of one semester of Sarah Lawrence College tuition which includes all academic expenses, trips, tickets, and masterclasses.

    For more information about current tuition, fees, and estimated expenses, please visit the Sarah Lawrence College website.


    London Theatre Program Refund Policy

    All fees for the London Theatre Program are paid directly to Sarah Lawrence College in accordance with their refund policy and tuition refund insurance.  More details are available at http://www.slc.edu/offices-services/student-accounts/

    Please contact your home institution as to how their refund policy and fee protection plan applies while studying at BADA.


    Financial Assistance
    Sarah Lawrence College students who normally receive financial aid may apply their awards to any College-sponsored program abroad.

    Sarah Lawrence College offers limited financial assistance to guest students on this program. Students should consult their home school’s financial aid office for guidance on other financial aid resources.

    For more information about Sarah Lawrence financial aid options, e-mail the Office of International Programs.


    For questions about Study Abroad, please contact:

    Sarah Lawrence College
    Office of International Programs
    1 Mead Way
    Bronxville, NY 10708-5999

    slcaway@sarahlawrence.edu
    T: 914 395 2305 or 800 873-4752

    For further information or any questions regarding the London Theatre Program, please contact:

    British American Drama Academy
    Seth Dranginis, Marketing & Development Manager
    sdranginis@bada.org.uk

  • Please visit our Covid-19 page for information on protocols and mitigations currently in effect at BADA.

  • Recent productions from Acting in Performance: