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

• Acting (classes and tutorials, 1 credit, memorization required): Acting classes and tutorials use both Classical and modern texts to examine the fundamental principles of a contemporary post-Stanislavskian acting methodology.
• Shakespeare (classes, 2 credits, 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, 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/Caulier physical theatre tradition, focusing on improvisation, physical presence and ensemble performance.
• Voice (classes, 2 credits, 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, 1 credit): 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.
• Analysis (classes, 1 credit): Analysis classes consider the playtext as a product of the political, social and psychological moment of its creation and of the material circumstances of performance, while simultaneously examining dramatic text as a blueprint for contemporary performance. Detailed analysis of one or more scenes from classic plays will be undertaken during the semester and an annotated scene script will be submitted for assessment.

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.

• Sample directing course or module 1
• Sample directing course or module 2
• Sample directing course or module 3

• Monday: Example class or activity
• Tuesday: Example class or activity
• Wednesday: Example class or activity
• Thursday: Example class or activity
• Friday: Example class or activity