The Courtyard is delighted to be launching Actors Academy, a series of workshops and classes for ages 11 – 19.
The Actors Academy will offer students the opportunity to develop advanced techniques in all aspects of theatre and performance as well as creative writing skills.
To launch the project, The Courtyard are hosting a range of one-day summer workshops including Actors Academy: Acting For Film (Saturday 17 May) where participants will learn about how shot choice, lighting and scene blocking inform acting for camera; Actors Academy: Motion Capture (Saturday 7 June), exploring physical techniques used in this new genre featured in video games and films; and Actors Academy: Stage Combat (Saturday 12 July) where professional actor Matt Canny will guide participants through the art of stage fighting with swords and unarmed.
To wrap up the summer 2025 launch, there is a week-long Actors Academy workshop from Monday 4 – Friday 8 August. Matt Canny and The Courtyard’s skilled practitioners will help participants to explore the power of physical theatre, master mime, and dive deep into character as they bring some of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters to life. This week-long workshop will culminate in a public sharing performance in The Courtyard’s Studio Theatre at the end of the week.
“We are delighted to be able to offer these exciting workshops which give young people the opportunity to access expert tuition in these special areas of theatre.” Says Carrie Potter, Participation Manager (maternity cover), “These sessions complement our existing youth theatre classes allowing those who aspire to a career in theatre, the opportunity to dive deeper into different elements and to add to their skillset.”
For more information or to book onto the Actors Academy workshops, visit courtyard.org.uk/holiday-workshops.