Course
MTA - Acting Curriculum Overview
Unusually for a Musical Theatre course the first public performance that a MTA student will be involved with will be a straight play. At MTA we believe that at the essence of a good triple threat performer is an exceptionally strong actor. A minimum of 6 hours contact time a week is devoted to the acting component of the course.
YEAR ONE
History of Acting and key practitioners - Stanislavski to Meisner & Mamet
Group/Transactional Improvisation - Identification of group dynamic
Character Study
Different approaches to building a character
Character Monologues
Contemporary Acting Technique:
Transitive Actions, Units, Circles of Concentration, Rhythm and Tempo, Levels of Tension.
Musical Scene Study - Technique Application
Key Performance:
Public performance of a straight play in Drill Hall 2
YEAR TWO
Group Scene Study - Contemporary Text
Personal Project - Writing and Performance
Classical Acting:
Greek Drama - Shakespeare
Classical Monologue Preparation.
Contemporary Monologue Preparation.
Audition Preparation.
Sight reading practice.
Consolidation of all technique through text - Duologues.
Continuation of Audition Preparation.
Key Performance:
Public performance of a straight play in Drill Hall 2
Agent Showcase in Drill Hall 1
Acting at MTA
The Acting course at MTA is designed to introduce the students to all of the key aspects of performance in western theatre tradition, with particular emphasis on the later teachings of Stanislavski.
The MTA acting course arms each student with a thorough knowledge and praxis of a range of acting styles, to rival a graduate of any straight acting drama school course.
From the outset of term one, which culminates in the public performance of a straight play, each student will be challenged in an understanding and practical exploration of what makes for ‘good acting’. Over the two year period they will be taught by a number of leading acting specialists, offering a variety of approaches to the construct of character and performance, creating graduates who are armed with a knowledge of all of the key processes currently adopted in theatre making.
The course actively encourages students to explore a number of approaches to acting, and to identify the creative pathways that are most successful for them in constructing a performance.
We believe at MTA that the key to great acting is not simply talent, but talent enhanced and nurtured by great teaching. It is exactly this we aim to offer to our students.