Academy of Live and Recorded Arts
ALRA (The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts) offers truly vocational training, maintaining excellent links with the profession and attracting outstanding tutors and directors. It accepts highly motivated students who are prepared to meet industry challenges head on - and aims to create versatile and well prepared actors and stage managers.
If you come to ALRA you will attend an Academy where all the staff are dedicated to helping you get the very best out of your training.
Location
ALRA is based in the Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, a magnificent Grade 2 Victorian Gothic building on the edge of Wandsworth Common, South West London. The school is just a short walk away from Clapham's lively bars, clubs and restaurants and the superb multi-arts venue, Battersea Arts Centre. Situated close to Clapham Junction Train Station, students have excellent access to the city centre for visits to West End theatres, fringe theatres and London nightlife.
Facilities
ALRA's facilities include: a state of the art adaptable Theatre, a well equipped Television Studio and Editing Suite, an excellent Radio Studio, eight flexible Rehearsal Studios, the Great Hall, Prop Making Workshop, Construction Workshop, Library and Learning Resource Centre, Students' Common Room and Showers and Changing Rooms.
Student Welfare and Learning Support
Student Counselling Service We take our student’s welfare seriously and ensure that everyone has access to help and advice as and when required.
We offer individual counselling sessions free of charge to all students training at ALRA. All sessions are confidential.
Disabilities and Dyslexia Applications from disabled and dyslexic students are welcomed and we are happy to make adjustments where possible to ensure that our training is inclusive. However, as the RVP Building is a listed building there is limited access for people with mobility impairments. Candidates wishing to apply for any of ALRA’s courses should discuss their requirements with the Registrar before submitting their application. This is important as it helps us to meet your needs promptly.
We offer in-house study skills support with our Learning Support Tutor who is able to help identify and work with the full range of needs.
If you are offered a Dance and Drama Award (DaDA) you can apply for additional funding from the Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) via the Learning and Skills Council. The DSA grant is able to help cover the cost of any extra support and equipment students may require throughout their time at ALRA.
Equal Opportunities ALRA is committed to enabling equality for all its students and staff. ALRA actively welcomes applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds on all its programmes. Their input and experience is vital to representing the cultural mix of the creative industries for which our students are studying. ALRA works hard to support and represent all their students, irrespective of race, gender, faith or age in order to ensure each and every individual receives an equal measure of ALRA’s excellent facilities. Please see ALRA’s Equal Opportunities policy at www.alra.co.uk or call +44 (0) 20 8870 6475 and ALRA will send you a copy.
Courses
ALRA offers the following courses: BA (Hons) Acting, MA Professional Acting, Foundation Acting, Stage Management and Technical Theatre Foundation Degree, Various Short Courses
Dance and Drama Awards (DADA's) are available on the BA (Hons) Acting and MA Professional Acting courses.
Acceptance
Admission to the school is based on successful audition. There are no specific educational prerequisites for entrance, but the MA Professional Acting course offered by the school is offered only to students aged 21 and over. Applicants are offered the opportunity to visit the school and participate "in a day of practical workshops".
Qualifications
All students completing the 3 year BA (Hons) Acting course successfully will be awarded the BA (Hons) Acting (validated by the University of Greenwich) and the National Diploma in Professional Acting (validated by Trinity College London). In addition to this, students will be offered Equity membership through NCDT accreditation.[1]
All students completing the MA Professional Acting course successfully will be awarded the MA Professional Acting (validated by the University of Greenwich) and the National Certificate in Professional Acting validated by Trinity College London). In addition to this, students will be offered Equity membership through NCDT accreditation.[2]
All students completing the 2 year Stage Management Foundation Degree course successfully will be awarded a National Foundation Degree in Stage Management, and are guaranteed at least one work placement.[3]
BA (Hons) Acting/National Diploma in Professional Acting
A full- time, three year course to prepare students for a varied career as a professional actor
Course Overview The three year Acting course is aimed at giving you the adaptability, flexibility and openness needed to sustain a career in the stage, screen and audio industries. Throughout the programme you explore your creative, vocal and physical potential and are shown current operational methods and practices enabling effective and professional work.
The BA (Hons) Acting ensures you are well practised in the core areas of acting, movement and voice and throughout the course these skills are integrated in a series of focused projects including Shakespeare, Chekhov, TV and radio.
Throughout the degree you enhance your capacity to learn in a disciplined, organised manner and develop skills leading to self-reliant learning. The programme is fully based in the practice of performance and benefits from the high levels of expertise of the practicing professionals who make up ALRA’s teaching and directing staff.
MA Professional Acting/National Certificate in Professional Acting
A full - time, intensive, one year course to prepare students for a career in the stage and screen industries
Course Overview This comprehensive programme enables graduates and others with relevant experience to quickly acquire and develop the practical skills necessary to establish and sustain a career in theatre, television, film and radio. You will need substantial reserves of stamina and resourcefulness in order to take full advantage of this highly intensive training.
The focus of the programme is in the core areas of acting, voice and movement, supported by critical analysis, enabling you to reflect on your own developing acting process. Classes in acting technique and improvisation will offer practical solutions for character development and theatre making. You learn established movement techniques, exploring physical approaches to the development of character as well as basic dance skills. You are taught the essential techniques relating to speech, singing and the effective use of the voice. You use study skills in the development of believable characters in performance, and develop these skills further by creating an individual research project for performance.
Foundation Acting
Foundation Acting A part - time, three term course to prepare you for full- time vocational training
Course Overview A most useful course prior to drama school or university to gain experience, confidence, audition techniques and practice within the drama school environment, or for those seeking a career change or who wish to learn more about drama and its disciplines.
The Foundation Acting course is designed to improve your performance skills in order to help you make informed decisions about your future career. It enables you to experience the rigour and variety available in the field of acting and to test your expectations against the realities of vocational training. On completion of the course, you are prepared for audition and entry onto full time actor training courses and will normally expect to go on to study on vocational courses at accredited drama schools.
The aim of Foundation Acting is to prepare you vocally, physically and mentally as well as equip you with the skills you need to take up full-time courses at accredited drama schools. You are given the opportunity to explore appropriate training and learn to understand the approaches and requirements of various schools and colleges. As well as covering the basic principles of acting, an emphasis is placed on building up a repertoire of suitable audition pieces.
Stage Management and Technical Theatre Foundation Degree
A full - time, two year course to equip students with the necessary skills to gain employment in the theatre industry
Course Overview The Stage Management and Technical Theatre Foundation Degree offers a thorough vocational training for those who wish to work in stage management and technical theatre production.
This two - year course includes practical and theoretical instruction in stage and production management, stage craft, lighting, sound, and prop creation and design. You will gain a professional knowledge of the industry and are prepared for a variety of employment opportunities from small - scale theatres to large multi-media events. In addition, ALRA encourages you to undertake a professional work placement.
Studying at ALRA on this Stage Management and Technical Theatre Foundation Degree equips you with the necessary skills, experience, vision and determination to gain employment with the theatre industry. The programme is deliberately challenging and endeavours to emulate the procedures of the industry.
Productions take place in ALRA’s flexible theatre working with professional directors and designers.
Grants & Funding
The full-time acting courses at ALRA are a part of the UK government's Department for Education and Skills Dance and Drama Award (DADA) programme, which bears the brunt of tuition fees and maintenance costs for those who qualify[4] Students are also nominated by ALRA for bursaries from the following: The Laurence Olivier Bursary The Stanley Picker Trust The Lilian Baylis Award The Sir John Gielgud Charitable Trust Students are usually nominated in their second or third year of study
Most UK/EU students on the Stage Management and Technical Theatre Foundation Degree are entitled to a loan package from the government. This support consists of:
a fee loan for tuition fees student loan for living expenses non-repayable maintenance grant for eligible students from lower income households Should you wish to apply for both the fee loan and student loan, they are combined into one consolidated loan payable after graduation.
Resident Staff
- Sarah Double (Programme Manager)
- Clive Duncan (Programme Director - Acting)
- Maureen Gibbins (Finance Manager)
- Emma Gray (Marketing & Development Officer)
- Robert Lewis (Counsellor)
- Saul Reid (Registrar)
- Daniel Rowson (Learning Resources/IT Manager)
- Susan Watson (Admin Assistant)
- John Wild (Head of Voice)
- Maria Clarke (Head of Movement)
Board of Trustees
- Jimmy Akingbola
- Richard Gill
- Philip Hedley C.B.E (Vice-Chairman)
- Keith Murray (Chairman)[5]