Welcome to BA (Hons) Acting.

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Conrad Steven Byrd
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1 Welcome to BA (Hons) Acting. I am writing to welcome you to the BA (Hons) Acting programme. Your audition day will have provided you with a good insight into the positive working environment you will experience as a student. We are very proud of our very successful graduates and this journey begins from day one. Chris Burdett, Programme Leader Your course. The BA (Hons) Acting at The University of Northampton is one of the most intensive actor training programmes available within a Higher Education Institution. With classes ranging from technique, voice and movement over all three years of the course, screen and radio technique and certification in stage combat, alongside opportunities to work with industry professionals throughout, you will graduate with the skills required to compete at the highest level of this very difficult and demanding industry. You will have the opportunity to study - in depth - a number of practitioners, from Stanislavski to Meisner, to Yat Malmgren in six brand new, purpose built studios in the heart of Northampton Town Centre. We train actors, and if this is something that you need to become, then this programme is for you and we welcome the opportunity to work with you! Preparing for your course. The holistic approach we take to training actors means that from the very first day of Welcome Week we expect the highest standards of punctuality, discipline and professionalism, and this should permeate through everything you do, from your appearance to your communication with each other, the staff and the wider public. Your programme involves a full-time commitment. As with any high-level training, it involves repetition and considerable practice. Your commitment to the hours designated and additional rehearsals are an expectation of the programme. Your total student experience is the sum of the timetabled hours, personal exercises, warm-ups, rehearsals, performances and theatre visits.

2 Things you ll need. Writing paper/notepads At least two A4 ring binders for workshops/seminars Pens, pencils (fitted with eraser) Theatre Trip Levy is now available to pay prior to welcome week. We request payment prior to welcome week as we arrange a trip for you during welcome week. The link to pay is (please note you need to copy and paste this link into a new internet page to get it to work). You will need to have appropriate clothes for your classes, we recommend 1 : 3 x plain black, comfortable fitting t-shirts (not baggy) 2 x plain black, comfortable track/dance bottoms (not too tight but not baggy) Females will also need a long black rehearsal skirt For your dance classes 1 : Females - leotard combined with tights/dance shorts/dance leggings. Sports bras are essential. Males - unitards or dance vests & Men's dance tights/shorts Completely flat soled ballet shoes (leather or canvas), jazz shoes which have a small heel are not permitted Things to remember: You are not permitted to wear outdoor shoes in any of the studios; instead, you can either work in bare feet, black plimsolls or black jazz shoes. Outdoor trainers are not permitted. Jewellery is not permitted for health and safety reasons. If you do not wish to work in plimsolls for stage combat you should purchase some indoor trainers to wear for this class. Should you wish you may purchase some of your rehearsal blacks (mentioned above) on which the BA Acting logo is discretely embroidered. There is also an Acting hoodie available. All of these logo items are available to purchase Welcome Week onwards from the Art Shop located at Avenue Campus. 1 All clothing items required are available from dancedirect.com or dancewear.co.uk or any dancewear retail store.

3 Reading list. Once you start with us, All of your core reading will be available from the University Library for free. You will not have to buy any core textbooks and with access to countless books, ebooks and journals there's enough to keep you busy for your entire degree. Below you will find a list of books that we suggest you read for each module. These are texts that are essential you read prior to commencing the course and re-read during the modules to aid your success within each module. They are books we as Academics believe you will find of great benefit to own and therefore if you can purchase them we strongly recommend that you do. Acting Methodologies 1 module Stanislavski, K. (2010) An Actor's Work. (Translated by Jean Benedetti) Oxon: Routledge. ISBN: Hagen, U. (1991) A Challenge for the Actor. U.S.A.: Scribner. ISBN: Vocal Technique for Actors 1 module Houseman, B. (2002) Finding Your Voice - a step-by-step guide for actors. Bodmin: Nick Hern Books. ISBN: Rodenburg, P. (2002) The Actor Speaks - voice and the performer. London: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN: Improvisation for Actors 1 module Clements, Paul (1983) The Improvised Play. ISBN: Johnstone, Keith (1981) Improv: Improvisation and the Theatre. ISBN-13: Actors Body and Movement 1 module Newlove, Jean, Dalby, John (2004) Laban For All, London: Nick Hern Richards, Thomas (1995) At Work with Grotowski on Physical Actions, London: Routledge. Theories and Histories of Acting module Please note many of these texts are playtexts which can be found very cheaply via Amazon.

4 Sophocles. (2010)The Complete Sophocles. New York: Oxford University Press. Williams, T. (1962) Sweet Bird Of Youth: A Streetcar Named Desire ; The Glass Menagerie. Balme, C. (2008) The Cambridge Introduction to Theatre Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Marlowe, C. (1962) Doctor Faustus. Jump, J. (ed.) London: Methuen. Shakespeare, W. (1982) Hamlet. Jenkins, H. (ed.) London: Methuen. Shakespeare, W. (1921) The Tempest. Wilson, J. (ed.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Wycherley, W. (1991) The Country Wife. Ogden, J. (ed.) 2nd edition. London: Methuen. Ibsen, H. (2008) Four Major Plays. New York: Oxford University Press. Chekhov, A. (2008) Five Plays. New York: Oxford University Press. Brenton, H. (1986) Plays: 1. London: Methuen. Brecht, B. (1962) Mother Courage and Her Children: A Chronicle of the Thirty Years War. London: Methuen. Odets, C. (1982) Six Plays. London: Methuen. Osborne, J. (1957) Look Back in Anger. London: Faber. Friel, B. (1981) Brian Friel: Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Translations, Making History, Dancing at Lughnasa. London: Faber and Faber. Miller, A. (1968) The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Pinter, H. (1966) The Homecoming. 2 nd edition. London: Eyre Methuen. Four top tips before you get started. 1. See as much theatre and performance as you can, whether it s the local pantomime in your village hall, big budget shows in London s West End or everything in between! 2. Read plays lots of them!

5 3. Get as fit as you can. This programme is highly practical and involves a lot of physical activity. From simple things such as walking around your local park to more complex activities such as yoga, all will help you to thrive in this exciting training. 4. Learn how to cook simple, nutritious meals. Being healthy is vital for actors so will benefit you in staying the course in this demanding environment. Things from the simple baked potato to the student staple spaghetti bolognese, will help you to maintain the energy that is required of our student actors. We recognise that it is impossible to be 100%, 100% of the time but it is something that we can strive towards and we as a staff team will do everything we can to help you achieve your goals! Keep in touch. We look forward to meeting you. If you have any questions in the meantime, please get in touch with us: Course freephone: Online: northampton.ac.uk/enquiry study@northampton.ac.uk Our office hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am to 4.30pm on Friday. Plus, we re on social media! Find us here: northampton.ac.uk/social-media-hub

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES School Year: September 21, 2018 June 08, /1/18

2018-2019 SCHEDULE OF CLASSES School Year: September 21, 2018 June 08, 2019 8/1/18 Our 30-week program runs from September through June. Classes meet once a week. Student must attend only their registered