INTENSIVE PART TIME PROGRAMMES:
Would you appreciate the chance to be taught by working West End professionals?
Would you like to audition for a West End Director?
Would you like to perform on a West End Stage along side a West End performer?
The American Musical Theatre Academy is offering unique, hands-on training opportunity for adult performers who are looking for a chance to take their talents to a whole new level, and most importantly, perform on stage!
Saturday course (NEW) - Cost £275:
ACTING THROUGH SONG - 10 Wks - Starting January 28th, 2011
2 hours weekly
Week One: Finding your grounding as a performer and learning the craft of story-telling. Advanced Breath Control technique to increase your composure through song.
Week Two: How all (Good) songs are essentially an individual play with a three-act structure and primarily their own voice. Creating the story in our own way. Understanding the basic disciplines that all great singers have.
Week Three: Applying your breath support techniques from the last two weeks. Assess your route/journey as an actor to be able to put the wheels in motion to convey a song. Appling the Breath Control and simple focus to explore ways to tell our story.
Week Four: Understanding verse structure and whom you are as a performer to make the right choice of song for you. Putting in to practice your strengths. What specific emotions and character choices resonate with you and allow your voice to be heard through a song that sits with the very core and essence of who you are as a person.
Week Five: Continuation of week four breaking down your song choice and developing your understanding of phrasing and the freedom you need to convey the emotions that are close to you. We all have clear characters that run along side our own desires and needs. These will always resonate with complete truth as they are inherently connected to your core.
Week Six: Physical tells that give away your lack of focus within a song. Once we have your ‘money’ song we strive to develop your story telling and the simplicity needed to put your song across to maximum effect.
Week Seven: Performance power. How you can maximize you as a performer. Bringing together the breathing, acting and focus to ‘sell’ your song. With perfect pitch.
Week Eight: A Cappella performance of your song. A scary revealing exercise that commits you whole-heartedly to the material and the placement which all great performers need.
Week Nine: Clarity and precision. What is my character doing? What does my character want? Where this song comes in the drama? What is the obstacle(s) between my character and their desire? What is the essential action? Where is the conflict? What's it like to me? What circumstances exist in my world that help me connect to that essential action? The main tool here, once the direction of the piece is ascertained, is finding the harmonious relationship between your thought process and the truth and simplicity that a given song suggests.
Week Ten: Performance of your audition ‘Money’ song to Kenneth Avery-Clark principal of AMTA and another West End Musical Director or Resident Director then a live Performance of your work to an invited audience.
Sunday Intensive Musical Theatre Programme (£613) - NOW OPEN TO ALL LEVELS
Next Course starts 29th of January and this term you will perform in the West End with West End performers
10.30 - 3.30 each Sunday (classes run until 5pm closer to the end fo the programme)
Our Sunday programme is an intensive programme which is for people who are thinking about a career in Musical Theatre or for those who are looking to 'top up' their training or keep their skills fresh.
All classes are held at Old Street and terms start in September and January.
The Sunday Programme includes the following:
• A chance to gain a West End credit by performing along side West End performers in the WEST END
• An amazing opportunity to audition for a West End Director or Casting Agent and receive feedback
• Dialect/Speech Coaching
• Understanding and reading harmony
• Acting, singing AND dance training from tutors and directors who regularly work in top West End shows
• A part in the end of term show and mid-term cabaret performance
• A chance to work with students who are at YOUR level so you are not held back (We now accept ALL levels from beginner to advanced)
Also includes:
• Monologues
• Audition Technique
• Character Study
• Understanding dialects and accents
• Comedy Acting
• Improving Dance Technique
• Basic Dance Technique for non-dancers
• The performance side of singing – “selling” the song
• Q&As with Casting Agents, Talent Agents and West End
performers
No audition necessary - Talent is assessed on the first day and groups are split up according to previous training and experience.
Weekday Evening & Weekend Programmes
GLEE club for ADULTS and TEENS (NEW) - Cost £120 plus VAT for 12 weeks
Tuesday evenings from 7.30-9pm
Ok, it's finally here, our very own Glee club!!! This is suitable for those who want to keep their voices active and for those who just want to have fun! Sing, move and then perform at our Christmas Spectacular. All levels welcome!
Musical Theatre Fit Club (NEW) - £48/month per programme
Got a gym membership? Good for you! But is it helping you when you panic because you have an audition TOMORROW and you aren't ready? Be on top of your game and join OUR gym for musical theatre performers!
Each discipline is £48 per month. Do just one, two or do all three (10% discount for two and 20% for three) £25 registration fee
NUMBER ONE - REPERTOIRE CLASSES - Songs or Monologues
For the cost of one private singing lesson you can attend 4 repertoire sessions. Bring a song, be accompanied by a professional audition accompanist and get critiqued by different West End professionals. Learn what other people are singing - what's hot & what's not! What's in & what's out! You can even bring us a monologue or audition script. Best of all? Be READY when that audition comes in. It's your weekly spot to try new material and get feedback.
NUMBER TWO - DANCE
Keep on top of learning routines for auditions. If you are in musical theatre you will have to MOVE at some point. Get fit and be ready! Best of all? Learn routines of the big group numbers from West End shows. Teachers will vary from week to week to keep you on your toes.
NUMBER THREE - BOOTCAMP, musical theatre style
Most of us hate the gym so cancel that membership and join our weekly bootcamp. You need to be in shape to do musical theatre. Who would hire someone to do 8 shows a week if they look like they struggle climbing the stairs. Come, listen to show tunes and lose the flab! A fun, healthy way to keep fit.
If you are in musical theatre you need to be prepared and ready when the audition comes in. These programmes were developed to help you stay 'musical theatre fit' for the monthly cost of 1, private session.
If you do all three disciplines, you are getting 12 classes per month for only £115 total per month! That's worth it to keep your skills fresh and to be ready when that rare opportunity presents itself.
Timings to be confirmed.
Register your interest at info@americanacademy.co.uk
FAQS
Is there a minimum commitment required?
The programmes are usually delivered on a 3-month basis (minimum commitment). After three months, if you wish to continue of course you can, but if you choose to stop attending after that time you can do so with no further obligation.
Are places limited?
We want to give you the best experience we can, so we won’t cram dozens of people onto a course. We are therefore limiting each class to twelve students.
What makes your courses different?
Firstly, the calibre of tutors who are all working West End performers, and who all have their own specific fortes – not just in the areas of dance, singing or acting but in specific areas of comedy, performance technique, choreography and musical direction. Secondly, we offer what no other performance arts course offers – Life Coaching. This will help you define what you want, what’s holding you back from getting it, and how to go after your dreams. Lastly, You will gain priceless practical advice and tools from professionals in the Industry who have “been there, done that”. These tools will help you mould your professional image, avoid the many pitfalls which other performers can fall into without benefit of this sound advice, and go on to create your version of success.
Will I get to be in a show?
We know that you want to perform what you’ve learned from us – that’s the fun part! Show participation varies from programme to programme.
Are the classes the same each week?
No! We vary the classes weekly so that you will get lots of variety, and lots of time to perfect your areas of weakness, as well as work on your strengths.
Am I guaranteed a good role in the show or might I be in the background?
On our intensive 12-week programme we write the shows around the performers, and we will make sure that everyone gets a featured part in the shows.
What will I get out of your programmes?
Our aim is to help you improve your craft, learn from the pros what it takes to make a career out of performance, or just enjoy the art of performance for its own sake. We also want you to get as many chances to perform as we can – after all, that’s what we’re all about!
To reserve your spot on our next term...
Contact +44 (0)20 7253 3118 or email info@americanacademy.co.uk
Kenneth Avery-Clark, creative director at AMTA