Back to school time at the Gaiety School of Acting

This is the perfect time of year to put that long held ambition to act into reality.

It’s that time of year again – school bags, pencil cases and the dreaded book list. But this isn’t just for kids as more and more adults are returning back to education. So why not try something different and use this time to explore an area you’ve always been curious about – like acting. The Gaiety School of Acting – The National Theatre School of Ireland has been at the heart of actor training in Ireland for the past 27 years and offers three acclaimed 1-Year Part-Time acting courses for those with aspirations of becoming the next Colin Farrell, Aidan Turner, Eva Birthistle or Charlie Murphy. In addition to a range of techniques taught by highly experienced drama tutors, each course includes specialised workshops in areas such as voice, comedy improv and acting for camera. While the three courses available can be taken as individual programmes, they are also a combined comprehensive three-year cycle with Performance Year representing Year 1 and Performance Theatre Company Year 3. The Performance Year in Acting is designed to give participants the opportunity to explore the process of acting in a supportive and structured environment.  Students are encouraged to embark on a personal journey that will challenge their perceptions, develop spontaneity and foster imaginative development. The Advanced Performance Year in Acting is aimed at those students who are committed to further enhancing their skills as a performer. The course maintains a strong emphasis on performance and the presentation of work while focusing on the individual students’ strengths and weaknesses. The class will also attend theatre productions in Dublin and workshops in areas such as Acting for Camera, Improvisation and Clowning. The Performance Theatre Company (Dublin & Cork) provides a practical educational experience in the production of theatre. It is designed to nurture new performers and introduce the experience of producing ensemble theatre. Students will be involved in the onstage and backstage production of each show. Along with acting in each show, students will contribute to direction, design, sourcing of props, sets and costumes, marketing of each production and the devising of work where applicable. The course can, in short, be viewed as a culmination of the two years of study in Performance and Advanced Performance Year. Each of the three courses provides students with the chance to performance in regular showcases, either public or private. This gives participants the opportunity to put the skills and techniques they have learnt into practice. One past pupil, Pep Garcia-Pascual, did just that. His one-man show 'Pep Talk' was built on the success of the training he received through the 1-Year Part Time Programme. You can check out his interview as GSA Alumnus of the Month here! ‘I love Dublin," aid Pep. "That was one of the reasons why I choose The Gaiety School of Acting too. I learned a lot there! I made my professional debut in Dublin at The Comedy Of Errors by William Shakespeare directed by Kristian Marken (GSA tutor).’ There is an audition entry process for these courses - but don’t let that put you off. You never know what acting talent you may have tapped into which would make you the perfect candidate for any one of the Gaiety School of Acting’s part-time courses. For more information, and to apply, check out gaietyschool.com or call on 01-679 9277. They’re on Facebook and Twitter, too so there’s no excuse for finding the perfect course for you.