Acting

Acting

Studying Acting at WAAPA is an inspiring and all consuming experience. For over 25 years the Acting course has been developed and refined to provide graduates with the skills and experience required to engage in professional theatre practice.

The Acting program trains students as a theatre ensemble. The ensemble develops performance skills in acting, voice and movement by exploring a wide range of works and performance styles, as well as through improvisation and devising original works. While theatre is the core focus of the course, students are also trained in acting for television, film and radio. This practical training is grounded by the study of text analysis, theatre history, contemporary theatre practice and professional preparation. Students integrate their class studies and performance training throughout the course in classroom presentations, workshops, short films and public performances.

Students work closely with WAAPA’s world-class teaching staff and specialist tutors who share the knowledge and skills they have gained through professional acting and directing careers. Working with guest artists and leading industry practitioners facilitates the transition from student to professional life.

Full-scale acting productions provide the opportunity for students to collaborate with their WAAPA peers from other disciplines, such as Production and Design, and subsequently learn more about the complete theatrical production process. WAAPA boasts five performance venues including a proscenium arch theatre, a court style theatre, a black box theatre and an outdoor amphitheatre all equipped with state-of-the-art production facilities.

For graduating students the course culminates in Showcase performances in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. This provides the opportunity for the students to be introduced to agents, directors, producers and industry professionals. WAAPA students have an enviable record for securing agency representation following Showcase.

The Acting course has an international reputation for excellence built on the success of graduates such as Hugh Jackman, Frances O’Connor, Marcus Graham, Rachael Maza, Dominic Purcell, William McInnes and Ditch Davey. These and many other WAAPA alumni have established careers in theatre, film, television and radio both in Australia and internationally.

For important information about the auditions process see downloads to the right of this page.