Overview

Next Stage provides a supportive and creatively challenging environment for young artists serious about their artistic development. Each course runs across a semester (two terms) and students work towards group performance outcomes supported by NIDA’s creative leaders. Course work includes an introduction to a variety of performance disciplines and stage craft to help students develop their passion for performing arts in a holistic approach to performance and theatre training. Get ready for the Next Stage of your creative training!

Students engage in a personalised assessment and feedback process with their tutor at the end of every semester, providing them with the information and support they need to decide the next step in their creative education.

Semester 1 – Devising: Anthology Vista

It’s said ‘A picture speaks a thousand words’. Now it’s time to give voice to those words and tell their unspoken stories. Inspired by a series of evocative images develop your visual literacy and theatre-making skills as you devise original stories for the stage in this exciting 16 week course. Working in a true ensemble environment, explore visual theatre and contemporary storytelling techniques and extend your voice and movement skills to create an anthology of original devised work. Under the guidance of an experienced NIDA Open teaching artist bring your imagination to life in our dynamic, collaborative classrooms and share your creativitity in a one off performance for family and friends at the end of the semester.

Components

• Collaboration: Incorporate and develop shared ideas into a live presentation.
• Creative Voice: Assume a variety of roles in a creative process, generate new ideas for an original performance work.
• Stage Craft: Consider the elements that contribute to the physical realisation of a performance.
• Performance: Apply acting, voice and movement practice to a short live presentation.

Semester 2 – Scripts & Staging: Words off the Page

Walk in the shoes of a professional actor to experience what actually happens in a rehearsal and production process. Develop the skills necessary to take your performance ability to the Next Stage as you work on a full, scripted performance chosen especially for your class group. Across 16 weeks you will work with a NIDA Open teaching artist to develop a fully-realised character for performance then present the rehearsed work in a studio setting to family and friends.

Components

• Text Analysis: Interpret and bring to life a written text for live performance.
• Vocal Expression: Practise and apply vocal performance technique in a live presentation.
• Performance Skill: Experiment with specific voice and movement choices to influence character and performance.
• Stage Craft: Consider the elements that contribute to the physical realisation of a scripted, live performance.

Prerequisites

Students must be available to attend every session of this 16-week course. End of course feedback and project participation is dependent on reliable attendance. Students can apply for attendance exemption in exceptional circumstances, applications must be made in advance to the supervising course manager. Students enrolled in this course must have participated in at least three NIDA term or holiday courses prior to attending this course OR be able to provide evidence of appropriate training at a comparable institution. 

For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions.