The Laine Theatre Arts Foundation Diploma in Dance and Musical Theatre is an intensive 28 week vocational training course. It is designed for students of 16+ years who may lack either the level of knowledge or experience required to become strong contenders for a place on their chosen performing arts diploma or degree course and/or the accompanying personal, psychological strengths. The focus is to build a sturdy base of technical skill in dance, singing and acting whilst developing a strong work ethic and allowing self-confidence to grow as a result of increased knowledge and understanding.

The Foundation Course is also the beginning of a longer journey – the exploration of a student’s own unique sense of individuality.

Throughout the course, students will study a full timetable of traditional and commercial jazz, classical ballet, contemporary, acting, singing technique and audition/interview preparation. Students are nurtured through the college application/audition process and are offered career advice in personalised 1-1 tutorial sessions throughout the course, guiding them towards the next stage in their development and/or training. Most of our past students would agree that the Foundation Course is intense, both mentally and physically, but that the resulting sense of achievement and progression is highly rewarding. They have often been noted for the professionalism of their approach when they move on to further training courses and we are very proud that a many ex-students describe their time on the Foundation Course as ‘the best year of my life so far’.

The Foundation Course aims to prepare students successfully for professional training and helps them audition for the major colleges offering mainstream dance and performing arts courses.
There is a focus on core training and technique, the aim of which is to establish a secure foundation upon which a professional future can be built. Mock audition classes and support with application process will help students prepare constructively for the next stage of their training.

This is a 1-year full-time intensive course and can be treated as a diagnostic ‘year out’, post A-level.

Industry-supported training for successful careers in theatre, film, television, and live events

This comprehensive vocational training will qualify you to be the best in the industry: capable, creative and highly sought-after by employers.

In this industry-leading two-year course you’ll develop the skills, knowledge and experience you need to have a successful and long-lasting career in theatre, film, television and beyond.

Exploring the capabilities of LAMDA’s three professional theatre spaces and our range of workshop and studio facilities, you’ll work side-by-side with experienced industry professionals to create and run LAMDA’s productions.

The nature of this vocational course means that you will be preparing every day for a professional career within the entertainment and events industry. We focus on developing your practical skills alongside principles.

During your first term you’ll begin to put the skills you’ve learnt into practice by staging a small production. From this point on you will continue to receive classes but will also start to get involved in LAMDA’s productions – either workshops or performances.

You’ll also undertake a professional work placement to gain experience in an area of your choice.

In addition, you will have opportunities to network with current industry practitioners, to ensure you’re prepared both for full-time employment and for freelancing.

Experience one of the best and newly re-imagined Performing Arts Foundation courses in the UK, with world-class training and incredible opportunities.

Introducing our newly designed Performing Arts Foundation Diploma Course.

Whether it’s acting, making, writing, film, music theatre, movement theatre, directing or producing you are interested in – this course can be your springboard into the performing arts. The course offers you the opportunity to experience first-hand the industry leading actor training at LAMDA, as well as expand your creative horizon in helping you identify who you want to be as an artist. It can act both as preparation for a degree or as a standalone course, providing the tools and connections to step into the creative industries.

Ever-evolving and responding to the current demands of a changing industry, this course focuses on YOU and what you want your creative identity to be. It helps you identify how you want to express yourself as an artist and it will empower you to trust your unique path, training the actors and artists of the future! You will connect with exciting theatre makers and directors from across the UK and London, giving you an opportunity to make connections beyond LAMDA, as well as learn from LAMDA practitioners and alumni who are making their own work and will share their experiences as artists with you

Every Module has been conceived in collaboration with associated artists, LAMDA practitioners and LAMDA alumni. Our approach to the training is to create equitable, non hierarchical and empowering rehearsal rooms in which it is safe to challenge each other, challenge pre-conceived ideas of what the responsibility of actors as artists and storytellers might be, whilst always championing accountability, professionalism and discipline within the ensemble.

Each module within the course will have its own structure, depending on the specialism you’ll be exploring. Throughout the intensive six months, you will receive core skills training in voice, acting, movement and music until you begin your final rehearsal to performance module. 

This course, with two pathways of delivery to choose from, allows you to learn the secrets of a successful audition, alongside voice, movement, dance and acting classes....

The Foundation Course in Acting, available both full-time or part-time will give you a broad foundation in performance techniques and methods, and will be invaluable to anyone wanting to go to Drama School or take up a place on a performance course at University. It is also available to those who want to expand their experience in acting before applying. Former students have gone on to train at a variety of drama schools in the UK and in the USA.

Professional Workshops at Shakespeare's Globe (full-time pathway only)
Audition Preparation for Acting and Singing in Small Tutorial Groups
Level 3 Qualification: Students are awarded between 24 and 30 points depending on their exam result.
With less contact time than the full-time route, the part-time option of this course concentrates on the core skills of acting, voice and text. You will work on one major project towards your assessment.

The curriculum offers skills classes in:
- acting technique (focusing on Stanislavski and Meisner)
- movement
- voice
- singing (group and solo)
- text analysis

Specialist classes in:
- acting for screen
- introduction to playwriting
- introduction to filmmaking

Rehearsal projects:
- contemporary playwrights
- Realist movement
- Shakespeare

During the course you will have the opportunity to explore careers in theatre and related industries, and will be introduced to practitioners who can discuss the range of career options available.

READ College’s full-time, vocational Foundation Course in Acting is now entering its 9th year, and graduate destinations have included RADA, Central, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, East 15, Mountview, Rose Bruford, Fourth Monkey and many more. As a registered charity, we support students from under-represented and disadvantaged backgrounds with bursary funding towards tuition fees through our Access to The Arts ™ programme.

Students benefit from at least 27 hours of contact time per week, and study a wide range of plays, writers, practitioners and acting styles in classes led by leading industry tutors. Classes range from Improv to Classical Theatre, Vocal Technique to Physical Theatre, and Audition Preparation to Singing. Students also benefit from regular masterclasses with guest tutors from all of the major degree-level courses, to prepare them for auditions.

Our Foundation students graduate with the Level 4 ATCL Diploma in Performing, awarded by Trinity College London.

Over 96% of READ College graduates have been offered places at leading degree-level courses since the college opened, and our alumni now includes actors, directors and award-winning writers. Courses run from September to July, and applications are now open for our 2021 intake. Open days take place throughout the year, and we also run regular taster courses in the school holidays.

To find out more, please visit the link below or contact admissions on 0118 9666275.

The MGA one-year foundation course in Acting offers a pre-vocational year designed to prepare you for the demands of professional, full-time training and provides you with the skills required to audition successfully for the country’s leading Drama institutions.

It is directed at those students who intend pursuing a vocational training but who either don’t quite yet have the skills required to audition successfully, or who do not have the required academic qualifications to start a Bachelor of Arts qualification.

The course is designed to thoroughly prepare you for the process of auditioning and the rigours of taking up a three-year place at a Drama school, expanding your skill set and enabling you to realise your full potential in your future training.

MGA Foundation Students have gone on to study at, amongst others, the American Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Arts Educational Schools, Bird College, Guildford School of Acting, Laine Theatre Arts, Mountview Academy, Performers College, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama – and, of course, The MGA Academy of Performing Arts.

The Foundation schedule runs for one whole academic year over three full-time terms of training and an HNC qualification is awarded to those who successfully complete all the required modules.

The course is technique orientated, giving you a solid foundation in the key discipline of Acting that can then be built upon in future studies.

Specialist classes and training workshops include:

- Acting 1: Developing Skills
- Acting Methods and Practitioners
- Movement: Developing Skills
- Production: Developing Skills
- Singing for the Actor
- Voice Technique
- Audition and Performance for Acting
- Personal Development
MGA’s unique focus on audition technique and professional development will ensure that students are best placed to gain entry into any of the UK’s distinguished drama schools.

Though MGA has an excellent track record, given the nature and level of competition for Drama School places, we cannot guarantee that foundation students will be accepted at their chosen full-time provider and successful completion of the MGA foundation course does not automatically mean that students will progress onto MGA’s own three-year programmes.

The MGA one-year Foundation course in Musical Theatre offers a pre-vocational year designed to prepare you for the demands of professional, full-time training and provides you with the skills required to audition successfully for the country’s leading Musical Theatre institutions.

It is directed at those students who intend pursuing a vocational training but who either don’t quite yet have the skills required to audition successfully, or who do not have the required academic qualifications to start a Bachelor of Arts qualification.

The course is designed to thoroughly prepare you for the process of auditioning and the rigours of taking up a three-year place at a Drama School, expanding your skill set and enabling you to realise your full potential in your future training.

MGA Foundation students have gone on to study at, among others, the American Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Arts Educational Schools, Bird College, Guildford School of Acting, Laine Theatre Arts, Mountview Academy, Performers College, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama – and, of course, The MGA Academy of Performing Arts.

The Foundation schedule runs for one whole academic year over three full-time terms of training and an HNC qualification is awarded to those who successfully complete all the required modules.

The course is technique orientated, giving you a solid foundation in the three key disciplines of Acting, Singing and Dance that can then be built upon in future studies.

Specialist classes and training workshops include:

- Singing Skills For Musical Theatre
- Jazz Dance For Musical Theatre
- Ballet Dance For Musical Theatre
- Acting: Developing Skills
- Vocal Techniques for Musical Theatre
- Performance 1: Developing Skills
- Graded Unit: Musical Theatre
- Audition Technique and Performance for Musical Theatre
- Personal Development
- Individual Singing Lesson
- Group/Ensemble Singing
MGA’s unique focus on audition technique and professional development will ensure that students are best placed to gain entry into any of the UK’s distinguished drama schools.

Though MGA has an excellent track record, given the nature and level of competition for Drama School places, we cannot guarantee that foundation students will be accepted at their chosen full-time provider and successful completion of the MGA foundation course does not automatically mean that students will progress onto MGA’s own three-year programmes.

Our one-year Foundation Course prepares students aged 17 years and over for auditions and study in further vocational training.

Performance technique and ability make up a large component of this course with tailored, actionable feedback which is an important part of each individual’s development. The course also includes the Urdang Dance & Theatre Syllabus Level 4 Diploma in Musical Theatre (Performance) [subject to validation] which enables the students to develop their academic skills within the subject in preparation for higher education study.

This course is for talented students who are keen to enhance their technical proficiency so they can successfully audition for further studies in musical theatre and dance, whilst also continuing their full time education to gain a qualification to aid in their application to study. Since its introduction in 2009, our one year Foundation Course has proved to be highly successful as a stepping stone for students into further training at a vocational college or university.