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Italia Conti Academy
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The Italia Conti Academy is Britain's oldest theatre arts training school. It was founded in 1911 by actress Italia Conti (Italia Emily Stella Conti, 1873–1946). It is the only theatre school along with Arts Educational to offer full-time in-house courses at secondary, further and higher education levels. The Academy promotes multi-skilled training, believing the more opportunities offered to students, the wider the choice of options in the work place.
The Academy grew out of the first production of the play Where the Rainbow Ends.
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Encyclopedia
The Italia Conti Academy is Britain's oldest theatre arts training school. It was founded in 1911 by actress Italia Conti (Italia Emily Stella Conti, 1873–1946). It is the only theatre school along with Arts Educational to offer full-time in-house courses at secondary, further and higher education levels. The Academy promotes multi-skilled training, believing the more opportunities offered to students, the wider the choice of options in the work place.
The Academy grew out of the first production of the play Where the Rainbow Ends. Italia Conti, who was already an established actress and had a reputation for her success working with young people, was asked to take over the job of training the cast. The play was a triumph and the school was born in basement studios in London’s Great Portland Street.
The Academy's principle has always been to provide a thorough education and training. Staff of professional experts give students that enter the profession with the necessary professional skills, having also been encouraged to develop their social talents and to evolve a set of standards essential for personal and professional fulfilment.
Today
The Academy's main offices and studios are on Goswell Road in London, while the BA Hons acting course takes place in the Avondale building, located in north Clapham. The main building houses the junior school (9-15) and also the 3 year musical theatre course (16-19), where actors and dancers are prepared for the professional stage and screen. Facilities in the Avondale building include the 152-seater Avondale Theatre, the Sheridan Studio Theatre, a fully-equipped recording studio, a TV studio, acting and movement studios, IT facilities and a small but significant library. The main building has junior school rooms, fully equipped dance studios, a canteen, IT facilities and The Italia Conti Agency.
The BA Acting course in Clapham has recently seen an over-haul by Chris White bringing in notable staff such as Kate Williams, Karen Henthorn, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart, Aoife Smyth and Samuel Oatley. Sue Colgrave and Lawrence Evans continue their association with the school. The training received here is NCDT validated and is very different from that of the musical theatre course. Italia Conti School of Acting is a member of the CDS. For further details please look at the newly updated website www.italiaconti-acting.co.uk or, alternatively, contact Kerry Beverstock, the course co-ordinator, on 020 7733 3210.
Further Italia Conti facilities include:
- The Italia Conti Associate School Chislehurst, which provides professional classes to students aged 4-18 on Thursday and Friday Evenings and all day Saturdays at Coopers Technology College, Chislehurst. This is one of several associate schools in the UK that provides training in Theatre arts to children and teenagers.
- The Italia Conti Associate School Wokingham, which provides professional classes to students all day Saturdays at St Crispin's School, Wokingham.
- The Italia Conti Art Centre at Guildford, which provides training for future teachers of performing art students.
- Italia Conti Tunbridge Wells, which provides performing arts courses at the Skinners School in Tunbridge Wells, as well as a one-year course for students who wish to see if they are attracted to the profession.
- Italia Conti Brighton & Hove, Opened in September 2007
- Some other schools have courses that are in association with the Academy.
Alumni
- See :Category:Italia Conti graduates.
In literature
The Italia Conti Academy is the inspiration for the drama school in At Freddie's, a novel by Penelope Fitzgerald, who taught at the academy in the 1960s.
External links
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