2016 2017 Acting Production Set and Costume Design Playwriting Directing Application deadline: January 31, 2016 futureoftheatre.ca
6886094
Rachel Ganz Playwriting student
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Why choose to study at the National Theatre School of Canada? Simply put, because you are an artist who wants to make a life in the theatre, because you are ready to work harder than you ever have before, because you believe in the power of theatre to transform lives, and because you know you belong here. — What you will experience at the National Theatre School (NTS) is unlike anything you will find elsewhere. This is a school where we know you as the individual you are and where we embrace diversity in all its forms. Beyond the fact that NTS has trained generations of celebrated artists, it is first and foremost a living environment that pulsates with an irresistible energy, the kind that can only exist where a multiplicity of opinions and artistic approaches meet. — If you are fully committed to your craft, we are committed to providing you with an unparalleled level of intense, rigorous, personalized, and inspiring training. This is a school where we expect you to push further every day. In return, you will find a team fully devoted to your success. And, when you graduate, you will become part of a special artistic family that shapes and constantly redefines what happens on stages across the country.
The National Theatre School of Canada provides rigorous and thorough training. Our graduates emerge with a foundation fusing creativity and technique, a foundation that is as fertile as it is strong, one that will nourish and drive a career over the changing course of a lifetime. We offer direct access to Canada’s leading theatre practitioners in small-class settings, providing our students with unparalleled opportunities to make fruitful and abiding connections with mentors who will one day be their peers. — The National Theatre School is a place where each student is unlimited by gender, ethnicity, class, or anything else. We nourish vision, we teach craft, we foster excellence. We are passionate about Canadian culture, and we love theatre and our role in cultivating the artists who will shape its future.
Alisa Palmer, Artistic Director of the English Section
— I hope you will join the NTS family and help us create the future of Canadian theatre. Gideon Arthurs, CEO
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ATTENDING THE NATIONAL THEATRE SCHOOL MEANS ... 01 —
Becoming a part of a special community of passionate artists who stand together in solidarity.
02 — Engaging in demanding and
05 — Interacting with close to 300 teachers, artists, and professional designers at the top of their field from across Canada.
06 — Benefiting from personalized
stimulating work because the desire to make a life in the theatre is stronger than anything else.
training within classes of no more than 14 students.
03 — Creating bold, powerful, and
07 — Contributing to many
intriguing theatre that defines its era. Our students and graduates received more than 105 awards and distinctions in 2014.
productions that faithfully reproduce the actual professional experience. Students in the English section of the School presented seven productions before an audience in 2014-2015.
04 — Studying in Montreal, a vibrant and cross-cultural artistic hub.
08 — Preparing for a successful transition to a rewarding career: 95% of NTS graduates obtain professional contracts directly associated with their training upon finishing their programs.
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“My favourite thing about the Playwriting program is how small it is. I love working one-on-one with my dramaturg. To have whomever you’re working with look at you and say: ‘What’s your voice, and how do we make it as loud as possible?’ and for them to really care… I simply can’t find that anywhere else.”
Rachel Ganz, Playwriting student
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“NTS is an unrivaled opportunity for a young artist: an intensive, exhaustive immersion in the hard work of the craft, where the students are given a discerning focus on their individual needs and progress by some of today’s leading theatre practitioners — and all of this while surrounded by talented and audacious dreamers of the next generation.”
Graeme Somerville, 1999 Acting graduate
“The thing I like best about NTS is that it really does feel like a community. From the administration to the teachers to the students in all of the programs, there is a real interest in and commitment to each other’s work and development. There is something about that spirit and the way it permeates the whole school that really pushes expectations and the quality of the work to a very high level.”
“I came to NTS wanting to become a successful designer and left here a true artist, which is something I did not anticipate. Developing a unique voice and style has allowed me to reach and surpass all the goals I had set for myself.”
Jenna McCutchen, 2011 Set and Costume Design graduate
“My most memorable moment so far is still the first day at the School: walking out onto the Ludger-Duvernay Theatre stage, looking out to the audience, and realizing that I would be here for the next three years creating in this amazing space.”
Daniel Bennett, Production student
Carly Chamberlain, Directing student
READ ADDITIONAL QUOTES FROM STUDENTS AND GRADUATES AT ENT-NTS.CA.
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PROGRAMS
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ACTING The National Theatre School provides powerful and unparalleled training for actors. The Acting program integrates voice, movement and text work to holistically expand the actor’s range. Classical techniques form the basis of a training that exposes the young artist to a wide array of texts, forms and styles ranging from devised theatre to acting for the screen (TV, film, and web). In an intimate and personalized setting, students are guided by influential figures of contemporary Canadian and international theatre who are actively engaged in their community.
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WHAT MAKES THE PROGRAM UNIQUE?
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
— H ighly individualized training with an emphasis on building long-lasting professional relationships; — A training process that includes a broad spectrum of approaches and styles, from classics to contemporary works; from musical theatre to collaborative creation; from film acting to motioncapture training – all the while maintaining a strong focus on core stage techniques; — Daily interactions with teachers, coaches, and directors who work in theatres across the country, including Royal MTC, Tarragon, Soulpepper, CanStage, 2b theatre, TNB, The Citadel, Theatre Calgary, The Globe, and many others; — Partnerships with organizations ranging from the Stratford and Shaw festivals (study trips and core training) to creative industry leaders such as Ubisoft.
— Year 1: The training begins with the basics, including the actor’s presence, self-awareness and active listening, and builds to the exploration of text with a focus on action, character, and story.
DIRECTOR: ALISA PALMER Alisa Palmer is an award-winning theatre director, playwright, and theatre producer. Alisa has directed collective creations, the classics, musical theatre, and opera, and has been at the helm of a number of landmark Canadian plays. She has premiered and toured original and provocative theatre creations for over 20 years. Complete biography: ent-nts.ca.
Duration of training: 3 years, full-time. Number of students accepted: maximum of 14 students per year (class size is determined by the Artistic Director). Required age of candidates: must be at least 18 years old as of December 31, 2016. More on admission requirements at ent-nts.ca.
— Year 2: Students move from classroom exercises to studio presentations, applying a solid foundation of technical knowledge in a production setting with precision, craft, and professional standards. — Year 3: The third and final year of the Acting program is devoted to preparing and presenting a full season of four productions in the professional setting of the Monument-National, including two new works. For a complete list of classes and teachers, go to ent-nts.ca.
WHERE DO NTS ACTING GRADUATES WORK? Large stage producers, including Stratford and Shaw festivals, Mirvish, National Arts Centre, Banff Centre, Confederation Centre of the Arts, among others. Regional and independent presenters/producers and companies across Canada, including: Arts Club Theatre Company, Vancouver – Buddies in Bad Times, Toronto – Citadel Theatre, Edmonton – Neptune Theatre, Halifax – Royal MTC, Winnipeg – Soulpepper, Toronto – Tarragon Theatre, Toronto – Theatre Calgary – Theatre New Brunswick, Frederiction. Many Acting graduates thrive as directors, producers (Lemontree, Rhubarb Festival, Fringe festivals, 2b theatre), playwrights, screenwriters, theatre managers or artistic directors.
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PRODUCTION The Production program trains students in Production Management, Technical Direction, Stage Management, Stage Electrics/Lighting Design, Sound Systems/Sound Design and Video Systems/Video Design. Production students learn their craft from seasoned professionals in a stimulating environment, complete with up-to-date technology and professional equipment offered on both NTS campuses: the Monument-National and the Michel and Suria Saint-Denis Pavilion. Core elements of the program include working with the design teams, dialoguing with directors, finding innovative solutions, excelling in technical and management skills, and creating a rigorous yet harmonious working environment.
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WHAT MAKES THE PROGRAM UNIQUE?
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
— S mall class size that challenges every student individually and allows each one to achieve their potential based on their needs, their skills, and their interests; — One-on-one coaching in the final year and advanced training unlike any other theatre production program in the country; — Prominent teachers and coaches who form the foundation for a truly inspiring network of professional contacts and a host of hiring opportunities.
— Year 1: The aim is to provide students with a solid base of technical knowledge. From this crucial core work, the intention is to develop technically and conceptually strong theatre practitioners.
DIRECTOR: ANDREA LUNDY Andrea Lundy is an award-winning lighting designer and production manager. For the past 28 years, she has worked in major theatres across the country and has constantly strived for excellence in her own career. Andrea’s goal at NTS is to motivate Production program students to pursue the same excellence in their own work. Complete biography: ent-nts.ca.
Candidates must have post-secondary theatre training or equivalent experience. Duration of training: 3 years, full-time. Number of students accepted: 8 per year. Required age of candidates: must be at least 18 years old as of December 31, 2016. More on admission requirements at ent-nts.ca.
— Year 2: The focus is on the process and actively reducing the gap between knowledge and the actual realization of designs and ideas. Exercises are geared towards developing excellent collaborators who will fully grasp the process between pure knowledge and creative performance. Year 3: Experience is the concentration for the — graduating year. All students work directly with many professional directors and designers to hone their skills and foster their development. For a complete list of classes and teachers, go to ent-nts.ca.
WHERE DO NTS PRODUCTION GRADUATES WORK? Centaur Theatre, Montreal – Citadel Theatre, Edmonton – Charlottetown Festival – Great Canadian Theatre Company, Ottawa – National Arts Centre, Ottawa – Neptune Theatre, Halifax – Royal MTC, Winnipeg – Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake – Soulpepper, Toronto – Stratford Festival – Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, and many others.
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SET AND COSTUME DESIGN The Set and Costume Design program trains costume and set designers with the skills to work in a range of disciplines, such as theatre, dance, opera, and the circus arts. This bilingual program brings together Francophone and Anglophone students from across Canada and beyond. By collaborating on productions staged by both the English and French sections of NTS, students experience a wide range of theatrical practices and leave the School as graduates who offer invaluable artistic versatility.
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WHAT MAKES THE PROGRAM UNIQUE?
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
— A team of professional head carpenters, scenic painters, and dressmakers, who assist students with their designs; — Access to fully-equipped set and costume shops and an imposing costume collection containing thousands of items; — During training, students take on increasing responsibilities, initially as assistants, then as designers for a number of productions; — In their third year, graduating students are responsible for show designs, presented at the Monument-National.
— Year 1: Students are introduced to the terminology associated with set and costume design. They already collaborate on student productions, namely as members of the costumes, scenic painting or props teams.
DIRECTOR: FRANÇOIS ST-AUBIN François St-Aubin has designed costumes for over 100 theatre, opera, and dance productions. Three times, he has been invited to work at the prestigious Stratford Festival. His work has been seen in Canada, the United States, France, Mexico, Australia, and Russia. Complete biography: ent-nts.ca.
Duration of training: 3 years, full-time. Number of students accepted: 8 per year. Required age of candidates: must be 18 to 35 years old as of December 31, 2016. More on admission requirements at ent-nts.ca.
— Year 2: Students apply the notions learned in their first year to a variety of projects and produce their initial designs for productions by second- and third-year students in Acting and Interprétation (French section). Year 3: As a bridge to the professional — world, each student designs the set and/or costumes for productions staged by graduating students in the English and French sections. For each of these productions, the student is individually supported by a professional coach. For a complete list of classes and teachers, go to ent-nts.ca.
WHERE DO NTS SET AND COSTUME DESIGN GRADUATES WORK? Cirque du Soleil, Montreal – Dreamworks, Los Angeles – Ex Machina, Quebec City – Metropolitan Opera, New York – Moment Factory, Montreal – Neptune Theatre, Halifax – Opéra de Paris – Opéra national du Rhin, Strasbourg – Paramount Pictures, Los Angeles – Royal MTC, Winnipeg – Shaw Festival, Niagaraon-the-Lake – Sony Pictures – Stratford Festival – Théâtre français de Toronto – Winnipeg Art Gallery, and many others.
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PLAYWRITING The Playwriting program reveals each writer’s unique voice, while developing their imagination, intellect, and creative process. An array of writing projects, workshops, and classes allow students to discover the rhythms, tone, and style that best serve their plays. Through class work, discussion, critical analysis, and exposure to a broad variety of styles and forms, both classical and contemporary, the Playwriting program works to deepen the student’s understanding of the inner workings of a story, in theatre and other mediums.
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WHAT MAKES THE PROGRAM UNIQUE?
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
— A very low teacher to student ratio allows for an exceptional response to individual interests, needs, strengths, and challenges; — Guest playwrights, dramaturgs and directors who understand the realities of contemporary playwriting teach regularly in the program; — Invitations to the highly-regarded Banff Playwrights Colony: second year students participate in the Colony to develop their third-year projects; — Throughout their three years at the School, students participate in productions, workshops, and public readings of their work under the guidance of professional directors and dramaturgs.
— Year 1: Students examine theatre and storytelling through core exercises, workshops, classes, and seminars aimed at revealing the individual artist’s voice while developing a solid and reliable creative process.
DIRECTOR: BRIAN DRADER An award-winning actor, writer, dramaturg, and artistic administrator, Brian Drader has had his plays produced across Canada, the United States, and Europe. In addition to theatre, Brian’s diverse writing and dramaturgical portfolio includes film, radio, fiction, multimedia, museum exhibitions, and Cirque du Soleil engagements. Complete biography: ent-nts.ca.
Duration of training: 3 years, full-time. Number of students accepted: 2 per year. Required age of candidates: must be at least 19 years old as of December 31, 2016. More on admission requirements at ent-nts.ca.
— Year 2: Students learn style, form, personal practice, self-expression, and critical thinking, while developing several central writing projects for professional workshops and staged readings. — Year 3: A trial professional year, which includes a central project to be considered for full production. Students also explore the business of writing, and post-graduate opportunities. For a complete list of classes and teachers, go to ent-nts.ca.
WHERE ARE THE PLAYS OF NTS PLAYWRITING GRADUATES PRESENTED? Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary – Cahoots Theatre, Toronto – Centaur Theatre, Montreal – Citadel Theatre, Edmonton – Factory Theatre, Toronto – Fringe festivals across Canada – Geordie Productions, Montreal – Native Earth Performing Arts, Toronto – Nightwood Theatre, Toronto – Tarragon Theatre, Toronto – Theatre New Brunswick, Fredericton – The National Arts Centre, Ottawa, and many other festivals and professional theatres.
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DIRECTING The National Theatre School’s training for directors is rigorous and immersive. It supports individual growth through exposure to a diversity of professional practices and theatre styles, including a thorough examination of current Canadian and Quebec theatre practices. The program offers an exceptional opportunity for involvement in core theatre disciplines, including acting, design, production, and new play development. Directors will work with experienced Canadian and international directors, actors, playwrights, and designers, developing their individual practices through hands-on training.
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WHAT MAKES THE PROGRAM UNIQUE?
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
— D irect contact with leading professional directors in a class of only two students; — Working and collaborating with professional actors, designers, choreographers, etc. — Working in a variety of spaces, from intimate flexible black boxes to a large 800-seat proscenium stage theatre; — In the final year of training, students direct an original play written by a Playwriting graduating student and featuring the graduating Acting class.
— Year 1: The first year is dedicated to a deepening and refining of skills related to text analysis, rehearsal preparation, design collaboration, and leadership skills. Students are encouraged to reveal themselves within the work and to develop their analytical and technical skills.
DIRECTOR: ALISA PALMER Please read Alisa Palmer’s biography on page 11.
— Year 2: The year focuses on practical directing projects, from an in-studio production, with a small cast of professional actors, to a full-length play written by a fellow graduating student in the Playwriting program and presented in NTS’s 150-seat professional theatre, Studio Hydro-Québec, in the historic Monument-National. For a complete list of classes and teachers, go to ent-nts.ca.
WHERE DO NTS DIRECTING GRADUATES WORK? ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR: ROSE PLOTEK Rose Plotek is a director and theatre maker whose work investigates form and aesthetic, with experimentation being a driving force of both development and presentation. Recent credits: Like Mother, Like Daughter, created with Ravi Jain (Why Not Theatre, Toronto) and Complicite (London, UK); Bloody Family (Theatre Centre); LEAR (World Stage/Magnetic North); Performance About A Woman (SummerWorks Performance Festival).
Directing graduates create their own work, which has been seen nationally and internationally at major festivals across the country, including: Festival TransAmériques (FTA), Montreal – High Performance Rodeo, Calgary – Magnetic North Festival – PuSH, Vancouver – SummerWorks Performance Festival, Toronto, and others. Directing graduates have also worked with: Artistic Fraud, St. John’s – Caravan Farm Theatre, Armstrong –Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal – Segal Centre, Montreal – Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake – Soulpepper, Toronto – Stratford Festival – The Theatre Centre, Toronto – The National Arts Centre, Ottawa – Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, and many others.
Previous directing experience is required. Duration of training: 2 years, full-time. Number of students accepted: 2 every two years. Required age of candidates: must be at least 19 years old as of December 31, 2016. More on admission requirements at ent-nts.ca.
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CAMPUS
MICHEL AND SURIA SAINT-DENIS PAVILION 5030 Saint-Denis Street, Montreal The main campus of the National Theatre School, the Michel and Suria Saint-Denis Pavilion, is located in the heart of Plateau Mont-Royal, a neighbourhood known as one of the most creative in Canada. The Pavilion, a vibrant hub of activity, is home to the NTS administrative staff, more than 160 students, and to some 300 teachers and invited artists each year.
The Pavilion is also home to the Bleviss Family Library, the largest bilingual theatre arts library in Canada. It houses a collection of over 75,000 documents, accessible to the NTS community and to subscribers from the general public.
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1.
MONUMENTNATIONAL 1182 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, Montreal
NTS students have the opportunity to conduct projects and present graduating class performances on the stages of the Monument-National, which is owned by the School and located in the Quartier des spectacles, known as Montreal’s festival hub. When they perform at this century-old theatre, NTS students appear on stages graced by the likes of Sarah Bernhardt, Édith Piaf, and many other beloved artists. The Monument-National is also a sought-after venue that welcomes a multitude of artists and festivals such as Festival TransAmériques (FTA), Just for Laughs, Zoofest, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and many more.
With seating for 800, the Ludger-Duvernay Theatre (right) is one of the largest performance halls owned by a Canadian theatre school. In addition, the MonumentNational boasts the modular and intimate Studio Hydro-Québec. Students also have access to complete set and costume shops (above), which include a costume collection of more than 10,000 items.
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STUDENT SERVICES From financial assistance and professional integration to medical insurance and support programs for artistic projects, NTS makes every effort to ensure the success of each student and new graduate.
01 —
06 — Support during professional
02 — Awards of excellence.
integration, notably through the production and distribution of a CV for all graduating NTS students.
03 — Group insurance plans offered
07 — Cafeteria serving a variety of
through the student association.
healthy menu choices at reasonable prices.
National Theatre School bursaries as of the second year of study.
04 — Emergency loans and funds. 05
— Financial support of up to
$5,000 granted by TEC (Theatre Engaging Communities), offered to NTS students and recent graduates to help them conduct artistic communityoriented projects outside the School.
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08 — Student association representing students in both the English and French sections.
09 — Access to rehearsal space to carry out personal projects.
ADMISSIONS Program
Duration of training (years)
Students per class
2016-2017 tuition fees Canadian citizens and permanent residents
International students
Acting
3
12 to 14
$4,750
$9,500
Production
3
8
$4,750
$9,500
Set and Costume Design
3
8
$4,750
$9,500
Playwriting
3
2
$5,500
$11,000
Directing
2
2
$5,500
$11,000
— Application period – Fall 2016 admission: September 1, 2015 to January 31, 2016 — Registration fee: $60 per program (non-refundable) — Selection process: the selection process will extend from February to June 2016. You will receive instructions about the selection process for your chosen program(s) following the end of the application period. To find out more about the admission requirements for each program, please visit ent-nts.ca — School year: the school year is divided into two semesters. The first semester runs from the last week of August to mid-December, while the second semester extends from January to the beginning of May.
— Certification: students who have met all the requirements and completed their program of study will receive a certificate from the National Theatre School. NTS is accredited by Québec’s Ministry of Education (ministère de l’Éducation, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche du Québec). — Financial aid: students enrolled at the National Theatre School are eligible for government loans and bursaries as well as for financial aid offered by the School. Learn more at ent-nts.ca. Questions? Contact the Student Services — office at 514.842.7954, ext. 134 or by email at services@ent-nts.ca.
APPLY ONLINE AT ENT-NTS.CA.
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DISCOVER THE SCHOOL VISIT US — 2015 Open House (September 26, 2015, in Montreal): An inside look at life at NTS through hands-on activities, demonstrations, presentations of students’ work, and information seminars about our programs. — Group visits: The School welcomes school groups and conducts tours of its facilities from Monday to Friday, based on availability. To book your visit, please call 514.842.7954, ext. 165. — Individual visits: To arrange a visit alone or with family, please call 514.842.7954, ext. 134.
5030 Saint-Denis Street, Montreal, Quebec, H2J 2L8 t: 514.842.7954 or 1.866.547.7328 (Canada & USA) e: info@ent-nts.ca
Registration deadline: January 31, 2016 Apply online at ent-nts.ca. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW US!
STUDENT PERFORMANCES Presented at the Monument-National and in the performance halls at the Michel and Suria Saint-Denis Pavilion, student productions offer a first-hand look at the artists who will define tomorrow’s theatre. Complete programming available at ent-nts.ca.
Photo credits: Maxime Côté — Exceptions: David Cooper (p. 4, Graeme Somerville); Marie-Ève Rochon (p. 9, costume rack); Martine Doyon (p. 21, Monument-National facade); Guy Kinkead (p. 21, costume shop); Fabrice Gaëtan (p. 21, Ludger-Duvernay Theatre) — Design: Écorce
THE NATIONAL THEATRE SCHOOL THANKS ITS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS AS WELL AS ITS GENEROUS DONORS.
NTS IS A MEMBER OF
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