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WHAT MAKES THE PROGRAM UNIQUE

Highly individualized training with an emphasis on building long-lasting professional relationships
Hands-on experience in a variety of venues, from intimate and immersive to the large stage
Daily interactions with professional artists who work in theatres across the country
Partnerships with theatres such as the Stratford and Shaw Festivals, as well as professional artistic organizations across the country, to support professional integration after graduation

3 years of training | 10 to 14 students per year

Training

The Acting Program is a rigorous and immersive training program that exposes the emerging artist to a wide array of theatre styles and approaches. Through core training in voice, movement, text, and music the actor builds a personalized process to support the development of a resilient and sustaining artistic expression. In an intimate setting, students are guided and challenged by influential artists of contemporary theatre. The Acting Program supports powerful and independent artists by developing each actor’s awareness of their own unique artistic process.

VOICE / MOVEMENT / TEXT / ACTING WITH THE CAMERA / CLASSICAL TEXTS / MUSICAL THEATRE / CONTEMPORARY WORKS

APPLICATION FORM

The admissions period for Fall 2026 entry to all programs has ended.

The admissions period for Fall 2027 entry will be from October 1, 2026-January 31, 2027.

The link to the Application for Admission form, necessary for all programs, will be available starting October 1, 2026.

Please click on Pre-admissions in order to register to receive important information about upcoming NTS Admissions activities and process.

You must be at least 18 years old as of December 31 of the year of entry at NTS.

AUDITION

For the initial audition, applicants are asked to prepare two short monologues that must not exceed 2 minutes each, one from the classical repertoire and one contemporary monologue. Classical monologues must be chosen from the list provided by the School.

*The video auditions are reserved for candidates outside of Canada*

CALLBACK WORKSHOP

A number of candidates are then selected for a callback workshop held May 5 & 6 or May 8 & 9. The callback is a series of classes and workshops typical of the training at NTS. It is led by NTS faculty members and professional artists.

Audition tour dates:

Winnipeg: March 3, 2026
Saskatoon: March 3, 2026
Calgary: March 4, 2026
Edmonton: March 5, 2026
Vancouver: March 6, 2026
Whitehorse: March 6, 2026
Toronto: March 9 & 10, 2026
Ottawa: March 11, 2026
Montreal: March 16–19, 2026
Halifax: March 25, 2026
Fredericton: March 26, 2026
St. John’s: March 26, 2026
Charlottetown: March 26, 2026

Curriculum

NTS offers highly individualized training. As such, the curriculum is subject to change, following the latest development in technology, new artistic practices, and the needs of the unique group of artists making up each class. Our training is always practical, supported by the 10 student shows created each year.

See a list of classes

Rochelle Laplante (Acting, 2019, Edmonton, AB) as Scilla in Serious Money by Caryl Churchill, directed by Lezlie Wade as a graduating class show of the National Theatre School, February 2019.

Photo by Maxime Côté

Ellie Ellwand (Acting, 2017) during voice over class in the National Theatre School’s sound studio.

Benjamin Thomas (Acting, 2019, Saskatoon, SK) in 7 Stories by Morris Panych, directed by Philip Akin, as a graduating class show of the National Theatre School, December 2018.

Photo by Maxime Côté

Instructors

Our students are taught and mentored by working professional artists who have their finger on the pulse of the artistic community.

They share a wealth of theatre experience from across Canada and around the world. NTS has an overall ratio of two instructors per student. Our group of teaching artists varies each year according to student needs.

List of teachers

Quincy Armorer - Director of the Acting Program

Quincy Armorer has worked professionally as an actor, director, instructor and administrator for over 25 years. As an actor, he has worked at many prestigious companies including the Stratford Festival, National Arts Centre, Centaur Theatre, Black Theatre Workshop, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Geordie Theatre, Repercussion Theatre, Imago Theatre, Piggery Theatre, Hudson Village Theatre, Shakespeare by the Sea, among others. He studied in the Theatre Department at Concordia University and at the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre at the Stratford Festival. A 6-time nominee at the Montreal English Theatre Awards, Quincy is also an Adjunct Professor at Queen’s University, a founding member of Metachroma Theatre and, from 2011 to 2021, he was Artistic Director of Black Theatre Workshop.

They hired our Acting alumni:

Our graduates work with numerous arts organizations around the world. Here are just a few examples:

Alberta Theatre Projects (Calgary, AB)
American Repertory Theatre (San Francisco, US)
Arts Club Theatre Company (Vancouver, BC)
Banff Centre (Banff, AB)
Buddies in Bad Times (Toronto, ON)
Canadian Stage (Toronto, ON)
Factory Theatre (Toronto, ON)
Mirvish Entertainment (Toronto, ON)
National Arts Centre (Ottawa, ON)
National Theatre (London, UK)
Neptune Theatre (Halifax, NS)
Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (Winnipeg, MB)
Stratford festival (Stratford, ON)
Shaw festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON)
Soulpepper (Toronto, ON)
Summerworks (Toronto, ON)
Tarragon Theatre (Toronto, ON)
Theatre New Brunswick (Fredericton, NB)
The Confederation Centre (Charlottetown, PEI)

Our graduates also work in various media including mo-cap technology and gaming such as with Ubisoft, streaming platforms as well as mainstream film and television.

NEED ANY HELP?

Read the Frequently Asked Questions

CONTACT OUR ADMISSIONS OFFICE

admission@ent-nts.ca

514-842-7954, ext. 163

FINANCIAL MATTERS

Learn more about tuition fees, student bursaries, and loans.

Start your application now!

Acting