APPLICATION FORM
Fill out the online application form and pay the registration fee before January 31. We’ll be in touch to let you know about the next steps.
You must be at least 18 years old as of December 31 of the year of entry at NTS.
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
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. Audition tour will be held in March 2025:
March 3rd-Winnipeg, MB
March 4th-Sakskatoon, SK
March 5th-Calgary, AB
March 6th-Edmonton, AB
March 7th-Vancouver, BC
March 8th-Whitehorse, YT
March 10, 11 and 12th-Toronto, ON
March 13th-Ottawa, ON
March 17, 18, 19, 20th-Montreal, QC
March 25th-St John's, NL
March 26th-Halifax, NS
*The video auditions are reserved for candidates outside of Canada*
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 classesSee students in action
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 teachersAlisa Palmer - Co-Director of the Acting Program
"Art is Practice. Art is Imagination. You are here because of your imagination. We offer practice. We offer you the opportunity to practice and develop your technique. If you engage, if you say yes, if you are curious, and become aware of yourself and the world around you, you will discover who you are through doing."
Alisa Palmer is an internationally trained award-winning theatre director, playwright, dramaturge and theatre producer. Her work crosses genres, including the classics, contemporary plays, creation projects, musicals and operas. Ms. Palmer's work is characterized by vivid performances, a bold use of music, powerful visuals and a passionate commitment to the body politic. She is the recipient of numerous awards and has premiered and toured original and provocative theatre creations for over twenty years.
Read the bio
Quincy Armorer - Co-Director of the Acting Program
Quincy Armorer has worked professionally as an actor, director, instructor and administrator for several years. As an actor, he has worked at the Stratford Festival, National Arts Centre, Centaur Theatre, Black Theatre Workshop, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Geordie Theatre, Repercussion Theatre, Imago Theatre, Piggery Theatre, Shakespeare by the Sea, among many 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 an Adjunct Professor at Queen's University, Associate Artist of the English Section at the National Theatre School of Canada and has been Artistic Director of Black Theatre Workshop since 2011.
They hired our Acting alumni:
- 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 REGISTRATION OFFICE
514-842-7954, ext. 134