Directing

Work with leading professional theatre artists and explore a variety of forms, methodologies and spaces

The Directing program, which will open in 2026, has been completely redesigned.

The program has become a differently structured practical artistic research space, now welcoming four students every two years .

The program, realized in collaboration with the Mise en Scène program,  will explore and celebrate the unique learning environment of the NTS,  Montréal, and Québec communities.

Program Description

  • The Directing Program allows participants to develop and strengthen their theatrical intuition and craft. Its purpose is the training of artists who will be leaders in the milieu.
  • While the program seeks to develop students’ creativity and enable them to express themselves through current aesthetic paradigms (rooted in Quebec, Canadian, and international contexts), it also invites artists to imagine a theatre of their own, a theatre that does not yet exist.
  • The shape of the program is driven by each individual director’s personal artistic research interests. The program aims to refine, clarify, and reinforce an evolving theatrical approach
  • The program is structured around a personal research question that roots the participants in the program. Directing offers both practical and theoretical approaches to the work while also strengthening ties with(in) the professional community. Instructors will include leaders in the milieu both nationally and internationally.
  • The two main components of the program are:
  • Ensemble/cohort-based learning in workshop, class and meeting settings
  • Over the course of two years, the program evolves through workshops, seminars, observation, internships, courses, and public exercises.
  • The program is a partnership between the English and French Sections of the School, with cohorts from both Sections training together frequently and bilingually. Each Section will welcome four students, for a total of eight students, every two years.
  • Training as directors and leaders within a cohort is an invitation to foster a meeting place and exchange of ideas, aesthetics, and visions.
  • Each year of study will culminate in the sharing of the artists’ artistic research in the form of presentations, workshops, or writing projects.

APPLICATION

Application for this program is now open!

Fill out the online application form and pay the registration fee before January 31st.  We’ll be in touch to let you know about the next steps.

You must be at least 18 years old by December 31st of your year of entry into NTS.

Documents to be submitted

Every application must include your c.v. and the following:

1. Letter of Intent (maximum 500 words)

Your letter should address the following questions:

  • Why do you want to study Directing at the National Theatre School of Canada?

  • What experience or training do you have in theatre and in the craft of directing?

INTERVIEW*

Several candidates are invited to an interview before the final selection is made.

Applicants are notified of the result of the selection process in May.

 

*Subject to change.

An average of 17 student shows are created each year across all programs.

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 20 student shows created each year.

See a list of classes

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 artists who mentor our students

Thomas Morgan Jones - Executive Artistic Director of the English Section and Director of the Directing Program

“In collaboration with leading theatre artists from across the country, this program offers a foundational and evolving training for directors. It is an honor and a joy to share this journey with four artists every two years.”

Read the bio

They hired our Directing Alumni:

  • Artistic Fraud
  • Bard on the Beach
  • Centaur Theatre
  • Crow’s Theatre
  • Festival Trans-Amériques
  • Globe Theatre
  • High Performance Rodeo
  • National Arts Centre
  • OFFTA
  • PuSh
  • Segal Centre
  • Shaw Festival
  • Soulpepper
  • Stratford Festival
  • SummerWorks
  • Tarragon Theatre
  • The Theatre Centre
  • Why Not Theatre
  • 2b Theatre
  • FOLDA

NEED ANY HELP?

Read the Frequently Asked Questions

CONTACT OUR ADMISSIONS TEAM

admission@ent-nts.ca

514-842-7954, ext. 134

FINANCIAL MATTERS

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

Applications are not open for this year!