Category: NIDA

Red Line Productions in association with the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) presents, THERE WILL BE A CLIMAX, by Alexander Berlage and The Company, at the Old Fitz Theatre, Cathedral St, Woolloomooloo. 9th January – 3rd February. THERE WILL BE A CLIMAX, began as part of the 2016 Directors and Designers Graduating Productions at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, written (devised?) by Alexander Berlage – also the Director – and The Company of performers: Toby Blome, Oliver Crump, Duncan Ragg, Geneva Schofield, Alex Stylianou and Contessa Treffone. On entering the theatre we meet a red curtain which, when…

To begin the year with this post is to mark the inevitable passing of time and the fate that comes to all of us: Death. When I was appointed Head of Acting, by John Clark, in 1985, at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), there were three of the Great Foot Soldiers of the Performing Arts, Theatre Division, already present, to guide, support, and most importantly, teach me. One was Keith Bain (who, of course, had taught me as a student there in 1971), the others: Doreen Hogan and Betty Williams. Keith taught Movement. Doreen and Betty taught Voice. Later,…

The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) present KANDAHAR GATE, by Stephen Sewell, in The Parade Theatre, Kensington. 17th-21thJune, 23rd-24th June. KANDAHAR GATE is a new Australian play by Stephen Sewell. Mr Sewell, at present is the Head of Writing at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and this play and production is part of the training productions for the third year courses of 2014. I don’t usually comment on productions in Acting Schools, but not to mention the advent of this play, especially for historical record, would be a cultural remiss. Stephen Sewell was (is) one of the…

  I’M TRYING TO KISS YOU in association with NIDA Independent presents I KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF NOISE OUTSIDE BUT YOU HAVE TO CLOSE YOUR EYES by Zoey Dawson, Anna McCarthy and Allison Wiltshire in The Parade Studio, at the Parade Theatres, NIDA. I KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF NOISE OUTSIDE BUT YOU HAVE TO CLOSE YOUR EYES written and created by Zoey Dawson and Anna McCarthy, also, the actors, and Allison Wiltshire, the director. They first conceived this work in 2009 and first premiered at the 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival and have continued to develop this work over…

This is not to be a normal post, but rather an update of the circumstances in which I will continue to write. I graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in the Acting Course (NIDA) in 1971 – yikes 41 years ago. Since then, I have worked as an actor, director and teacher of acting, both in Australia and Internationally – Principally, the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. I worked as a teacher at NIDA, part time and full time for 28 years. I have just finished a ten year stint as a full-time staff member, working with…

NIDA presents MINCED, A DOUBLE BILL: BLESSED ARE THE WILD and TICK TACK BOOM in the NIDA Parade Studio. “MINCED is a new NIDA initiative for performing artists encouraging them to take risks with their chosen forms of expression.” Two recent graduates from the NIDA Directing Course, Paige Rattray and Nikola Amanovic (both 2009), auditioned a collective of performing artists across many skills, ages and backgrounds: actors, dancers, musicians. In the first piece by Ms Rattray some 26 artists volunteered their time and skills. Mr Amanovic involved some 12 performers. Enthusiasm galore. First, BLESSED ARE THE WILD. Ms Rattray inspired…