OSD

Short Course
Audition Technique
(online)

Course Overview

This online five-session course aims to demystify the process of auditioning for drama schools. It includes two sessions on classical monologues, two sessions on contemporary monologues and one session on the nuts and bolts of auditioning, including screen-work to help with self-taping and auditioning via zoom.

The course is made up of five evening online session lasting 90 minutes each (6:00pm – 7:30pm). The sessions are spread over a two week period to allow students time to apply some of the techniques in their own time between the sessions.

Please be aware these online short courses are live and therefore students from overseas who wish to join us should check the time differences before booking a place.

What will I have learnt by the end of the course?

Whilst no course can ever guarantee you a place at drama school, the sessions include exploration of techniques to deepen your approach to classical and contemporary speeches, tools to free up your vocal and emotional expression, and techniques to help with screen-work, self-taping and auditioning via zoom.

Who is it aimed at?

It is aimed at those looking for guidance and more confidence on auditioning for Drama School Courses. It is open to anyone age 17+ and limited to 12 participants, so early application is advised.

Who is teaching me?

The tutors are all experienced tutors who teach at The Oxford School of Drama and have sat on audition panels at various drama schools.

Contemporary Tutor

Skye Hallam will be leading the Contemporary sessions on the 10th and 20th November. Skye is an Anglo-Indian actress who trained at RADA. Her notable credits include roles in ‘The Crown’ (Netflix), ‘The Alienist’ (TNT/Netflix), and Daniel Alfredson’s ‘Intrigo’ film trilogy. Her one-woman show ‘Heads or Tails’ was nominated for an Offie Award in 2021.

As a director, she has worked on Kali Theatre’s ‘Phantasmagoria’ UK tour and has taught at conservatoires including OSD, LAMDA, Arts Ed, and RADA (where she is also an audition panel member). Skye’s teaching specialises in Meisner and Laban technique and her ‘Meisner with Skye’ drop in classes run monthly at the Old Diorama.

Classical Tutor

Tom McCall will be leading the Classical sessions on the 12th and 19th of November. Tom is a LAMDA-trained actor who has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company. His credits for the RSC include Oppenheimer, Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus, Don Quixote, Doctor Faustus, and King John. Tom’s screen credits include Ludwig (BBC), Silent Witness (BBC), Call The Midwife (BBC), and the film Luther: Fallen Sun (Netflix).

Tom is co-artistic director of award winning theatre company We.Buy.Gold. and teaches here at OSD on our Foundation and Three Year Courses. Tom also sits on the audition panel for all OSD courses.

Self-Tape Tutor

OSD Principal Edward Hicks will lead the Self-Tape session on 17th November. Ed’s career began as an actor in numerous film and television roles alongside RSC and West End productions. A graduate of the London Film School, his films have been selected for festivals (including BAFTA, Cannes) and broadcast on Amazon. Other directing credits include plays, showcases and commercials.

His teaching career includes eleven years at RADA as Head of Film, TV & Radio, where he created and taught a new screen acting curriculum. He was MA course leader at East 15 and has taught at the Shakespeare Institute, RAM and Met Film School. Industry clients as an acting coach include Universal, Ch4 and Sky. Since 2019, Ed has been the Principal of OSD as well as teaching screen acting on the Three and One Year Courses. He also sits on the OSD audition panel for the Three and One Year Courses.

What do I need to bring with me?

Students are advised to bring a contemporary and classical speech with them to work on during the course. As the course is online students are advised to work in a room that is suitable for online work.

The course is open to anyone age 17+ and limited to 12 participants, so early application is advised.

“As an American, I found the online short course through the Oxford School of Drama incredibly foundational to my understanding and approach to acting and auditioning. I gained insight into the European/British perspective, which was refreshing from the American viewpoint and gained many new tools and techniques to approach text, subtext, tonality and physicality. Overall, I feel that after this short course I am a much more confident actor and artist."

'The course included Invaluable tips for self-taping as an actor and the technical considerations… a brilliant teacher for classical speeches and certainly knows Shakespeare…. I liked that the participants on the course were different ages and backgrounds too.’

‘Just loved the OSD workshop which I have recently been involved in, its only fault was that it came to an end.
The tutors were constructive, challenging and considerate towards each student.’

“The online course is incredibly feedback heavy. I saw how the range of new direction given to each attendee differed based on their technique towards a given text. Over the course of 5 days, we delved into speech exercises, learned the fundamentals of staging a scene, dissected our chosen characters apart and worked together as a small diverse group to find and portray our original voice.”

It was such a pleasure to complete your Audition Technique course. I found it insightful and inspiring. The tutors paid excellent attention to helping us adapt our speeches and answer our questions, with a lot of heart and passion.

Short Course
Audition Technique
(online)

Course Overview

What will I have learnt by the end of the course?

Who is it aimed at?