Bristol School of Acting launches

boomsatsuma has launched Bristol School of Acting, a future-focused, conservatoire- style drama school and two industry partnerships, with radical new BA (Hons) Acting for Screen hosted at The Bottle Yard Studios, and Tobacco Factory Theatres, hosting a new Acting Company in Training two year BA.

The new BA (Hons) Acting for Screen degree course content, accredited by Bath Spa University, was devised jointly with Bristol School of Acting patron and Daredevil star Charlie Cox, and New York’s prestigious Pace University, the first to offer Acting for Screen as a subject in the US.

Acclaimed director Nancy Medina has been appointed as Bristol School of Acting’s co- Artistic Director, kickstarting her new role with the innovative professional actor training degree programmes. She states:

“Our industry has to change; I don’t like what I see at the moment and I believe we can drive that change at boomsatsuma.

“We are creating a new kind of course that will empower young people to find their voices and make themselves heard. We are training actors who can shape the industry of the future.

“Starting from fresh means we can be bold and steer a radical approach to inclusivity, with a pro-active anti-discrimination policy. It’s a priority for me to bring opportunity to the marginalised areas of society.”

The BA Acting for Screen degree will be delivered in partnership with boomsatsuma’s industry partner, The Bottle Yard Studios, a leading production facility that has played host to the TV series Poldark, Broadchurch and Wolf Hall. Students will receive at least 25 contact hours with industry professionals every week, in what will be an intensive course.

The second of the innovative BA (Hons) degrees, Acting for Stage & Screen, will be delivered in partnership with Tobacco Factory Theatres and invites students to study as a resident acting company in training at the theatre. It is an intensive, accelerated degree taught over two years, with 43 weeks of teaching per year. Students will receive the same amount of contact hours as they would on a three-year course, but save around £5,000 in

tuition fees and a year’s living costs.

Mike Tweddle, Artistic Director at Tobacco Factory Theatres, describes the opportunity presented by this new partnership:

“We’re delighted to be embarking on this uniquely symbiotic relationship between a professional theatre and a drama school. The partnership will enrich and empower the training experience for students - who will collaborate with renowned artists in our spaces - and embolden our theatre’s mission to provide impactful, innovative and inclusive pathways into the industry.”

Stuart Wood, co-Artistic Director of Bristol School of Acting, explains his motivation for creating the school:

“I’ve worked in many drama schools during my 38-year career and have delivered some great training, but it’s time to challenge the orthodoxy of practitioners who have dominated actor training for decades. It’s time to look at new approaches suited to this fast-changing industry and offer something different to create the actors of tomorrow.

“Bristol has a strong cultural heritage and we hope to make it stronger. Our partners, The Bottle Yard Studios and Tobacco Factory Theatres, sit at the centre of the city’s cultural heartbeat, adding a wealth of insight and networking opportunities for our students, as we embark on this pioneering journey.”

Strictly limited places to start in September 2021, via free auditions https://www.boomsatsuma.education/schoolofacting