ALRA (The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts) was founded in 1979, by Sorrel Carson and Caryll Ziegler. It was the first drama school to offer a training which encompassed all media: Live Theatre, TV & Film and Radio. Although today we are not the only school to teach both acting for camera and acting for the theatre throughout the three year and the post graduate programmes, there remains a marked paucity in this style of training.

ALRA is a drama school, a member of CDET and one which provides the highest quality training for students following a career as an actor, actress, stage manager or technician. Based in both London and Wigan, Lancashire, our drama training covers TV & film acting for camera from week 1 to the end of your training. You will also study movement, voice, acting technique, text, stage combat, TV presenting, radio and other drama elements required to work as a professional actor.

Many successful actors trained at ALRA and now have careers from stand up to film and stage. Our drama training includes Postgraduate acting courses, Foundation courses in acting, BA in acting with honour degree and MA acting course and some funded places are available to applicants through the Dance and Drama Award scheme.

The ALRA Approach to Training
At ALRA, we believe that all aspects of an actors’ craft intersect and that voice and movement are connected physically and emotionally and are specific to each role or performance.

ALRA training is geared towards preparing actors and directors who can adapt their performance to best serve each different character or text in a style of delivery that fits the medium or space that their work is delivered. For this reason, our training is centred around rehearsals – bringing in expertise to support each project in the same way that an actor might be supported in their professional work. To enhance this further, our training is equally weighted in live and recorded practice so that, on graduating, ALRA actors feel ready to offer their best work in any setting.

Courses Offered: 

• Professional Acting Courses
• Three Year Acting BA (Hons)
• Three Year Acting Diploma Level 6
• Applied Creative Movement Advanced Diploma
• Postgraduate Acting Courses
• MA Professional Acting
• 15 Month Diploma in Acting
• Foundation Acting Courses
• Foundation Acting Course (Part-Time)
• Foundation Acting Course (Full-Time)
• Stage Management & Technical Theatre