Last week marked the end of the London Dramatic Academy’s spring 2010 Semester. The academy, housed at Fordham’s London Centre at Heythrop College, started with the final showings of Historical Dance and Stage Combat demonstrations based on the last scenes of Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I. The week included final showings of acting projects, and scenes from The Merchant of Venice and As You Like It, under the direction of Michael Winter. Students also met individually with the full faculty to discuss their progress. A tea party on Friday celebrated the successful completion of the programme.
This semester the London Dramatic Academy (LDA) hosted visits from Matthew Maguire, head of the Theatre Department at Fordham, who was seeing our work for the first time; and Alan Wade from George Washington University, who brought a party of students to hear a lecture/masterclass by Richard Digby Day on A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other visitors have included a welcome return from LDA tutor Miriam Karlin.
The final theatre visits included a stupendous performance by the Mark Morris Company at the London Coliseum, showing in the way that only he can the perfect marriage of music (in this case Handel) and movement. There have been two visits to the National Theatre seeing highly contrasting works: Alan Bennett’s The Habit of Art, a meditation on the nature of artistic inspiration using WH Auden and Benjamin Britten as the principal characters; and Bulgakov’s The White Guard, a play set in Russia during the civil war following the Communist revolution. Faculty and students also visited the British Museum, the Royal Academy exhibition of Van Gogh’s letters and paintings, and Stratford-upon-Avon.
For programme information, please contact either Sara Karen Arlin at (212) 636-7714 in New York, or the London Centre (see below).
Important Application Updates
APPLICATION FORM
Our most up-to-date application forms (as PDF files) are available on our website: www.fordham.edu/LDA. Completed forms can be e-mailed to LDA@fordham.edu.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Spring 2011: October 1
Fall 2010/Academic Year: A few spaces are still open for the fall 2010 term, please contact us as soon as possible at londoncentre@fordham.edu
Since the number of participants is strictly limited, we strongly suggest you take advantage of our Priority Deadlines: September 1 for spring applicants and February 1 for fall and academic year applicants.
AUDITIONS
Students can audition either in person or by submitting a DVD recording. Students who cannot audition in person should send a DVD together with their application.
In-person auditions for spring 2011 will be held at Fordham University during the fall, at a date and time to be announced. To arrange an audition or meeting with Richard Digby Day in the United States, please contact us at londoncentre@fordham.edu.
Finally, We wish the best to the LDA Class of spring 2010:
Evan Cucciniello, Catholic University of America
Danny Goodman, College of the Holy Cross
Kathryn Lawson, Fordham University
Alia Ledford, Occidental College
Caitlin Ludin, Bennington College
Josephine McAdam, Manhattanville College
Rem Myers, Hamilton College
Chris Olmsted, Bard College at Simon’s Rock
Tim Rogan, Catholic University of America
Zoe Rudman, Occidental College
Sean Tivenan, Catholic University of America
Megan Walker, Catholic University of America
Lauren Williams, Catholic University of America
Emily Woodhouse, Catholic University of America
Chad Zimlich, Catholic University of America
—Sabina Antal
London Dramatic Academy
