What Is Acting
Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode.
Entry Requirements To Study Acting In South Africa
Entry Requirements
PRE-REQUISITES FOR ENTRY INTO APPLIED DRAMA AND THEATRE
Admission Criteria For The Postgraduate Diploma In Applied Drama And Theatre (NQF 8) Are As Follows:
Must have traditional education undergraduate qualification or must demonstrate maturity of age and extensive work experience of a high standard in the field of Applied Drama and Theatre
Must provide proof of BA, diploma or successful completion of at least 3 Drama for Life- Wits accredited short courses
Demonstrate outstanding Performance, Theatre-Making, Performing Arts Management, Community Theatre and, or Arts Education skills
Demonstrate work or training experience in Capacity Development, HIV/AIDS, Civic Society, Health Education, Arts Therapies, Universities and Arts & Culture
Evidence of experience in at least one of the following fields is recommended: HIV/Aids Education, activism, arts therapy and or counseling, Human Rights and Social Justice, Peace Building, Transformation and Diversity, and Environmental Sustainability and Climate Emergency would be an asset
Admission Criteria For The Bachelor Of Arts With Honours Degree In The Field Of Applied Drama: Theatre In Education, Communities And Social Context (NQF 8) Are As Follows:
Must have undergraduate degree, a four year degree in Arts, Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Education or Health Sciences, or a Postgraduate Diploma specializing in Applied Drama and Theatre
Must demonstrate excellent teaching and, or facilitation skills in drama and theatre, or
Must demonstrate excellent cultural leadership and, or management skills, or
Must demonstrate excellent directorial, choreographic or art direction skills
Demonstrate outstanding Story-telling, Performance, Theatre-Making, Performing Arts Management, Community Theatre and, or Arts Education skills
Demonstrate work or training experience in Capacity Development, HIV/AIDS, Civic Society, Health Education, Arts Therapies, Universities and Arts & Culture
Evidence of experience in at least one of the following fields is recommended: HIV/Aids Education, Activism, Arts therapy and or Counselling, Health Sciences, Human Rights and Social Justice, Peace Building, Transformation and Diversity, and Environmental Sustainability and Climate Emergency would be an asset
Admission Criteria For The Master’s Degree In The Field Of Applied Drama: Theatre In Education, Communities And Social Context (NQF 9) Are As Follows:
Must have a four year Honours equivalent degree, or an Honours Degree in the Field of Applied Drama and Theatre, Dramatic Art or Arts, Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Education or Health Sciences, or a Postgraduate Diploma specializing in Applied Drama and Theatre
Must demonstrate conceptual ability and academic skill to undertake research degree
Must demonstrate informed and engaged relationship to arts and global citizenship
Must demonstrate extensive reading
Must demonstrate consistent, on-going engagement with live theatre, dance, film, art, music
Must demonstrate excellent teaching and, or facilitation skills in drama and theatre, or
Must demonstrate excellent cultural leadership and, or management skills, or
Must demonstrate excellent directorial, choreographic or art direction skills
Demonstrate outstanding Story-telling, Performance, Theatre-Making, Performing Arts Management, Community Theatre and, or Arts Education skills
Demonstrate work or training experience in Capacity Development, HIV/AIDS, Civic Society,
Health Education, Arts Therapies, Universities and Arts & Culture
Evidence of experience in at least one of the following fields is recommended: HIV/Aids Education, Activism, Arts therapy and or Counselling, Health Sciences, Human Rights and Social Justice, Peace Building, Transformation and Diversity, and Environmental Sustainability and Climate Emergency would be an asset
PRE-REQUISITES FOR ENTRY INTO DRAMA THERAPY:
Bachelor of Arts with Honours in the field of Drama Therapy (NQF 8):
The Honours in the field of Drama Therapy opened in January 2013 at Drama for Life, Wits School of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand. This degree is a pre-requisite but not guarantee entry into the Drama Therapy Master of Arts in the field of Drama Therapy.
Administration criteria for the Honours Degree in Drama Therapy are as follows:
Must have an undergraduate degree in drama and theatre with a strong base in a related field such as anthropology, psychology, social work, speech therapy, occupational therapy, education and, or a degree in a related field, or
An undergraduate degree, or Postgraduate Diploma specializing in Applied Drama and Theatre
Must have completed Psychology 1 and 2
Must demonstrate excellent facilitation skills, or
Must demonstrate excellent care-giving skills, or
Must demonstrate excellent psycho-educational skills
Must demonstrate a sound grasp of arts as a healing media
Must have previous experience of working with the Arts in an educational, community and or care setting
Experience should include areas such as Drama Teaching within formal and non-formal education sectors, and Theatre for Development in HIV & AIDS community education and healthcare settings
.Admission criteria for the Master of Arts in the field of Drama Therapy (NQF 9) are as follows:
Must have a Bachelor of Arts with Honours Degree in the field of Drama Therapy, or an equivalent
Must have completed Psychology 1, 2 and 3
Must demonstrate excellent facilitation skills
Must demonstrate excellent care-giving skills
Must demonstrate excellent psycho-educational skills
Must demonstrate a sound grasp of subtle meaning of “arts as a means toward healing”, “art as healing”, and “healing as an art”
Must have previous experience of working with the Arts in an educational, community and or care setting
Experience should include areas such as Drama Teaching within formal and non-formal education sectors, and Theatre for Development in HIV & AIDS community education and healthcare settings
Must demonstrate an integral understanding of Embedded Knowledge
Must demonstrate an understanding of the psychological and drama concepts and processes, inclusive of Applied Drama and Theatre Studies, individual and or group work in drama and or theatre and or counselling, ethical practice, an introductory theoretical and experiential understanding of the field of Drama Therapy
DFL APPLICATION/RECRUITMENT PROCESS
The Masters training in the field of Drama Therapy opened in January 2014 at the University of the Witwatersrand. The course will offer a unique integration of varying Drama Therapy models of practice with particular reference to current work within the South African Context. The Masters training will run full time over the period of one year. Within this year students will complete the following:
300 hours of clinical practice
Drama Therapy course work
Group and Individual clinical supervision
Research Report / Dissertation
Attendance of individual psychotherapy sessions will be a compulsory
course requirement
Following the Masters training students will complete a compulsory internship of one year to be hosted by two separate organisations during which time they will complete the additional 700 hours required to register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Students will register as Drama Therapy interns with the Health Professions Council of South Africa during their internship year.
Course Entry Requirements
Drama for Life has its own Student Office: Recruitment, Administration, Scholarships, Welfare and Counselling. The office processes all applications, specifically guiding applicants through the procedures set out by the university. Support is provided for applicants in need.
Drama for Life advertises its programmes on all its media platforms and through its media partners, namely Wits, FLOW communications and BUZPR.
Prospective students apply online.
the application process is managed by the Wits Student Enrolment Centre, Ground Floor, Solomon Mahlangu House.
Complete and submit a Postgraduate online application on https://www.wits.ac.za/postgraduate/applications/
Upload application documents on https://self-service.wits.ac.za
Certified copy of academic transcript/s covering all periods of registration at every University you have attended – (Any documentation not in English must be translated and sworn to by an authorized translator),
And/or original records of previous workshops, conferences, courses that you have attended, and/or evidence of previous work as a performer and/ or drama teacher/lecturer.
SAQA accredited copies of any degrees not attained from a South African Tertiary Institution – Enquiries to be addressed to The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
Schools Offering Acting In South Africa
TOP 4 ACTING CLASSES IN SOUTH AFRICA
| Institute Name | City | Course Fee |
|---|---|---|
| The Market Theatre | Johannesburg | R2500 |
| Figment School of Dramatic Arts | Alberton Gauteng | R540 per month |
| Drama Dynamics | Pretoria | R850 per term for 10-18 yrs |
| LALT Drama | Johannesburg | R600 |
What subjects are needed to become an actor in South Africa?
There are no required high school subjects but there are some that are recommended for Acting:
Dramatic Arts.
English Home Lanugage or First Additional Language.
Where can I study to become an actor in South Africa?
What are the Top Acting schools in South Africa?
Durban Actors Studio, Durban.
Nu Song, Pretoria.
Act Capetown, Capetown.
The Market Theatre, Johannesburg.
Figment School of Dramatic Arts, Alberton Gauteng.
Drama Dynamics, Pretoria.
Little Actors, Johannesburg.
TA-DA Training!, Krugersdorp.
What qualifications do you need for acting in South Africa ?
Career Requirements
There are no formal education requirements to become an actor but a bachelor’s degree in theater arts, drama, acting and performing, may be helpful in learning technical skills. Experience is of great importance in this career, as experience leads to bigger and higher paying roles.
What subjects do you need to study drama in South Africa ?
A-level subjects for drama
English literature.
English literature and language.
theatre studies.
Is it hard to become an actor in South Africa ?
Yes, it’s a long time, but remember that becoming an actor isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Learning how to become an actor with no experience isn’t impossible, but it takes effort. It’s also going to be a lot of investment in terms of time, hard work and even money with no reward for a while.
Does Unisa offer acting courses?
As a student studying the Performing Arts major, you will study drama and music through performance practice and applied theory. This degree is flexible and opens up a diverse range of career possibilities. Your studies will focus on: Body and voice for the stage.
Is acting a bad career in South Africa ?
Acting is a tough but extremely rewarding, and most importantly, fun career choice. A lot of people dream to be actors and join the elite of Hollywood A-listers, but the path is not for everybody.
Why do actors fail in South Africa ?
Headshots, agents, demo reels, and casting directors are all easy targets when things aren’t going as planned. Followed by lack of funds or time, bad luck, and industry nepotism.
How long does it take to become a famous actor in South Africa ?
Probably 7-12 years. If you stick with it. This business is a process. In the 1st year, you will likely get some experience, do some indie films, non union films, (maybe a commercial if you have an agent).