Bachelor of Acting in English - Theatre program (Focus Exclusively on Theatre) Join In Campus (JIC) - Cours Florent Drama School - Paris Campus, France

Why choose the Cours Florent Acting in English program?

With a fundamental philosophy that promotes cultural diversity and international perspectives, Cours Florent has, for over twenty years, been welcoming aspiring artists from all over the world to our Acting in English program.

Acting in English students are offered:

• Cours Florent’s core pedagogical expertise, which provides all the necessary tools and skills for a successful career in international theatre and cinema.
• The opportunity to study contemporary anglophone theatre approaches, exclusively in English, with instructors who are working practitioners in the theatre and cinema industries.
• The chance to benefit from an exchange of diverse cultures and skillsets, with a student body consisting of over 40 nationalities.
• A choice between either a theatre-only training or specialising in Acting for Screen, which is offered in second and third years. 
• The opportunity of a participating in a bilingual track, by adding classes in French, German or Spanish (see Bilingual Programs for more information).

First Year - Foundations of Acting for Stage and Screen

The first year of study focuses on the foundations of the actor’s craft and the key skills every performer needs in their toolkit. Students will be introduced to the fundamental elements of acting technique, the psychology and process of acting, ensemble work, as well as major practitioners/schools of thought, and scene study.

Rehearsal techniques will be reviewed and students encouraged to develop an individual approach to character creation and analysis of a text. This year is about process rather than presentation or performance. Notions of objectives, actions and tactics are introduced, to instill necessary storytelling awareness. Emphasis is on building an actor’s toolkit and expanding knowledge of the profession.

Four assessments - known as échéances - take place at regular intervals throughout the year. These assessments are based around the following modules:

• From screen to stage  (focus on scenes from series and films, focusing on technical aspects, breath and body work.)
• One and many (focus on monologues, narrative chorus, exploration of physical theatre, poetry and songs.)
• Group contrasts (focus on scenes with an ensemble cast.) 
• Scene study (focus on duologue scenes, taken from texts written in the 21st century.)

Additionally, students participate in an Acting for Camera workshop, which teaches introductory techniques for screen acting.

Second & Third Year – Specialism

After completing the first year of study, and having established the fundamentals of acting on both stage and screen, students are expected to choose one of two options for their second and third years: 

• Stage and Screen program (focus on theatre and screen acting) 
• Theatre program (focus exclusively on theatre) 

Theatre curriculum (principal acting class: 9h/week) 
A continuation of knowledge acquired during the first year of study. Second year students learn advanced techniques for live performance and rehearsal practices, while delving deeper into classical, modern, and contemporary anglophone and international dramatic literature. Intensive character and scene work, coupled with advanced vocal and physical techniques, make up the bulk of the second year. Students work on character creation, in preparation for being directed by their principal acting teacher in public performances. 

The third year of study is performance-driven. The year is divided into three modules, with a different director brought in to lead each module so as to allow students the advantage of working with different approaches and techniques. Shows are created, rehearsed and performed throughout the year, with additional focus on professional skills acquisition and preparation for entry into the industry.

Final Year Projects
The final project before graduation, known as Travail de Fin d’Etudes, is a key component of third year studies. Students  autonomously produce a stage play or short film, which can be used as their first, introductory credit in the professional world. It is an opportunity to experience every step of the creative process, including writing, producing, directing, and performing …

These projects are subsequently presented at the Automnales festival, during the autumn term. A jury selects the best of these projects, which are given additional public presentations the following month.