Leeds Actors in Training (LAIT) returns to Seven Arts tomorrow (Thursday 29 June) for Method and Material, a relaxed sharing of material that the aspiring actors have been working on over the past year.
The ethos of LAIT is as much about instilling the participants with the knowledge and resilience needed to be a professional actor as it is about teaching and developing performance skills. At LAIT, the process is as valuable as the result, so they will share both in this unique evening. Through scenes, speeches, physical theatre, music and improvisation, Method and Material will give audiences a true window into the LAIT experience.
LAIT is a year-long acting course, developed in response to a call from young people interested in an acting career who were looking for high-quality skills development opportunities and an alternative to the traditional (and prohibitively expensive) drama school route.
The course, run by Lizi Patch, Artistic Director of Young People’s Theatre, focuses on performance skills and, every year, LAIT is joined by several guest artists who deliver a specific masterclass designed to introduce new skills to our members and provide them with vital tools to navigate such a densely populated industry. Previous guest artists include Sam Kenyon (vocal coach and composer), James Lewis-Knight (Artistic Director of Clown Space), Rachel Austin (voice actor), Ben Tagoe (scriptwriter), Megan Parkinson (actor – Games of Thrones, Ackley Bridge) and Dawn Holgate (dancer and choreographer).
Since launching in 2018, 56 performers have taken part in the training course and many have gone on to drama schools, including the Scottish Conservatoire, LMA London, Arden, and Leeds Conservatoire, or now work in the industry as professional actors and creatives.
Previous LAIT member Natasha Hudson says: “I believe LAIT has been fundamental to me as an actor. It has allowed me to grow not only as an artist but as a person too. It really is a safe and magical place where you can push yourself and discover what you are truly capable of. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for LAIT.”
Leeds Actors in Training (LAIT): Method and Material is at Seven Arts on Thursday 29 June. Book tickets online at leedsheritagetheatres.com or call the Box Office on 0113 243 0808
Find out more about LAIT at leedsheritagetheatres.com/take-part
Cover photograph: Lizi Patch by Kerry Maule.
