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The Italia Conti Academy is Britain's oldest theatre school.
Founded in 1911 by the actress Italia Conti, the Academy is Britain’s oldest theatre arts training school. It is the only theatre school to offer full-time in-house courses at secondary, further and higher education levels. The Academy promotes multi-skilled training, believing the more opportunities offered to students, the wider the choice of options in the work place.
The Academy grew out of the first production of the play Where the Rainbow Ends. Italia Conti, who was already an established actress and had a reputation for her success working with young people, was asked to take over the job of training the cast. The play was a triumph and the school was born in basement studios in London’s Great Portland Street.
The Academy's principle has always been to provide a thorough education and training. Staff of professional experts create students that enter the profession with the necessary professional skills, having also been encouraged to develop their social talents and to evolve a set of standards essential for personal and professional fulfilment.
Today
The Academy's main offices and studios are on Goswell Road in London, while the theatre and acting courses take place in the Avondale building, located in north Clapham. The main building houses the junior school (9-15) and also the 3 year musical theatre course (16-19), where actors and dancers are prepared for the professional stage and screen. Facilities include 152-seater Avondale Theatre, the Sheridan Studio Theatre, a fully-equipped recording studio, a TV studio, acting and movement studios, IT facilities, junior school rooms, fully equipped dance studios, a canteen, and The Italia Conti Agency.
Notable alumni
A comprehensive list can be found here
- Leslie Ash
- Tracie Bennett
- Johnny Briggs
- Kelly Brook
- Naomi Campbell
- Malcolm Coulton
- Noel Coward
- Linda Davidson
- Lucy Davis
- Letitia Dean
- Peter Duncan
- Clive Dunn
- Sadie Frost
- Jill Gascoine
- Claire Goose
- William Hartnell
- Lindsey Hately
- Charles Hawtrey
- Shirley Cheriton
- Olivia Hussey
- Patsy Kensit
- Bonnie Langford
- Gertrude Lawrence
- Emily Lloyd
- Millicent Martin
- Martine McCutcheon
- Henry McGee
- Sheree Murphy
- Anthony Newley
- Nanette Newman
- Sharon Osborne
- Leslie Phillips
- Jenny Powell
- Louise Redknapp
- Lauretta Redman
- Wendy Richard
- Lisa Scott-Lee
- Julia Sawalha
- Nadia Sawalha
- Dinah Sheridan
- Lisa Snowdon
- Lucy Speed
- Claire Sweeney
- Tracey Ullman
- Mathew Warner
- Dylis Watling
- Googie Withers
- Carrie-Ann Woolf
- Lena Zavaroni
External links
Theatre in London | Performing arts education in London | Drama schools in the United Kingdom | 1911 establishments
"Italia Conti Academy"