Birmingham School of Acting
Former names | Birmingham School of Acting, Birmingham School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, Birmingham School of Speech and Drama |
|---|---|
| Type | Drama school |
| Active | 1936–present |
Academic affiliations | Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Birmingham City University, FDS |
| Director | Stephen Simms |
| Students | 100+ |
| Location | , England 52°28′58″N 1°53′09″W / 52.4827°N 1.8859°W |
| Campus | City Centre Campus, Millennium Point |
| Website | {https://www.bcu.ac.uk/conservatoire/acting} |
Birmingham School of Acting (BSA), previously known as Birmingham School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art (BSSTDA) and then as Birmingham School of Speech and Drama (BSSD) is a drama school located in Birmingham, England and is a part of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.[1]
The school provides training for actors and stage management and is partnered with FDS.
History
It was founded in 1936 by Pamela Chapman and became a faculty of Birmingham City University in 2005. In September 2006, it moved from Paradise Place to a purpose-built facility at Millennium Point in the city's Eastside area.[2] In 2008, it became a school of the university's Faculty of Performance, Media and English (PME), and in September 2017 it merged to become part of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.[1]
Alumni
Alumni of the school include:
- Mike Kinsey (It Ain't Half Hot Mum)[3]
- Nicola Coughlan (Derry Girls)[4][5]
- Robyn Cara (Ackley Bridge)[6]
- Ashley Rice (Doctors)
- Nicol Williamson (Excalibur)
- Tom Lister (Emmerdale)
- Catherine Tyldesley (Coronation Street)[7]
- Rachel Bright (EastEnders)
- Barbara Keogh (EastEnders)
- Luke Mably (Dream Team)
- James Bradshaw (Hollyoaks)
- Jeffrey Holland (Hi-de-Hi!)
- David Holt (Angry Kid)
- Anna Brewster (Versailles)[8]
- Jimi Mistry (East Is East)[9]
- Helen George (Call the Midwife)[10]
- Ainsley Howard (Mum & Dad)
- Carole Boyd (The Archers)[11]
- Nicholas Gledhill (Wild Boys)
References
- ^ a b "Birmingham School of Acting merges with Birmingham Conservatoire". The Stage. 1 March 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
- ^ "Birmingham State Of The Art Acting School" (Press release). Birmingham School of Acting. 19 October 2006. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2008.
- ^ "Mike Kinsey-Turner – Brown and Mills Entertainment". Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Margot Robbie speaks of 'love' for Derry Girls star Nicola Coughlan at Barbie premiere". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 13 July 2023. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Birmingham trained talent on TV in 2022". Birmingham City University. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "2016 Graduates". Birmingham City University. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Catherine relishes role in BBC show - News - Salford Advertiser". www.salfordadvertiser.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 May 2008. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Naked Truths". Evening Standard. 17 May 2019
- ^ Grashof, Macrianus (3 August 2023). "A Voyage through Jimi Mistry's World: Unmasking the Man Behind the Art". Ottawa Express. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Laws, Roz (3 October 2015). "Who is Strictly Come Dancing's Helen George?". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ "Passed/Failed; Carole Boyd". The Independent. 2 June 1999. Retrieved 29 September 2025.