Primary School Workshops are available in both 2-hour and 3-hour formats, allowing teachers to select the experience that best suits their students, schedule and learning goals.

Our 2-hour workshops provide a dynamic introduction to core drama skills, focusing on creativity, collaboration and confidence-building through practical activities.
For a deeper learning experience, 3-hour workshops extend these foundations with additional time to develop skills, explore technique in greater detail, and create more fully realised performances.

Whether you’re looking for a focused creative session or a more immersive workshop, both options are designed to inspire imagination and support meaningful learning outcomes.

IMAGINATION AND IMPROVISING

2-hour delivery – Imagination and Improvisation
Develop skills to think in the moment, create imagined circumstances and collaborate with others. Learn how to make and accept offers and apply new skills to build creative improvised scenes.
Learning Outcomes:
– Engage imagination and develop lateral thinking skills through spontaneity and improvisation exercises.
– Develop confidence to communicate ideas while collaborating with an ensemble.
 
3-hour delivery – Imagination and Improvisation
Develop skills to think in the moment, create imagined circumstances and collaborate with others. Learn how to make and accept offers, develop character and apply new skills to build creative improvised scenes. Work as part of a team to achieve a shared goal through improvised performance.
Learning Outcomes:
– Engage imagination and develop lateral thinking skills through spontaneity and improvisation exercises.
– Explore voice and movement technique to develop characters for improvisation.
– Develop confidence to communicate ideas while collaborating with an ensemble.
 
 
CREATING CHARACTER

2-hour delivery – Creating Character
Discover how to develop a role and embody characters inspired by imagination. Explore voice, movement and acting technique and learn how to apply new skills to create and walk in the shoes of engaging characters.
Learning Outcomes:
– Experiment with vocal and physical expression to explore characterisation.
– Develop a unique character for live performance.

3-hour delivery – Creating Character
Discover how to develop a role and embody characters inspired by imagination. Explore voice, movement and acting technique and learn how to analysis a text to develop a fully realised character. Apply new skills to create and walk in the shoes of engaging characters.
Learning Outcomes:
– Experiment with vocal and physical expression to explore characterisation.
– Explore text analysis strategies to bring characters to life.
– Develop a unique character for live performance.

 
DEVISING AND STORYTELLING
 
2-hour delivery – Devising and Storytelling
Explore the elements of drama through contemporary devising and storytelling techniques. Learn how to respond to a stimulus to devise an original narrative with engaging characters and discover creative approaches to stage sensational stories.
Learning Outcomes:
– Participate in engaging devising exercises to develop and share original ideas with others.
– Consider the stage craft elements that contribute to the physical realisation of a performance.

3-hour delivery – Devising and Storytelling
Explore the elements of drama through contemporary devising and storytelling techniques. Develop voice and movement skills while exploring ensemble visual storytelling technique. Learn how to respond to a stimulus to devise an original narrative with engaging characters and discover creative approaches to stage sensational stories.
Learning Outcomes:
– Participate in engaging devising exercises to develop and share original ideas with others.
– Experiment with vocal and physical expression to animate storytelling.
– Consider the stage craft elements that contribute to the physical realisation of a performance.

1300 450 417
[email protected]

Enquire now 
 
 

Our Secondary School Workshops are offered across a range of durations, giving teachers the flexibility to choose the experience that best aligns with their students’ needs, timetables and depth of study.

Shorter workshops (2–3 hours) focus on building foundational skills through dynamic, practical exercises—ideal for introducing key concepts and energising students’ creativity.

Extended workshops (4–6 hours) allow for deeper exploration, with more time to develop technique, analyse text, refine performance skills and create more fully realised work.

Whether you’re seeking a focused skills-based session or a more immersive, in-depth learning experience, each workshop is designed to challenge, inspire and support students at every stage of their creative development.

ACTING
 
2 & 3 hour deliveries – Acting
Explore fundamental acting techniques in an engaging, practical workshop environment. Work with a NIDA Open teaching artist to develop voice, movement and improvisation skills and learn how to apply technique to develop character and scene work for live performance.
Learning Outcomes:
– Explore stories, ideas and narrative scene work through improvisation. 
– Develop a character from a scripted scene for live performance.
 
4 & 6 hour deliveries – Acting
Explore fundamental acting techniques in an engaging, practical workshop environment. Work with a NIDA Open teaching artist to develop voice, movement and improvisation skills. Learn how to investigate, analyse and interpret text to craft fully realised characters, and explore strategies to apply technique to monologue and scene work for live performance.
Learning Outcomes:
– Explore stories, ideas and narrative scene work through improvisation. 
– Develop a character from a scripted scene for live performance.
– Interpret and bring to life through the application of acting technique a short, written text for live performance. 
 
IMPROVISATION

2 & 3 hour deliveries – Improvisation
Develop creative thinking through practical exercises in spontaneity and improvisation. Learn fundamental improvisation skills, develop character and work collaboratively to achieve a shared goal through improvised performance
Learning Outcomes:
– Learn how to make, accept, and extend offers
– Explore character development in short form improvised scene work
 
 
4 & 6 hour deliveries – Improvisation
Develop creative thinking through practical exercises in spontaneity and improvisation. Learn fundamental improvisation skills, explore character development techniques and develop strategies to build narrative in long form improvisation. Work as part of a team to achieve a shared goal through improvised performance.
Learning Outcomes:
– Learn how to make, accept, and extend offers
– Explore character development in short and long form improvisation
– Participate in improvised scene work to develop basic acting and improvisation technique.
 
DEVISING
 
3 & 4 hour deliveries – Devising
Explore contemporary devising techniques and experience innovate ways to tell unique stories. Work with a NIDA Open teaching artist to develop voice, movement and acting technique and learn how to respond to a stimulus to devise a narrative with engaging characters. Discover creative approaches to stage original work in a practical workshop environment.
Learning Outcomes:
– Participate in engaging devising exercises to develop techniques for collaborative practice.
– Consider the stage craft elements that contribute to the physical realisation of a performance.
 
6 hour delivery – Devising
Explore contemporary devising techniques and experience innovate ways to tell unique stories. Work with a NIDA Open teaching artist to develop voice, movement and acting technique and explore the practical application of skills to a visual storytelling lens. Learn how to respond to a range of stimulus and develop techniques to generate ideas for engaging devised performance. Discover creative approaches to stage original work.
Learning Outcomes:
– Participate in engaging devising exercises to develop techniques for collaborative practice.
– Gain an understanding of the core techniques of visual storytelling for performance.
– Consider the stage craft elements that contribute to the physical realisation of a performance.
 
 
ACTING ON SCREEN
 
2 & 3 hour deliveries – Acting on Screen  
Explore fundamental screen acting techniques in an engaging, practical workshop environment. Work with a NIDA Open Teaching Artist to develop acting on screen skills and learn how to apply technique to create character and scene work for on camera performance.   
Learning Outcomes:
Develop screen acting technique considering the elements that contribute to the physical realisation of an on-screen performance.
Interpret and bring to life a short-written text for recorded performance.  

4 & 6 hour deliveries – Acting on Screen  
Explore fundamental screen acting techniques in an engaging, practical workshop environment. Work with a NIDA Open Teaching Artist to develop acting on screen skills and discover how vocal and physical choices contribute to and shape the physical realisation of a screen performance and the actors on– set efficacy. Learn how to apply technique to create character and scene work for recorded performance.   
Learning Outcomes:
– Develop screen acting technique considering the elements that contribute to the physical realisation of an on-screen performance.
– Apply screen acting technique to deliver consistent, camera-ready performances. 
– Interpret and bring to life a short-written text for recorded performance.  
 
 
MUSICAL THEATRE 

3 & 4 hour deliveries – Musical Theatre 
Explore the dynamic world of musical theatre and discover the joy of ensemble storytelling through song. Work with a NIDA open teaching artist to develop voice, movement and acting skills and learn how to apply technique to develop authentic characters and scene work for musical theatre performance.
Learning Outcomes:
– Explore character development through singing and acting technique.
– Work as an ensemble on choreographed movement.  
 
 
6 hour delivery – Musical Theatre 
Explore the dynamic world of musical theatre and discover the joy of ensemble storytelling through song. Work with a NIDA open teaching artist to develop voice, movement and acting skills. Build practical strategies to interpret and analysis text and explore the transition from scene to song and learn how to apply technique to develop authentic characters and scene work for musical theatre performance.
Learning Outcomes:
– Explore character development through singing and acting technique.
– Work as an ensemble on choreographed movement.  
– Bring a short musical theatre song text to life.
 
 
PHYSICAL THEATRE
 
3 & 4 hour deliveries – Physical Theatre 
Explore fundamental physical theatre techniques in an engaging practical workshop environment. Work with a NIDA Open teaching artist to develop physical presence and movement skills and learn how to apply technique to develop physical storytelling narrative for live performance.
Learning Outcomes:
– Participate in engaging physical theatre exercises to develop techniques for collaborative practice.
– Create physical and visual responses to stimuli to convey meaning to an audience.
 
6 hour delivery – Physical Theatre 
Explore fundamental physical theatre techniques in an engaging practical workshop environment. Work with a NIDA Open teaching artist to develop physical presence and movement skills and participate in contemporary practice strategies from world leading physical theatre companies. Learn how to apply technique to develop physical storytelling narrative for live performance.
Learning Outcomes:
– Participate in engaging physical theatre exercises to develop techniques for collaborative practice.
– Extend knowledge of contemporary performance practices.
– Create physical and visual responses to stimuli to convey meaning to an audience.
 
 
SHAKESPEARE AND HEIGHTENED LANGUAGE
 
2 & 3 hour deliveries – Shakespeare and Heightened Language
Explore fundamental voice and acting techniques in an engaging practical workshop. Guided by a NIDA Open teaching artist, investigate approaches to voice, character development and performance and consider how to apply techniques to enliven heightened language to text.
Learning Outcomes:
– Introduction to meter, rhythm and rhyme and their role in shaping vocal performance technique.
– Experiment with specific vocal and physical choices to inform character development for Shakespearean performance.           
 
 
STANISLAVSKI (REALISM): APPROACHES TO CHARACTER

2 & 3 hour deliveries – Stanislavski (Realism): Approaches to Character
Investigate the principles of the Stanislavski acting system in an engaging, practice-led workshop. Work with a NIDA Open teaching artist to examine scripted realism as a theatrical style and explore key concepts including given circumstances, actions and objectives to inform performance. Develop fundamental text analysis skills and learn how to create authentic characters.
Learning Outcomes:
– Introduction to Stanislavski’s system of acting and application of key concepts.
– Develop an authentic character demonstrating clear intention, motivation and tactics.
 
4 & 6 hour deliveries – Stanislavski (Realism): Approaches to Character
Investigate the principles of the Stanislavski acting system in an engaging, practice-led workshop. Work with a NIDA Open teaching artist to examine scripted realism as a theatrical style and explore key concepts including given circumstances, actions, objectives and stakes to inform performance. Learn to analyse and interpret text, applying the elements of drama and acting technique to develop fully realised characters.
Learning Outcomes:
– Introduction to Stanislavski’s system and acting and application of key concepts.
– Develop an authentic character demonstrating clear intention, motivation and tactics.
– Application of text analysis to interpret a short scene.

1300 450 417
[email protected]

Enquire now 

Customised courses can be offered across a wide range of performance and production disciplines, tailored to the needs of your school.

Our specialist areas include movement and neutral mask, writing for performance, voice and accents, Stanislavski-based actor training, public speaking and ensemble practices such as Viewpoints and Multi-disciplinary Theatre. We also offer expertise in key technical and creative production fields, including set design, stage management, filmmaking and editing, lighting, sound, and make-up for both stage and screen.

Whether your focus is performance, storytelling, or behind-the-scenes craft, we can create a program that supports meaningful skill development and creative growth.

School requirements

A school-appointed classroom teacher must be present in the teaching space at all times throughout the workshop delivery to manage student behaviour. The classroom teacher is encouraged to actively participate in the class.

Pre-designed schools workshops are charged by the hour per group. The maximum group size for most workshops is 25 students – 16 students for Acting on Screen, and 14 students for Stage Combat.

2hrs: $695
3hrs: $990
4hrs: $1,320
5hrs: $1,485
6hrs: $1,650

Conditions and additional fees may apply for customisation of pre-designed course content and delivery or for workshops that take place further than 20km from the Sydney or Melbourne CBD.

If you would like to book a customised workshop designed specifically to meet the needs to your school, we can provide a tailored quotation for a course to meet your requirements. Please refer to Plan your visit for more information.

School Talks

Your NIDA workshop experience at our Kensington campus can include a future pathways talk. The Program Manager, Schools and Community and the Student Recruitment Manager are available to talk to you and your students about studying at NIDA. Talks will cover: tertiary options, career opportunities, scholarships and accessibility. Please let us know if you have specific interests or would like assistance in understanding the auditioning and application processes.

School Tours

When booking your Schools Workshop, please let us know if you would like a tour of our NIDA Kensington campus for your school. Tours of the NIDA Kensington campus are available at no cost when booked with a workshop.