About The National Acting School
'Truthful acting is driven by emotion
and involves 're-acting'. Bobby Farquhar
This is the core philosophy of Bobby Farquhar's approach to the acting craft that underlies all classes taught at the National Acting School..
The School was created in 2001 by Bobby Farquhar in response to strong community demand for a facility for people of all ages to learn the craft of acting at all levels from beginner to professional in the National Capital.
Classes are designed based on the training and performance experience that Bobby has acquired during his 25 years in the profession on stage, film and TV in the United Kingdom and more recently in Australia.
Courses usually run for 10 weeks at a time and are conducted once a week on various week nights depending on student demand and numbers
Courses offered include:
Introduction to Professional acting - Monologue
Professional acting for Film and TV
Preparing for Auditions
Interpreting scripts and taking direction
Acting for Shakespeare
Introduction to Method Acting
Acting for Teens (13 to 15 years)
Voice for the Actor
Please note that not all courses are offered each term. To discuss your needs and course timings please contact Bobby.
Celebrating Success!
NAS Students in demand!
Approximately one third of the school's students have been cast in productions since the school's inception.
In 2005..................
Cariba Heine gained a lead role in the American television series H20 and another student appeared in a guest role on Home and Away.
One student gained admission to WAAPA in Perth and one to The Actors Centre in Sydney.
Two students were cast in a local feature film 'The Last Resort', which premiered in Canberra in November 2006.
Several students were signed by Sydney agencies and quickly secured a number of auditions for national and international TV Commercials and Australian TV series. Substantial casting occurred in local corporate video productions for private and Government productions.
In 2006............
Kai Harris, who highly values the training obtained at the National Acting School, graduated from NIDA in Sydney.
Cashelle Dunn secured a 9 week guest role on Home and Away.
Several students secured roles in local, national and international TV Commercials. Several appeared in local stage productions including Canberra Rep. Several roles were secured in upcoming feature productions.
A number of students were also cast in 2006 Tropfest and Project Greenlight entries. Castings in short films shot by Canberra film makers are continuous and too numerous to list, as the School becomes increasingly recognised by film makers as the place to secure quality screen actors. Several students were cast in 2007 Tropfest productions being filmed in Canberra and in Sydney. One student was cast in a music video for upcoming Sydney band The Red Riders.
Corporate video work continues with the School becoming the sole source of actors for some companies in this growing area of the industry - especially on-line industry training.
In 2007............
School Director Bobby Farquhar has been cast in teh lead in a new Aussie feature film to be shot in Cowra, NSW in 2008 called 'Crucible Gold'. Bobby's short film 'Canvas' made the 'Best of The Rest' in Tropfest and has been accepted in the Cannes Film Festival and the LA Film Festival. This film was also a 'Snowyfest' finalist.
Advanced student Rob Peard has been accepted into WAAPA after making the short list from over 2,000 entrants.
Graham Gall's documentary film 'Lexine Solomon- Canberra's Best Kept Secret' was named Best Senior Film and was judged as a Top 12 finalist overall. Graham's Diet Coke Film Competition entry 'Hum Drum' made the Top 20 finalists.
Feature and short film castings continue. Corporate work is strong. Graham Gall secured a two year contract to act as a simulated patient for the ANU Medical School. Graham also has worked regularly since April as 'stand-in' for Jack Thompson on the set of Baz Luhrmann's 'Australia', played a support role to Charles 'Bud' Tingwell in a Tropfest 2008 film 'Mr Bear and Mr Rabbit' and made a guest actor appearance on 'All Saints'.
Ex students Dallas Bland, Soren Jensen and Kai Harris continue to impress both on stage and screen.