It’s been a busy few months for the Acting department at the New York Film Academy Australia – Sydney. We started with a bang at NYFA Australia Sydney’s ‘Big Night Out’ – our end of semester showcase for the January intake of actors. Loosely themed around food and drink, we turned one of our larger spaces in the campus at Fox Studios Australia, into a bar/restaurant and served up a collection of delicious tasting scenes.
We had couples both making up and breaking up over dinner, scenes from Mystic Pizza and Pulp Fiction (This IS a tasty burger!) and not to forget our very own version of the last supper.
Peppered throughout the evening was also a collection of motley characters, with everything from surly waiters, pompous maître ds and a psychotic chef to an overzealous busboy. Running over three nights—to an audience of family, friends, students and faculty—a theatrical feast was had by all.
Following that was our Advanced Diploma acting students with their graduation plays. In a NYFA Australia first, they performed over two weeks in the beautiful 236-seat Monkey Baa Theatre at Sydney’s premiere entertainment location, Darling Harbour. First up, was an Australian classic Don’s Party by David Williamson with guest director Travis McMahon. This was followed by an American classic Dark of the Moon by Howard Richardson and William Berney. Directed by our resident American Speech teacher, Paige Walker, who, as one of the most sought after Voice Over artists and dialect teachers in the country, we are proud to claim as our own.
Amidst all of the above activity, students have been busy shooting their show reel scenes both on campus and on location. We have also seen the launch of our graduating students’ first ever self-devised web series Actor’s Vs, which is rapidly gaining a cult following online. With a comedy/improvisation night and scenes from Chekov just around the corner, not to mention our next big showcase at the historic Australian Theatre For Young People in September, NYFA Australia Sydney is full steam ahead.
– Jacki Mison