Diploma in Professional Theatre (Acting)

Professional Theatre (Acting) is a three-year DEC offered by Dawson College that trains students to work as professional actors for stage, film, and voice. The curriculum covers movement and voice and speech techniques, the historical and textual analysis of theatrical works, physical conditioning, development of artistic sensibility, and management of a professional acting career. Students rehearse and perform in dedicated rehearsal spaces and a modern on-site theatre, and take part in five full productions over the course of the program. Training addresses performance both on stage and before the camera. Students attend plays by Montreal professional theatre companies and work with professional artists currently active in the performing arts, building industry connections and skills in marketing themselves as performers. Graduates commonly find employment as stage or film actors and in voice performance, while others continue to university studies in dramaturgy, drama therapy, or further theatre programs. The transferable communication and interpersonal skills developed in the program are also applicable to fields such as law and sales. Admission requires a Diploma of Secondary Studies (DES) or equivalent, plus an audition.