Course Overview

The Accelerate Training Programme is a one-year, non-accredited performing arts course designed to bridge the gap between local training and a professional establishment. It’s tailor-made to help the individual achieve their ultimate goal of securing a place at drama school/musical theatre college.

Based in the Midlands, this course is offered at a competitive rate and allows students the flexibility to work whilst living at home.

Students are comprehensively trained across the three art forms – singing, acting & dancing; pushing their skillsets to gain their maximum potential.

Programme Tutors are all highly trained and practiced in their particular field, ensuring delivery of top quality tuition. These tutors have followed different pathways to get to where they are currently and as a faculty, offer extensive & varied knowledge and expertise to the cohort.

We also have a range of Associate Artists & Professional Contacts who offer supplementary expertise throughout the course: from our Associate Artists (a catalogue of alumni from Musical Theatre Colleges & Drama Schools to our resident Physiotherapists, experts in the body, voice and health)

Read below for more information on Further Information, Alumni Success, Course Content, Application and Audition Information

Why not book onto our open evening? All open evenings for 23/24 are now finished, you can enquire now about them from September onwards for 24/25.

Our audition dates for 2024 entry are: Saturday 9th March, Sunday 19th May or Saturday 29th June

Alumni Success

Emma Cook (2023 Graduate)

Attending GSA. Also gained places at Laine Theatre Arts, Urdang Academy, Trinity Laban and on the Reserve List for ArtsEd.

Amelie Turner (2023 Graduate)

Attending Urdang Academy. Also gained a place at Bird, Emil Dale, Performers & Trinity Laban.

Dominic Wood (2022 Graduate)

Attending Laine Theatre Arts. Also gained places at Trinity Laban, Bird College, Performers College and a foundation offer from Urdang Academy and Mountview

Course Information

What is Accelerate?

The Accelerate Training Programme is a one-year, non-accredited course designed to bridge the gap between local training and a professional establishment.

Based in the Midlands, this course is offered at a competitive rate and allows students the flexibility to work whilst living at home.

Students are comprehensively trained across the three art forms – singing, acting & dancing; pushing their skillsets to gain their maximum potential.

This programme is tailor-made to each individual to help them achieve their ultimate goal of securing a place at drama school/musical theatre college.

Who is Accelerate for?

The course is aimed at post-A Level/BTEC Students, but we welcome applications from any student aged 16+ who is dedicated to perfecting their craft in advance of attending...

…drama school/musical theatre college. All students will follow their own path, develop a different set of skills and be looking for different outcomes. We pride ourselves on caring for each unique individual and compiling their own ‘Path Plan’ to achieve their ultimate goal.

The faculty & student will work together to formulate a personal ‘Path Plan’, detailing goals and how to achieve them. It will become a changeable working document used as a reference throughout the ‘Accelerate’ training. Within the ‘Path Plan’ we cater to the specific focuses of each student and their personal attributes as a performer; it isn’t always as simple as being a triple threat. It is also important to remember that the formula to a ‘perfect audition’ differs from one establishment to another, and is extremely dependent upon the future course. Extensive research on the alumni and background of the intended college alumni will be jointly undertaken to decipher which establishment is best for you.

Why choose Accelerate?

'Accelerate’ will equip students with all the skills they need to confidently undertake auditions to their highest personal standard. The ultimate aim of the course is to...

…produce trainable students, ready to study in any number of establishments, whether they’re singers, actors, dancers or a combination of all three!

In addition to acquiring audition skills, students will prepare for the course ahead, giving them an honest insight into the forthcoming lifestyle and routines, and prepare them both physically and mentally to cope with a future in the arts industry.  

Most importantly, ‘Accelerate’ will help mould all students into becoming the best all rounder performer they can be. Our desire is for students to graduate from this programme with a broad & extensive skillset of the highest calibre. 

How much is Accelerate?

2022/23 fees are £3,485 for the year. Financing options are available for the course...

…offering you your own individual payment plan.

There is an admin fee of £250 upon accepting your place.

Where is Accelerate?

The training is based at the KTCo Studios...

..Langham Park, Unit A6, Castle Donington, DE74 2UT.

We have five studios at KTCo consisting of 2 large dance studios, 1 medium studio space, 1 self-tape studio and 1 private singing room.

There is parking available, changing rooms and full kitchen facilities along with a reception and 2 green rooms for students to take their breaks in and for parents to sit in.

When is Accelerate?

The course runs for 9 months from September through to May...

…and follows a standard school timetable, breaking for half terms, Christmas and Easter.

The course runs weekly from Tuesday – Thursday, from 8:30 – 16:00.

Our term dates for 2024/25 are as follows:

Autumn Term
Wednesday 4th September – Saturday 26th October
Half Term: Monday 28th October – Sunday 3rd November
Monday 4th November – Tuesday 17th December

Spring Term
Monday 6th January – Saturday 15th February 
Half Term: Monday 17th February – Sunday 23rd February
Monday 24th February – Saturday 5th April

Summer Term
Monday 21st April – Saturday 24th May
Half Term: Monday 26th May – Sunday 1st June

Application Process

Pre-Audition & Application

Entry to the ‘Accelerate Training Programme’ is via audition, a full workshop day led by the ‘Accelerate’ tutors. Applicants will be required to fill out the form below (see bottom of the page).

Applications will require information on previous training/credits, graded examinations achieved, general skills, a headshot and basic contact information. 

Once we have received your application, we will then send you an audition date (alternative dates may be available but will be limited). 

Auditions will take place between March – July. 

Please note, there is no fee required to audition for our programme.

Audition Workshop Day

Throughout the audition day, applicants will be assessed in all three disciplines.

The day will consist of a private singing audition using a song of your own choice, a monologue to demonstrate your acting skills and a ballet barre and technical jazz class.

At the end of the workshop day, students will be interviewed by the audition panel.

This will be an opportunity for both parties to get to know each other and will give the applicant chance to ask any more questions and gain a full understanding of ‘Accelerate’.

The day runs at KTCo studios from 10:00-16:00.

Outcome & The Next Steps

Applicants will be contacted within 2-3 weeks, regardless of whether or not they have been successful.

Upon accepting your place we will require a £250 admin fee which covers your initial set up and uniform.

Successful applicants will then be added to our private group whether they will receive regular updates prior to the programme commencing. They will also receive a student handbook that goes into full detail about the course content, expectations, uniform and more.

Course Content

The ‘Accelerate Training Programme’ is designed to bridge the gap between local training and a professional establishment for the student who wishes to attend drama school. Whilst we focus on getting you audition ready for the first half of the year, the second part becomes more about allowing you to graduate as a skilful and diverse performing artist in whatever area you wish to pursue – whether that’s a singer/actor, a dancer, a ‘triple threat’ or pure actor.

This course isn’t just designed for Musical Theatre, it’s pieced together to train the individual in all three disciplines comprehensively. We have had students apply for a variety of courses and are prepared for a range of audition specifications from folk acapella songs, contemporary devised monologues, self-tapes, set exercises all the way through to the more ‘standard’ audition breakdown.

You’ll see a timetable below showing the range of classes you’ll undertake and below that you can see a further breakdown of each discipline from our heads of departments. Each day starts with a conditioning & strengthening class from Pilates, Workouts, HIIT Training, Toning, Stretching and more. Then follows 2 one hour and fifteen minute sessions, a lunch break and then a further 2 sessions that are an hour and a half long. With your day finishing at 4 still allowing you time (+ 4 other days in the week) to work or whatever you chose. This ‘part-time’ course is incredibly intense amongst the timetable but it does allow flexibility in your year out.

We hope this page has given you an insight into everything ‘Accelerate’ please do not hesitate to call us on 0330 043 0945, or drop us an e-mail on accelerate@kristianthomascompany.com for more information or to discuss questions you may have with our Course Leader.

Tuesday

Conditioning

Performance Jazz

Drama School Tasters / Self Tape Session

Singing Rep/Ensemble Singing/Music Theory

Commercial

Wednesday

Conditioning

Acting

Ballet

Acting

Technical / Private Singing

Thursday

Pilates

Acting Through Song

Technical Jazz

Technical / Private Singing

Ballet

Department Information

Singing

Singing on the Accelerate Training Programme begins by helping the students understand the mechanics of voice production and the different vocal qualities. Practical exploration allows students to understand singing in different voice qualities alongside gaining knowledge of how the voice produces the sounds, and where and when it is considered appropriate to use each quality.

A strong focus is given to acting through song, and students are encouraged to apply the techniques covered in classes throughout the year to each song that they choose to perform. With a strong focus on musical theatre repertoire, throughout the academic year students will explore a large array of songs across a hundred-year period, with some time given to rock and pop. This will ultimately allow students to make an informed decision on their audition repertoire for each training establishment, and gain an understanding of what best suits their voice type, training aspirations and future as a performer.

Dance

Dance classes on the Accelerate course will provide sufficient understanding of the core technique and performance styles required in auditions, while simultaneously preparing them for full time training.

Dance training in will equip not only our dance and musical theatre focused students but also our acting focused students with the skills needed to adapt themselves physically as an actor and performer. The industry in which we are training our students to embark upon requires all avenues of physical and mental preparation, which the structure and discipline of dance training provides. Accelerate dance classes adapt to each students needs and levels of experience to enhance their confidence across all aspects of their training.

Acting

The acting element of this course will explore a variety of different styles of acting but with the main focus being naturalism. You will be taught the techniques of Stanislavski and Meisner and experiment with how to decode text to allow a smooth transition from page to stage. During the course you will look devising your own work but a large percentage of the time will be given to contemporary and Shakespearian monologue exploration. Over the year you’ll work on different genres, styles and techniques all of which will build your acting skill set in the hope of becoming a more versatile actor. You’ll be expected to read a variety of different plays and watch as much theatre as you can.

In Acting Through Song you will learn how to apply various acting techniques to both contemporary and legit style songs. You will look at how songs fit into the story telling process by understanding the importance of context and developing character including working on the practical approaches of Laban and Stanislavski.

Enquire & Apply For Accelerate Training Programme