What is a Best Academy?
"The best holiday course for kids bar none..." Isabella's Mum, Aug 2010
"Best Theatre Arts - what an amazing bunch of people!" - Jo Kingsbury, 2011
"Well done, what a great production! Can't believe what you all achieve in just one week!" - Dominic's Mum, 2011
If you're looking for a way for your children (aged 6 to 16) to burn off some energy, improve their confidence, meet new friends and have some fun, look no further than our fantastic holiday courses that run during the school holidays. A Best Theatre Arts holiday workshop is not just a drama class, a singing class or a dancing class - it is a place for making new friends, building confidence and having a fantastic time - a safe, friendly and dynamic atmosphere where even the most timid child will feel able to join in. And perhaps the best recommendation comes from the number of children who come back to our holiday courses year after year. No experience is necessary, and there are no auditions.
Best Theatre Arts has been running holiday classes for kids in St. Albans for 12 years and over that time we have seen our workshops grow hugely in popularity due to our ability to deliver a memorable and inspiring experience for all students. So early booking is definitely advised! And as we are now OFSTED registered we are able to accept Childcare Vouchers.
Click here to download a full course leaflet and if you'd like to see a short video filmed at one of our 2010 summer courses, click here!
Every holiday week is different so children can come to as many as they like.
You can click here for a Registration Form.
Our themes and dates for 2012 are
Spring Academy 2-5 April
There are many myths and legends surrounding the Yellow Brick Road to Oz City that have yet to be told. We’re off to see the Wizard with highlights from Wicked, The Wiz and, of course, The Wizard of Oz.
Summer Week 1 23-27 July
A mystic magician lures a ship into a furious storm. The passengers struggle ashore to find a strange island populated by monsters and sprites. Why have they been brought here? Can they escape?
Summer Week 2 30 July - 3 August
Disaster strikes when the Olympic torch goes out on its way to London. Where is the spark that can relight the fire? Does the answer lie with the
ancient gods of Mount Olympus?
Summer week 3 6-10 August
What will the FutureWorld look like? Well, the robots are on strike leaving the planet open to an invasion of very annoying SpaceBugs but this is just one of the problems facing the world...
2012 academy course fees
10.00am to 4.00pm daily
1st week £150 (sibling (£125)
Each extra week £125 (sibling £105)
This is what we did in 2011!
Spring Academy 11-15 April
Summer Week 1 25 - 29 July
We had alien backpackers, chinese dragons and Elvis impersonators.
Loads of video of the show - click on the links here to have a look:- Introduction (Robin the Rucksack), Rock Around the Clock & Kid
s in America, Inertia Creeps, Dance of Happiness and I Wanna Be (500 Miles), Breakaway, The Finale,
Summer Week 2 1 - 5 August
The EMOs, IT-girls, nerds, jocks and cheerleaders had to work together to rebuild the school canteen. And guess what? They didn't stop believin'
Again, loads of video for you to have a look at:- Umbrella/Singing in the Rain Mash-up, Shout It Out Loud, Thriller, Don't Stop Believin', Just The Way You Are, Walking on Sunshine
Summer Week 3 8 - 12 August
Merlin and his gang of wizard superheroes nust save the village from the entrepreneurial young dragons. But all is not as it seems... but is it ever on one of our courses?
UPDATE: It's all over! And here are the videos to prove it... Opening number, Bewitched and It's a Kind of Magic, Bad Guys, The Finale.
What Happens at a holiday Academy?
There's a video about one of our holiday weeks which will give you a good idea of what we do - click here to see it!
In the morning the children have energetic classes in acting, singing and dancing. Here we use the theme of the week's show to introduce them to new performance techniques and dramatic ideas. We begin with a skeleton script which the students help us to flesh out during the week - this makes sure that everyone can participate fully and the students feel a real sense of ownership.
We may also add an unusual element such as circus skills or juggling.
After lunch we get together to focus on the week's performance project. We begin with a theme and, with plenty of ideas from the children, develop a totally unique and exciting show for family and friends. In this way every single student is fully involved throughout and the final performances are always unique, impressive and thrilling. Parents are constantly amazed at just how much can be achieved in a few days!
Children leave with some fantastic memories and a new circle of friends – not to mention a signed, themed and personalised certificate, a cool t-shirt and a souvenir group photo.
And here are some highlights from 2010:
12 - 16 April - Spring Academy 
Groovy, baby!
26-30 July - Summer Academy Week 1
What happens when the Twilight Juice Bar becomes infested with Juice Vampires? What part can Sunny D play in saving the day? See the video here! And here is the group...
2 - 6 August - Summer Academy Week 2
The cast of two rival shows become conflicting gangs when their stars become best friends. Best updates 'West Side Story'... See one of the numbers in rehearsal here!
9 - 13 August - Summer Academy Week 3
Can the Lords of Time unravel the riddle of the Lost Cymbal before alien secret societies ruin the launch of the Intergalactic Alliance? What...???
