National Theatre Art School a dream come true – Culture Minister

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A theatrical performance at the launch ceremony of the National Theatre Art School
A theatrical performance at the launch ceremony of the National Theatre Art School

The Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport on Wednesday evening formally launched the National Theatre Art School that will accredit students a diploma after two years of tutoring. The programme will officially begin next Monday with 18 students.
In the first year, students are required to take all the courses offered and will be awarded  a certificate and during the second year, they will select a subject to major and minor in for which they will be given a diploma which allows them at another level to secure an associate degree in theatre arts.
For subject Minister Dr Frank Anthony, it was a proud moment as he spoke of the desire of the ministry to see the dream of establishing such a school becoming a reality.
“We said if we want to develop a renaissance in music then we should look and see how we can develop music in our country, and we started out with our music school, the music school is already doing things that are making us proud. Two batches of students would have already gone through the Royal Academy of Music exams and would have come out with distinctions or passes. We have great plans for the music school,” Dr Anthony said.
However, it was felt that having a dance school, a music school and no theatre was something that had to be corrected, hence a drama school was created and the Ministry began planning for the theatre school.
“Through the National Drama Festival we realised that a lot of people are interested in drama in our country and we feel that the role of the school is helping them to polish up those skills. The school will help persons with their performances and look at the technical side of theatre because we want to utilise the facilities here at the (National) Cultural Centre to do lighting on stage and stage management and sounds and special courses to deal with designs, wardrobe and so on to enhance what we are doing.”
He said that ultimately it is intended that these pillars would be brought under one umbrella and there would be the Institute of Creative Arts happening at  the NCC.
In 1810 the first theatre was opened in Guyana and one of the first productions was done on February 24, 1810.

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