Act OneSchool of Drama...because "All the world is a stage".
Email info@actonedrama.com
Call Call Us: 905-420-8129

About Act One

Making Durham Region more "Dramatic" since 1995..........

The Act One School of Drama opened in Pickering in 1995. Initially known as O'Leary's School of Drama, the school's name was changed in 2004, due to the retirement of one of the original owners. In 2006, the remaining original owners, Cecilia Boudreau-Bates and Caroline Harvey, having firmly established Act One as a valuable source of quality performing arts training, at affordable prices, for the Eastern GTA, turned ownership over to the care of Mark Nathanielsz. Mark brought with him many years of theatrical experience in acting, directing, design work, production, admistration, operations and management.

Act One subscribes to the theory that acting and drama are not just for film and stage, but also "life and living". It is this philosophy that lies behind our motto "All the world is a stage". Children and adults come from across the GTA to attend the school. Act One strives to offer valuable opportunities to all - the shy individual who needs to build self-confidence; the hyperactive child who needs to work within a fun, structured environment; those wishing to seriously pursue stage or film as a career or at the community level; students looking for a positive outlet for their creative energies and last but not least, those who simply join for fun, while learning at the same time.

Act One credits most of its success to its teaching staff. All of them draw on rich and varied acting experience, are motivated by a passion for drama and have a love of teaching our next generation of young performers. They share a deep appreciation for how drama has positively affected their own lives and a desire to help others experience the same.

On behalf of Act One and it's staff, as they say on stage - "Break a leg"

Check out some of our students' work....
2017 Year end Vidoe Trailer

2017 Year End Performance Trailer
On Camera Short film project

On Camera Class Short Film Project
Summer Camp Short Film

2019 Summer Camp Short Film Project
2017 Summer camp Session Trailer

2017 Summer Camp Session Trailer

Why Drama?.....

Drama can have a positive impact in a variety of areas, not just from the perspective of a professional pursuit......

  • Drama opens the door to the creativity within each of us.
  • Drama enhances our ability to communicate and express thoughts and feelings.
  • Drama promotes better language skills, vocabulary enrichment and clearer enunciation.
  • Drama encourages our ability to think on the spot and be better storytellers.
  • Drama helps promote a stronger understanding of human behaviour.
  • Drama offers a path to greater reading and comprehension skills.
  • .....and more than anything - Drama is FUN!.

"You see things; and you say "Why?"
But I dream things that never were;
and I say, "Why not?"

George Bernard Shaw

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What Act One Has To Offer..........

25 years experience teaching drama in Durham Region.

Maximum 10:1 student to instructor teaching ratio.

Narrow class age ranges for enhanced student learning, interaction and support.

Class sizes limited to maximum of 12 (16 for Musical Theatre).

Instruction takes place on actual stage in fully equipped theatrical facility.

Organic class format that adjusts to actual student requirements and experience.

Comprehensive year-to-year development format.

Performance material based on actual student interests and development levels. Never pre-selected.

Multiple (at least 3 for most students) performance opportunities during school year.

School stage features computerized lights and sound.

No costume fees or other "incidentals".

No requirement for advance payment upon registration.

No questions asked withdrawal/refund policy.



Important School Events and Closure Dates
Date Event Notes
August 1, 2024 Fall Term Registration Fall Term Registration Opens. (Students registered in the Fall are automatically registered for the full year).
October 11-14, 2024 Thanksgiving School closed. No classes.
Week of
October 20th, 2024		 Fall Registration Deadline
Start of 32-week classes.		 After October 20th, new student registration is only possible with expressed instructor permission.
Please contact the school for more information.
If class is 32 weeks duration, it will be scheduled to start this week.
Start of Winter Term registration availability.
December 1, 2024 Winter Term Registration Opens Start of registration for joining a class for the Winter Term (Feb to June 2025).
December 23, 2024
to
January 2, 2025		 Christmas/New Year School closed. No classes.
Jan 24, 25, 26, 31, Feb 1, 2, 2025 Winter Cabaret Performance dates for 2024-25 End of Fall Term student performances.
February 17, 2025 Family Day School is open. Classes run as scheduled.
February 3, 2025 Start of Winter Term Winter Term classes start this week. Winter Term-only students can join this week.
Please check the Read/Hide More... section of the specific class on the Classes page for its unique start date.
March 10-16, 2025 "March Break" Week School closed. No classes.
Important Chage: Please note that for 2025 there will be NO March Break Theatre Camp .
Mar 28-30, 2025 Weekend Of Monologues Show dates for second student performance event, the Weekend of Monologues 
Apr 18-21, 2025 Easter School closed. No classes.
May 16-19, 2025 Victoria Day School closed. No classes.
June 2025 Class year End Performances Each class will be scheduled to perform on one day in June.
July-August 2025 Theatre Summer Camps Act One offers four 2-week Theatre Summer Camp sessions for ages 5-14.