Spend Summer 2025 Training at UCLA

Join the UCLA Department of Theater Summer Institutes and Summer Workshops for a transformative experience. Artists will expand their creative horizons through training with world-renowned faculty and build a foundation in their chosen area of study while learning the art of networking. For more information, visit the official website, where you'll find registration, program schedules and more.

Dolann Adams, UCLA Department of Theater's Director of Special Programs, answers your questions.

What are the Summer Institutes and what sets these intensives apart from other college and pre-college programs?

The UCLA Department of Theater Summer Institutes are two- and three-week intensive programs that give high school and college students the opportunity to gain top-notch training from one of the best college theater programs in the country (Go Bruins!). We offer a conservatory experience that nurtures the individual artist while working collaboratively with others. Our undergraduate programs have a large focus on creating a strong ensemble and we strive to establish a similar environment for our visiting college and high school students. 

What are the Summer Workshops?

The UCLA Department of Theater Summer Workshops are non-credit bearing 5-day intensives for students interested in pursuing acting for the camera or musical theater. The workshops are non-residential and the schedule runs 9a-6p daily. Students will take classes ranging from acting, audition technique, dance, scene analysis, singing and more. The combination of these courses will teach participants about the process of relating to the camera lens, filming content and various aspects of the musical. Students will walk away with a strategy to understand a script so that specific choices can be made to prepare and connect in the audition room.

What programs do you offer?                                                                                 
(Click on the program name to learn more about it)

This summer we are bringing back our extremely popular pre-college summer institutes in…

• Acting and Performance
• Camera Acting
• Content Creation and Scriptwriting
• Costume Design
• Lighting and Sound Design
• Intermediate Acting (new - college/professional)
• Scenic Design
• Musical Theater 
• Stage Management
• Voiceover and Camera Acting (college and pre-college)

*BRAND NEW in 2025* we are adding…

• Intermediate Acting—This credit-bearing intensive is for students 18 years or older who are interested in a career in the performing arts. Artists will explore acting for the camera and stage, audition technique, improv and sketch comedy training. The combination of these courses will teach every student about the process of relating to the camera lens and the approach to understanding a script. Students will also learn to identify specific choices that can be made to prepare and connect in the audition room. Beyond the classroom, students will attend guest workshops, field trips to a Hollywood studio, improv nights and more.

Why is training key to an actor's success? 

Artists have had to reinvent themselves to adapt to the changes in the entertainment industry. We have adapted our workshops to ensure that every student's needs are met while preparing them to work and meet expectations in a constantly evolving environment. 

What can students expect?

Students will actively engage in various types of classes and industry workshops, from singing and acting to dance, audition technique and voice-over work. They will develop a broad range of new skills pertaining to their craft. For example, actors will create new content while learning how to edit their own recorded auditions, and musical theater artists will gain an acute understanding of their body and voice to breathe life into  characters.

Do students have to audition to take part? Do they need to be at a certain skill level before classes begin?

Students are welcome to register, however; students will be required to upload audition material of themselves performing a monologue and/or song. 

Why should college and pre-college students take part in a program like this?

The UCLA Department of Theater Summer Workshops provide a safe space that allows students to create, grow artistically and collaborate. Our instructors are committed to developing and encouraging every student so that they learn and feel empowered to make artistic choices grounded in authenticity within an experiential learning environment.

Do you have questions about summer 2025? Please feel free to email theatersummerinstitutes@tft.ucla.edu. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @ucla_tsi.