Actress Pauline Quirke Invites Talented Young Performers To Audition For New Academy

After over 50 years in the acting industry, and a decade of unprecedented success delivering outstanding part-time performing arts tuition at her weekend Academies across the country, Pauline Quirke is returning to her roots to establish PQA Studios London, a brand new full-time Academy in London's King's Cross. PQA Studios London are opening the search far and wide to find the best of the UK's top talent.

Young performers are now being invited to apply to audition for the following 2018/19 academic year courses: One Year Foundation in Acting (for ages 18+), One Year Foundation in Musical Theatre (18+) and Two Year Diploma in Performing Arts (16+).

Auditions will take place in London in February, April and June 2018 and applicants should register in advance. Courses are validated by OCR and Trinity College London. For more information, and to apply, visit www.pqastudios.com or call 0208 017 1085.

The new Academy will be situated in the heart of Pauline Quirke's childhood home, Islington, only a short walk from King's Cross Station. PQA Studios London will benefit from a fully equipped in-house theatre, and several large, high spec studio spaces. Its training is designed to prepare students for the demands of vocational training at leading drama schools, conservatoires and universities. Students will receive regular one-to-one singing and acting classes, workshops with specialist guest practitioners including casting directors, actors, agents and representatives from the major drama schools. Students enjoy a wide range of performance opportunities including a fully staged musical in a West End fringe venue, and a red carpet cinema screening.

The Academy's ethos and vision is driven by Pauline Quirke, with her passionate belief that all students have something unique to offer, as performers, and as people. Her team of teachers and industry professionals is committed to nurturing and developing each student's creativity and individual performance style, whilst encouraging them to have the confidence to be themselves.

As a young girl growing up in Islington, Pauline Quirke discovered acting at the age of 9, when she joined the renowned Anna Scher Theatre School, whose alumni include Kathy Burke, Martin Kemp, Patsy Palmer, Natalie Cassidy, and Pauline's close friend and Birds of a Feather co-star, Linda Robson. Years of professional work in award-winning dramas include a BAFTA-nominated performance as Olive Martin in The Sculptress, Maisie Raine, David Copperfield, Skins, Emmerdale, Broadchurch, and the role of Sharon in long-running comedy Birds of a Feather.

Pauline Quirke said: "It feels right to be coming home to where it all began for me, and to offer the opportunities I had to the next generation of young performers. Drama school training is almost unrecognisable now to when I was young, and we hope that we have created a training experience that is fresh, current, and reflects the demands of today's performing arts industry, whilst retaining the traditional values and approaches that got me hooked."

Adam Davenport, Artistic Director of PQA Studios London, said: "We were looking for ways to celebrate our 10th anniversary, and over the years we have received many requests for further training from students and parents. One discussion led to another, and we are now hugely excited for the next chapter of PQA. Our new full-time academy feels like the perfect way to support our students with the next steps towards a career in the performing arts. We really want to see a diverse and talented representation of the very best of young performing talent auditioning for PQA Studios London."

PQA Principal and Co-Founder Pauline Quirke opened her very first Academy of Performing Arts in Buckinghamshire in 2007. Since then, PQA has grown to offer their unique style of performing arts training at over 150 locations across the UK. More than 10,000 young performers now receive tuition in Musical Theatre, Comedy & Drama, and Film & Television every weekend.

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