Programme “Drama Theatre Acting”
Established: 1948
Educational Degree: Bachelor
Duration: 4 years (8 semesters)
Form of Education: Full-time
1. ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
The programme was established in 1948 at the State Higher Theater School (later VITIZ, now NATFA) and was the first of its kind in Bulgaria.
Its main aim is to help students to understand and apply the fundamental principles of acting, to get them acquainted with the major trends and methods in the field of performing arts, to train them to work in a team, focusing on how to discover and develop their own creative personality.
Educational priorities include modules on creating organic acting presence on stage and in front of a camera, orthography and active stage speech, rhythmic and vocal skills, stage movement and behavior, analysis of dramatic texts and dramatic situations.
The prior goal of the educational process is that in its end the students would have accumulated enough professional skills to build and perform convincing dramatic characters. Therefore, its elements range from improvisational sketches through the construction of dramatic fragments to the mastering of special acting techniques and psychological abilities for presenting performances in front of a general audience at the different stage spaces of the NATFA Theater.
As an integral component of the students’ development, there are compulsory and elective courses, providing theoretical and historical knowledge in the fields of theatre and literature, music, fine and plastic arts, psychology, philosophy, aesthetics, mythology and religion, as well as additional professional skills in dance, stage fights and stunts, acrobatic techniques, dubbing, casting preparation, etc.
2. EDUCATION
Training is carried out in classes of minimum 8 students. Each class is tutored by professors, elected by the Department Council of the “Drama Theater Chair” and approved by the Faculty of Stage Arts Council as well as the NATFA Academic Council. Education in the programme can only be at a full-time basis and lasts for 4 years. All practical exams are public.
3. QUALIFICATION
Graduates acquire the educational qualification degree “Bachelor of Arts” with professional qualification “Actor for Drama Theatre” and find jobs at profesisional theatres (state, municipal, private, independent), film and television productions, television and radio programs, dubbing studios, etc. They could also continue further their education in Master programs.
Program Director:
Academic Team
Prof. Dr. Ivaylo Hristov (Drama Theatre Acting), Prof. Dr. Atanas Atanasov (Drama Theatre Acting), Prof. Plamen Markov (Drama Theatre Acting), Prof. Zdravko Mitkov (Drama Theatre Acting), Prof. Ivan Dobchev (Drama Theatre Acting), Prof. Margarita Mladenova (Drama Theatre Acting), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Penko Gospodinov (Drama Theatre Acting), Prof. Dr. Sc. Kamelia Nikolova (Introduction to History of European Theatre, History of European Theatre), Prof. Dr. Sc. Anna Topaldjikova (History of Bulgarian Theatre), Prof. Dr. Ivan Dimitrov (Introduction to Psychology), Prof. Dr. Veselina Raeva (Stagе Speech, Oral Action in Theatre Performance), Prof. Dr. Velimir Velev (Stage Movement), Prof. Dr. Svetoslav Ivanov (Stage Movement, Biomechanics), Prof. Dr. Bojidar Matanov (Stage Speech, Ortography), Prof. Dr. Petya Tsvetkova (Jazz Dance Technique, Contemporary Dance Techniques), Prof. Тaisia Yanbastieva (Stage Movement, Style and Etiquette, Stage Acrobatics), Prof. Dilyana Mitcheva (Vocal Training, Music Training), Prof. Ivanka Bencheva (Stage Speech, Verbal Action in a Theatrical Performance), Assoc. Prof. Fani Hadjinikolova (Stage Movement), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dariya Koleva (Techniques of Classical Dance, Bulgarian Folklore Dances), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lora Mutisheva (Stage Speech), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Todor Dimitrov-Mechkarski (Speech, Stage Speech), Dr. Ralitza Bezan (Stage Speech), Dr. Kamen Ivanov (Stage Fighting Techniques), Dr. Alexander Mandjukov (Contemporary Dance Techniques, Jazz Dance Techniques), Dr. Anton Ugrinov (Drama Theatre Acting), Dr. Krasimir Kucuparov (Dubbing, Speech in front of a Microphone), Martin Kiselov (Drama Theatre Acting), Vessela Hadjinikolova (Stage Acrobatics, Aerial Acrobatics), Petya Dimanova (Vocal Training), Pavleta Simeonova (Vocal Training), Boyan Arsov (Drama Theatre Acting), Roberta Ganova (Vocal Training).
4. ADMISSION
Obligatory application materials: one dramatic monologue, one comic monologue, one fable, two poems, one prose excerpt, one song, one dance.
Stage I:
Presentation of some of the obligatory textual materials at the candidate’s choice and/or at the choice of the Selection Committee.
Candidates who receive a score lower than average (3.00) cannot participate in Stage II (III)
Stage II:
Presentation of the obligatory vocal and dance materials as well as assignment of individual acting tasks at the choice of the Selection Committee.
Stage III:
Assignments of individual and group acting tasks at the choice of the Selection Committee (including work on unknown texts and vocal/dance pieces) followed by an interview on the candidate’s cultural background and creative ideas.
Candidates who receive a score lower than average (3.00) cannot participate in the final ranking.
