Acting Foundations

The William B Davis Centre for Actors study at VanArts offers the most comprehensive and intensive Acting Foundation Program with the best essential classes to set you on the right path.

Every Actor needs a strong foundation, equipping them with the skills and confidence to pursue a successful career.

Start your journey, ignite your passion for acting and unleash your talent on the world's stage or screen!

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Student Success

STUDY ACTING FULL-TIME AT VANARTS: 3-Month Foundation

Watch this video of our full-time Acting Graduate Mozi Mayaleh (just worked on his first feature film!) talking about why you should study Acting at VanArts.

Starting September 3, 2024, enroll in our 3-Month Foundations program or go even deeper for a 12-month diploma.

To inquire further about the admissions process, contact admissions advisor Ken Priebe at ken@vanarts.com

William Davis Website

The William Davis Centre for Actors’ Study at VanArts

VanArts’ Acting Department was originally founded in 1989 by William B. Davis, one of Vancouver’s most recognizable faces. William played the infamous Cigarette Smoking Man on The X-Files throughout 11 seasons, and is a legendary figure in the Canadian film industry. He still teaches scene study classes to our diploma students during the year.

Today the acting program is overseen by Chilton Crane, a veteran performer on film and television shows like Supernatural, Once Upon a Time, and iZombie, to name just a few.

This is the most intensive conservatory acting program in Canada, designed for aspiring actors who are dedicated and passionate about their craft.

Curriculum

3-Month Foundation

Looking to build a strong acting foundation? Here’s what you need:

• Acting Techniques: Stanislavski, Meisner, or Method Acting for deep character connection. Creating authentic characters through psychology and physicality.

Voice and Speech: Developing clear, expressive vocals for effective, authentic & powerful communication.

• Movement: Learning body control, awareness and stage presence.

• Improvisation: Enhancing spontaneity and creativity in your acting.

• Script Analysis: Understanding character motivations and subtext for nuanced performances.

• On-Camera Acting: Adapting confident performances for film and TV.

Build your acting skills and unleash your potential on stage or screen!

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Film & TV - On Camera Improvisation Movement Techniques - Hagen & Meisner Text Analysis Power of your Voice

Faculty

Chilton Crane

Head of Acting for Film & Television

About
Chilton Crane

Head of Acting for Film & Television

Chilton has been a professional actor for 25+ years, most recently co-starring in the feature film Cut Bank with Liam Hemsworth, John Malkovich and Billy Bob Thornton, plus many lead, recurring and guest star credits including 4400, Supernatural, Final Destination 2, The L Word, V, The X-Files and many others. Through the William Davis Centre at VanArts Chilton has the longest-running film & television part-time course in the city and brings all of her energy and experience to each and every class, demanding and encouraging the best of her students while preparing them for their careers in the film and television industry. IMDB

Bruce Dawson

Instructor

About
Bruce Dawson

Instructor

Bruce studied in New York at the renowned HB Studio with Carol Rosenfeld. He is a past member of the Equity Theatre Company Sea Theatre and has appeared in many of their critically acclaimed productions including Burn This, Popcorn, and Established Price. Bruce has appeared in numerous film and TV roles. He currently has recurring roles on the popular television series The L Word and the new series Painkiller Jane, as well as playing Flash Gordon’s father in the new Flash Gordon series. He can also be seen as “Captain Harrison” in the feature film Holloman II. His teaching is influenced by Uta Hagen’s methods. Students of his love the fact that he teaches them techniques that work on set and on stage, not just in the classroom. Click here to see Bruce on the imdb.

Julie Howgate

Instructor

About
Julie Howgate

Instructor

From Winnipeg to London to Vancouver, Julie has trained, performed and taught in theatre, TV and film for well over a decade. Expert at teaching beginning actors, she has introduced over 1000 students at the William Davis Centre to the thrill of acting. European credits includeBrookside (BBC), Soul Survivor (Trisquare), and French National commercial Orange. North American credits include Hallowe’en 8, The Gut Girls , US national Got Milk commercials and character voice work for Da Vinci’s Inquest . Julie just made her directorial debut with Alan Ball’s Five Women Wearing the Same Dress for Kindred Spirits. She brings with her the eclectic background and positive attitude needed to facilitate true acting.

William B. Davis

Founding Director & Actor

About
William B. Davis

Founding Director & Actor

Before becoming the infamous “Cigarette Smoking Man” on the hit TV series The X-Files, William Davis had a long career as a teacher, director and actor. He has been the Director of Canada’s two leading acting schools: the National Theatre School and the Vancouver Playhouse Acting School. He was the founding Artistic Director of Festival Lennoxville in Quebec, Director of the Dundee Repertory Theatre in Scotland and Assistant Director at the National Theatre of Great Britain. Mr. Davis has directed over 100 professional productions at major theatres in Britain and Canada. He founded the William Davis Centre for Actors’ Study in 1989, which now offers its highly regarded curriculum at VanArts, where he sits on the Board of Advisors and still teaches classes.

For more information, see also: www.williambdavis.com

William B. Davis at IMDB

Brent Stait

Instructor

About
Brent Stait

Instructor

Brent Stait has been acting in film, television and theater in Canada for the past 30 years.  From X-Files to Mystery, Alaska, from serial killers to priests, Brent has performed a large number of character parts on film and stage.  A graduate of Ryerson Theater School andBanff School of Fine Arts Master Class, Brent spent the first four years of his career doing theater at Stratford and surrounding areas before venturing into his numerous film & TV credits. He has been the recipient of a Tyrone Gutheri award, a Leo award, and has been nominated for a Genie. Check out Brent Stait on IMDB

Dave Mott

Instructor

About
Dave Mott

Instructor

Dave is a BFA graduate of University of Victoria and is committed to challenging established creation concepts and developing new ways of seeing theatre. In the 1990’s he was core member of the Chaos Collective and his creative efforts gave rise to the Metanoia Projects and a number of site-specific theatre installations in local rave parties. A committed member of the CORE group in Vancouver since 2005 he is skilled in Suzuki Method, Viewpoints, Grotowski & Fowler physical theatre techniques. As co-founder of Upintheair Theatre in 1999 he has created, produced, directed and/or performed in Wedgie, Pyropornomania, Moxie, Men of the WORLD, STUMPED & 120bpm and established Vancouver’s short form original theatre festival – The Walking Fish Festival. Selected Acting: Escape From Happiness, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Glengarry Glen Ross, Hopscotch, Hello Out There, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear. www.upintheairtheatre.com

Jillian Fargey

Instructor

About
Jillian Fargey

Instructor

Jillian Fargey brings over 20 years of experience as a professional actor working in film, television, theatre and radio.  She has sat on the jury for the Genie and Gemini Awards and holds several nominations, as well as a Leo Award for Best Supporting Actress in the film Green Chain. Jillian serves on the Board of Directors for the Jessie Richardson Theatre Award Society and has several years experience as an instructor of the acting craft at several schools and workshops.

Cindy Block

Instructor

About
Cindy Block

Instructor

Cindy Block; Performer, Movement and Voice Specialist, and theatre researcher. A veteran stage performer, much of Cindy’s career has evolved around the development of new Canadian works. She was a Founding Member of Pink Ink Productions (currently PIE Theatre) in Vancouver. Some of her most influential core training was at The HB Studio in New York and The William Davis Center in the 1980s. She went on to receive an MFA in Acting as well as a Voice Teaching Diploma from York University and a Teaching Certificate from the School of Embodied Practices. She teaches Movement, Voice, Story Telling and Theatre Creation, Coaches professionally and is currently on Faculty at The George Brown Theatre School in Toronto, The University of Toronto’s Drama Program and The Moving Voice Institute; a National training organization dedicated to physical and vocal practices for performance. She has also taught at The Centre for Indigenous Theatre, York University’s Theatre Department and the Humber College Comedy Program to name a few. Her research has centered around the application of Embodied Practices in Actor Training, and Authentic Movement for theatre creation and performance. She has presented her research nationally as well as at the Festival of Making theatre in Athens, Greece and, the Roy Hart Centre for Voice in France. She is thrilled to return to her Vancouver roots to be part of the VanArts team.

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Mel Tuck

Instructor

About
Mel Tuck

Instructor

Mel is a highly regarded pioneer of Canadian theatre, a director of international reputation and an innovator in theatre training technique and philosophy. Mel’s thirty-five year history of directing, teaching and performing in Canadian theatre is extensive. This includes artistic directorship of three companies, thirteen years as administrative director of Ryerson’s acting program and national recognition in the form of three ACTRA and two Genie  nominations. With Mel’s experience in the education and direction of Canadian talent, he has been honoured to have seen many of his students move on to major roles in the Stratford Festival, the Shaw Festival and regional theatres.

Bill Pozzobon

Instructor

About
Bill Pozzobon

Instructor

Bill Pozzobon has been acting and teaching for over 20 years, having performed with theVancouver Theatresports League, Number 14 at the Axis Mime Theatre, Blackdog Theatre in Toronto, and performing with comedic actor Ryan Stiles at Upfront Theatre in Bellingham, WA.  He has taught at the Shadboldt Center for the Arts, Carnegie Community Centre, and Simon Fraser University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in 1991.

Gabriel Carter

Instructor

About
Gabriel Carter

Instructor

Gabriel Carter is from San Francisco, California. He graduated from the American Conservatory Theatre masters program. In NYC, he was a voice over director for Don Buchwald and associates where he coached such luminaries as Ally Sheedy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Billy Crudup, Lisa Bonet amongst others. He was a instructor at the Stella Adler Conservatory. In Vancouver he was a core faculty member of Schoolcreative for five years. Gabriel believes acting is not a mimicry of life.

Trilby Jeeves

Instructor

About
Trilby Jeeves

Instructor

Trained in her second language at Le Conservatoire D’Art Dramatique de Quebec, in Quebec City, Trilby Jeeves was the first and only English student to graduate from the three-year program. She went on to perform in both French and English across Canada. During this time, she also worked part-time as a costumer, and a set supervisor for the film & TV industry. Trilby’s directing experiences include the first French Canadian productions of Les Monologues du Vagin for two consecutive years, and a recent production for First Impressions Theatre ofThe Memory of Water. Her passion for inspiring truthful performance evolved from teaching improv classes to various schools into her own Buffoonery Acting Workshops, which have taken her throughout BC to Puerto Rico, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan. She also helped create the Directing the Film Actor workshop, which she teaches with her partner, Peter D. Marshall, around the world. By providing a safe place, Trilby encourages her students at to find their inner bouffon giving them a unique tool for text exploration. You can follow Trilby, a social media enthusiast, on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tjbuffoonery and check out Buffoonery Acting Workshops

Overview

Program Duration

3 Months

Next Start Dates

March 10, 2025 September 2, 2025

Vanarts “Acting Foundations” is an intensive full-time 3-month program designed for those serious about embarking on a professional acting career. With over 390 instructional hours, led by esteemed professionals this program is meticulously crafted to provide actors with the essential skills and confidence needed to thrive in the competitive world of acting.

Classes are Monday to Friday, morning and afternoon (9:30am to approx. 5:30pm)

PTIB Approved

This program has been approved by the Registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.

Tuition Costs

Canadian

$5,688.00 CAD

International

$6,938.00 CAD

Additional Information

Payment Schedule

50% deposit upon acceptance to hold your seat
50% six weeks prior to start date

Supplies and Equipment
In addition to tuition, most programs have some costs related to supplies and equipment.

  • Notebooks, paper, pencils, highlighters and pens
  • Binders for scripts
  • Loose clothing or athletic gear for physical training
  • Costume pieces to be supplied from own wardrobe or purchased by student as necessary
  • Props to be supplied by students for specific scenes as required
  • Hard Drive for archiving video files

Estimated cost: $200* *These are estimates only and assume that no required supplies or equipment are currently owned.

Interested in Acting Foundations?

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