Press release from NASA
Nicholsons’ Academy of Screen Acting (NASA) is proud to announce that its co-founders Fern and Wayne Nicholson have been invited to teach at the prestigious French Woods, described by the New York Times as ‘the gold standard of theater camps’.
Dedication to the craft and considerable professional achievements have culminated in the local industry icons being invited to teach at French Woods: Festival of Performing Arts – an elite New York summer camp that caters to the children of America’s most famous and wealthy families.
Notable parents of French Woodites include Will Smith, Jada Pinkett, Forest Whitaker, Steve Buscemi, David Hasselhoff, Carrie Fisher, Magic Johnson, John McEnroe, Jason Alexander, Christian Audigier (fashion designer), Debra Winger, Paul Simon, Paul Stanley, Dave Stewart, Rosanna Arquette and Jon Landau (producer Titanic/Avatar), to name a small few.
News of this opportunity comes at an auspicious time for the Nicholson siblings who this week opened their doors to the wider Australian acting community with the launch of NASA.
Based in Perth Western Australia, NASA is a training academy dedicated to the serious screen actor. It was established by all accounts ‘to fill a resounding gap’. Classes have been operating at maximum capacity for the past six months by word-of-mouth alone – a feat made possible by the pair’s exceptional reputation.
During their time as principal lecturers at The Film & Television Institute (FTI), Fern wrote and developed Perth’s first nationally recognised course for screen actors – the Diploma of Screen Acting.
“Over the past few years I have received many requests from actors throughout Perth and across Australia, asking us to consider opening a school so others interested in the craft would have access to a more intensive form of training. Thus, NASA was born!” said Fern.
“We pride ourselves on our unique teaching methods. All our courses include various exercises and training methods not currently taught by other acting institutions, and all our lecturers are qualified professionals who are currently working in their chosen craft.”
“NASA’s dedication and drive to produce the best results for those who aspire to perform on screen, is of prime importance. It’s not just about the techniques and skills that you need to be a great actor; it’s about you, your personal journey and the ‘life skills’ you acquire along the way,” said Fern.
According to Wayne, the offer to teach at French Woods was a unique opportunity the pair could not turn down.
“While we won’t know who we’ll be teaching until we arrive, the thought that I might be teaching the kids of industry heavyweights like Jon Landau and Will Smith, is both exciting and a little overwhelming,” said Wayne.
“When I found out Fern had been invited to teach the theatre course, I was rapt. Aside from being an amazing experience for us both personally and professionally, I am so happy that we are going on this adventure together.”
Wayne is currently working on his first feature film with Peter Jackson’s script editor Linda Seger, a project which has secured support from Lotterywest and Screenwest.
Before its directors head to New York, NASA will hold a series of intensive courses for adults of all ages, and boot camps for teenagers who have some previous acting experience.
Upcoming courses:
* 6 February (intensive 8 week course) – 18 years and over
* 21 February (intensive 8 week course) – 18 years and over
* Easter school holidays (boot camps for drama students) – 15 to 18 years old
For more information or to apply for NASA selection, please visit the official website, www.nicholsonsacademy.com.