Melbourne’s Best Drama Classes For Kids

Having the confidence to perform and pretend in front of others is an amazing skill for any child to have. If yours spend their time rifling through the dress-up tub and keeping you entertained with shows they create, you might just have an actor-in-the-making on your hands.

So, what to do? Sending them off to drama classes is a great idea. Even if they end up as a rocket scientist or a salesperson, the skills they learn in acting classes will set them up to be someone who can think on the spot and can handle public speaking – and they’ll have heaps of fun at the same time.

No matter where you live, there are lots of classes that help kids draw out their inner creativity and give them opportunities to perform. Here are seven of the best kids’ drama classes in Melbourne.

A Guide To Melbourne’s Best Drama Classes For Kids

1. Super Speak

Super Speak runs fun, high energy public speaking and drama programs for children aged 6-14 and is a firm favourite amongst parents. Established in 2006, Super Speak’s award-winning curriculum combines both structured public speaking and creative drama to teach children a broad range of practical skills. This helps them to become more confident, creative and capable communicators for life. Super Speak’s experienced teaching team set them apart. They are qualified, skilled and supported by Principal Vicki Skyring (BA, BEd, ATCL, LTCL, Trinity College London). You can rest assured your child is in the best hands!

Super Speak runs weekly classes in-person at over 15 venues across Melbourne and they also offer live and interactive online small group classes. Classes are appropriate for children of all confidence and skill levels.

Speak well, perform and achieve at Super Speak! Enrolments are now open so get in touch to secure a place for your child.

To find out more visit Super Speak.

2. Working Actors Academy

Working Actors Academy is a prestigious acting school run by actors, for actors. Right now they are offering flexible, online classes for kids aged 5 to 18. Your child will stick to a dedicated weekly time where they work with up to seven other kids via video conferencing, learning performance skills and acting techniques. This is a great way to make new friends, challenge themselves and have fun in a safe environment!

Working Actors Academy will give your child all the tools they need to become a working actor in a fun, safe and inclusive environment.

For more information visit Working Actors Academy.

3. Victorian Youth Theatre (VYT)

Aimed at kids 8-18 years old, the program at Victorian Youth Theatre is a mix of weekly tuition and twice-yearly performance seasons. Entry-level students kick off their acting lessons with one class that runs between 90-120 minutes but as they progress – or if they show incredible talent – they are moved through different levels and can attend two back-to-back classes each week (with the second class also running between 90-120 minutes).

As part of Stage School Australia, VYT sticks to the straight acting offering, with the Young Australian Broadway Chorus (YABC) open to kids who love singing and dancing too. New Beginners On Stage classes that cater for 4-5-year-olds are now also on the timetable in some venues. The students who attend are a mix of serious wanna-be actors to kids who just want to try treading the boards for some fun. Because the school is linked with a talent agency, it has some good opportunities for kids to chase their performing dreams and have a shot at auditioning for TV, film or theatre roles.

For more information visit Victorian Youth Theatre.

4. Stage School Australia

Because all the world's a stage... Stage School Australia encourages kids to take ownership of their acting ability and prosper through the help of a dedicated team of performing arts industry professionals. With 21 locations across Melbourne and a class to suit all styles of performers, your child's confidence will flourish.

Stage School Australia has a wide range of classes for 4-18-year-olds including Drama, Musical Theatre and Boys Dance classes. There are so many benefits to acting/drama/dance and this school aims to foster self-confidence and public speaking skills in a group environment. Plus, through their live performances, parents will get a chance to see the progress and transformation in action!

For more information visit Stage School Australia.

5. National Theatre Drama School

There are multiple classes available at the National Theatre Drama School. You might prefer Saturday or after school to suit your child’s schedule best and during school holidays there are always intensive programs to try. Some children have their sights on-stage performance, others dream about the big screen. This program has classes that cater for both acting streams, as well as musical theatre.

For post-high school and for mature age students, the National Theatre operates a full-time and part-time drama school, too.

For more information visit National Theatre Drama School.

6. St Martins Youth Arts Centre

St Martins Youth Arts Centre has a fine artistic tradition of breeding some very talented performers. Noah Taylor and Nicole Kidman are just a couple of the well-known actors who did some training here.

Acting classes are delivered in three age groups – 5-8-year-olds, 9-12 and 13-17. For the younger crowd, the workshops aim to harness imagination into creative play. And older children? They have a more serious focus to work on ensemble development, including body, voice and text, to produce a showcase of devised work to perform for an audience of friends and family.

During the school holidays, there are always intensive workshops on offer too – but get in fast because it’s a popular school with a solid reputation that’s been built over decades.

For more information visit St Martins Youth Arts Centre.

7. NIDA

NIDA is one of the most prestigious acting schools in Australia and for several years now has extended beyond its full-time Sydney acting course for adults to offer a range of ongoing part-time workshops and classes for children, as well as regular school holidays programs.

Your child can choose from a range of classes, including acting for screen and acting for the stage, as well as various acting-related writing and production-focused classes.

Some of the workshops are audition-based, while others are open to anyone keen to explore drama as a way to unleash their own creativity. There are different age-based options that start from kindergarten age, right through to adults.

For more information visit NIDA.

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