​To be successful in the increasingly competitive profession of acting, making a commitment to an intensive, focused period of training and practice is key. Our school will teach you how to act, but it will also teach you how to become an actor at the professional level.



NCDA has trained actors for careers in all media - stage, film, and more - since 1975. We're confident our experience will leave students prepared for the demands of a professional acting career.

Our Programs

The Conservatory Acting Program

The school's main course of study. This four semester program of intensive acting classes provides students with a strong foundation in the craft. Upon completion, students receive a Diploma in Acting.

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Intensive Instruction

Our school provides students with the tools they need to succeed as professionals in the creative industry. Students will receive 1,800 hours of intensive instruction over 16 months of study (56 credit hours). Small class sizes of no more than ten students ensure students receive individual guidance.

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Day and Evening Sessions

We offer daytime (11 AM - 3 PM) and evening sessions (6 PM - 10 PM) to accommodate most work schedules. Students attend school five days a week. In their final semester, students will present weekend showcases to the public.

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Open to All

Our program is open to anyone who has completed, at minimum, high school. Our students range widely in age, background, and experience. 

The Advanced Acting Program

Upon completion of the Conservatory Acting Program, students who have demonstrated excellence in their work are asked to audition for the Advanced Acting Program. This two semester program further develops students' acting craft and expands their studies into film, the technical elements of production, and other aspects of the creative industry.

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Professional

In the Advanced Acting Program, students will refine their craft over two semesters of study. They will be expected to consistently demonstrate a level of professionalism appropriate to the creative industry.

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Challenging

Students will challenge themselves by producing a short film, exploring new types of theatre, and producing their own work. They will expand their skill set and push themselves to a higher level of creative and technical accomplishment. In this program, "school" becomes a playground for exploring your ideas and individual artistic voice.

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Expansive

Our program is about more than just acting classes. In the course of learning how to become an actor, students will expand their network of professional contacts through production development, acting workshops, and other opportunities. They will form lasting bonds with their schoolmates and the wider NCDA alumni network spread across Washington, D.C. and beyond.

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TRAIN

PRACTICE

TRAIN

with a faculty of actors, directors, producers, filmmakers, writers, and other creatives actively working in Washington, D.C.

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BUILD

PRACTICE

TRAIN

a network of contacts comprised of school alumni and industry professionals throughout Washington, D.C.

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PRACTICE

PRACTICE

PRACTICE

on our school's black box stage and with the theatrical and filmmaking equipment you'll find in other professional theatres and studios.