Actor Training
My approach
2026 NIDA – Much Ado About Nothing (BFA – 2nd year Acting)
Directed by Timothy Jones (Image: Celeste Wrona; Courtesy of NIDA)
My approach to teaching acting is anchored by two interconnected objectives:
Developing autonomous actors: I equip actors with the skills to work with confidence, independence, and self-direction, whether shaping a character that must live truthfully across countless takes on screen or sustaining emotional and physical vitality through eight live performances a week.
Nurturing intuitive actors: At the same time, I encourage actors to develop a deeper trust in their instincts. I help them cultivate the ability to remain alive to the moment—to listen, respond, and bring their full, honest selves to every performance.
Ultimately, my aim is to create the conditions for technique and intuition to work in grounded partnership.
Process
To achieve this, my teaching is strongly informed by the work of two master teachers: Uta Hagen and Lindy Davies. Hagen’s approach formed the foundation of my acting training at NIDA, and I later observed her teaching and performing in New York. I draw on the skills-based training articulated in her two seminal texts, Respect for Acting and A Challenge for the Actor, offering a rigorous approach to analysing given circumstances and objectives while remaining in service to instinct and inspiration.
The work of Australian director and acting consultant Lindy Davies has been equally formative. I have trained with and been directed by her on numerous occasions. Davies’ “impulse work” is central to my teaching practice, offering an embodied approach through which intuition and instinct guide character creation.
Teaching experience includes:
National Institute Dramatic Art (NIDA)
BFA – 1st and 2nd year – Introduction to acting: Stanislavsky and impulse
BFA – 2nd year – Directing:
Hot Fudge by Caryl Churchill – Naturalism project
Much Ado About Nothing – Shakespeare project
Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP)
Advanced acting skills for 18-26 years (5+ years)
Sydney University (Department of Performance Studies)- Political/verbatim theatre
Actors Centre Australia – Acting technique and scene work
To learn more about my teaching experience and approach, please get in touch:
Timothy Jones 