Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art

Drama school in London, England

The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, formerly the Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Art, was a drama school, and originally a singing school, in London. It was one of the leading drama schools in Britain, and offered comprehensive training for those intending to pursue a professional performance career.

## History

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The school was founded in London in 1926 as the Webber Douglas School of Singing,[1] by Walter Johnstone Douglas (youngest son of Arthur Johnstone-Douglas) and Amherst Webber.[1] It was created from the singing academy founded in 1906 in Paris by Jean de Reszke.[1] By 1932, the school had added full theatrical training to its curriculum, and was renamed the Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Art.[2][3] It was located at 30 Clareville St in South Kensington.

In 2006, the academy was absorbed into the Central School of Speech and Drama.[1] Many of the academy's past alumni have formed a theatre company dedicated to keeping the original spirit of the school alive. In 2009, the Central School of Speech and Drama renamed its Embassy Studio the Webber Douglas Studio.[1]

## Alumni

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See Category:Alumni of the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art

## Notes

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1. ^ a b c d e ""Central and Webber Douglas to Merge."". The Stage. 20 April 2004. Archived from the original on 27 December 2004.
2. ^ Chambers, Colin. Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre. Continuum, 2002. p. 221.
3. ^ Gunn, John. Acting for You. London: Lutterworth Press, 1957. p. 145.

## External links

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* Webber Douglas website at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
* Webber Douglas website at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
* Central School of Speech and Drama homepage
* Walter Henry George Johnstone-Douglas in Burke's Landed Gentry

51°29′35″N 0°10′51″W﻿ / ﻿51.49306°N 0.18083°W﻿ / 51.49306; -0.18083

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* MusicBrainz place

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