The American Musical and Dramatic Academy

AMDA first opened its doors in New York City in 1964 as The American Musical and Dramatic Academy. The first director of AMDA was the renowned theatre director, producer, teacher, and Shakespeare scholar, Philip Burton. The foundation of the AMDA program was based on the belief that the actor, the singer, and the dancer would each greatly benefit from attending an intensive conservatory training program in which all were taught the same integrated, multidisciplinary curriculum. AMDA’s philosophy was that the actor would develop stronger techniques by studying singing and dance alongside traditional acting courses and that the singer and dancer would both greatly benefit from in-depth acting study in addition to dance and vocal training.