Training Future Actors for Stage & Screen
Training Future Actors for Stage & Screen
This term, WPAA Young Actors will be working towards MOOD SWiNGZ, an original one-shot short film that will premiere exclusively at ActOne Cinema on Saturday 12 December before its online YouTube release.
Throughout the term, performers will experience the full professional filmmaking process, developing their acting for screen skills through rehearsals, character development, camera technique and filming. MOOD SWiNGZ explores themes of identity, period poverty and self-esteem, encouraging meaningful conversations through powerful storytelling.
Created in partnership with Freedom4Girls, this project demonstrates how young performers can use film to create social impact whilst gaining invaluable on-screen experience in a professional and supportive environment.
WPAA’s Young Actors offers inclusive, industry-led training for young people aged 8–14. Young Actors Members (YTM) become part of a diverse company, working collaboratively to rehearse and perform original productions written and directed by WPAA’s CEO and Principal, Adlyn Walton.
These productions are staged at professional venues, including Bush Theatre and ActOne Cinema, and performed to public, paying audiences. Each project is developed with the cast in mind, drawing on their perspectives and lived experiences to create work that is relevant, thought-provoking, and socially aware.
WPAA’s Young Actors explores contemporary themes and current movements, using performance as a platform to raise awareness and encourage discussion around identity, equality, and representation — including gender, race, culture, age, and ability. Students are supported to engage critically with these topics in an age-appropriate and creative environment.
Training focuses on developing well-rounded performers across both stage and screen. Students build skills in acting, movement, voice, and ensemble work, while also gaining experience in rehearsal discipline, text analysis, and performance technique. WPAA maintains high professional standards and expectations, preparing students for future pathways, whether that be further training at drama school or progression into the industry.
As part of their development, students also have the opportunity to be featured on the Walton Talent Network — a platform designed to showcase WPAA performers to industry professionals and support their progression beyond training.
Classes run term-time every Tuesday from 5:00pm–7:30pm at Acton Community Theatre.
Taster sessions offer young people the opportunity to experience a typical WPAA Young Actors class, giving them a clear insight into the training, environment, and expectations. It is an opportunity for both the student and parent to determine whether WPAA is the right fit.
Spaces are limited, and students will receive confirmation of their place following their taster session.
The Acting Studio is WPAA’s adult training programme for performers aged 18+, offering inclusive, industry-led training across both stage and screen. Designed for a range of experience levels, from beginners to performers seeking to strengthen their craft and work towards professional opportunities, including agency representation, the programme supports those at different stages of their acting journey.
Members of The Acting Studio work as part of a committed ensemble, developing their skills through structured rehearsals, practical exercises, and performance-based training. Sessions focus on acting technique, text analysis, voice, movement, and screen performance, with an emphasis on discipline, consistency, and creative development.
All productions are written and directed by Adlyn Walton, ensuring a cohesive artistic vision and the creation of original material tailored to the group. Performances take place in local professional venues, including theatres and cinemas, providing members with the opportunity to work towards high-quality, public-facing outcomes.
As part of their development, members may also be featured on the Walton Talent Network — a platform designed to showcase WPAA performers to industry professionals and support progression beyond training.
The Acting Studio is designed to bridge the gap between training and industry, offering adults a space to develop their craft seriously, build confidence in performance, and gain practical experience across both stage and screen.
Registering your interest allows you to receive further information about upcoming sessions, availability, and how to get involved. Spaces are limited, and places will be confirmed following initial contact.
Adlyn Walton offers 1:1 and small group private tuition for both children and adults, tailored to suit individual goals, experience levels, and availability.
Sessions are flexible and can take place on-site, at your home, at Adlyn’s home, or via online video sessions. Tuition is designed to support a range of needs, including building confidence, developing acting technique, preparing for auditions, or refining performance skills across stage and screen.
Each session is personalised, allowing for focused, one-to-one guidance in a professional and supportive environment.
Fees vary depending on the type of session, group size, and location.
To enquire, please contact: info@wpaa.co.uk
About Us
Walton Performing Arts Academy (WPAA) was founded by Adlyn Walton, who serves as CEO, Principal, and Founder. The academy was established with a clear purpose: to provide high-quality, industry-led performing arts training that is inclusive, accessible, and reflective of the world young people are growing up in today.
Adlyn trained at leading UK drama schools, developing a strong foundation in acting across both stage and screen. Alongside her training, she has worked professionally within the industry, including appearing in Tin Star. This combination of formal training and industry experience informs the standard and structure of all teaching at WPAA.
In addition to her work as an actor and educator, Adlyn is a DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) Partner, working within arts education to support inclusive practice, representation, and meaningful cultural change. This ethos is embedded at the core of WPAA, shaping not only the training environment but the stories that are told and the way students are supported.
WPAA was created in response to a gap in accessible, relevant performing arts training. The academy is committed to delivering work that reflects the experiences of the youth of today, exploring contemporary social issues and raising awareness around topics that impact young people, including identity, inequality, and representation. Training is designed to be both creatively challenging and socially aware, encouraging students to think critically while developing as performers.
A key part of WPAA’s approach is ensuring that all productions are developed in-house. Every production is written, directed, choreographed, edited, and produced by Adlyn Walton, allowing for a consistent artistic vision and ensuring that work is tailored specifically to the students involved. This also enables the academy to create original material that is relevant, current, and purposeful.
Alongside its training and productions, WPAA has collaborated with a range of children’s and youth charities, using performance as a platform to raise awareness and funds for important causes. These partnerships form part of the academy’s wider commitment to community engagement and social impact.
WPAA also aims to bridge the gap between training and the professional industry. Through performance opportunities, screen-based projects, and platforms such as the Walton Talent Network, students are supported in building the skills, confidence, and professional materials needed to take their next steps. The academy’s approach ensures that students are not only developing as performers, but are also prepared for the realities of the industry.
At its core, WPAA is a space built on inclusion, belonging, and opportunity — where every student is supported, challenged, and given the tools to grow both creatively and personally.
The Walton Talent Network is an online platform created by Adlyn Walton to showcase WPAA performers to industry professionals, including casting directors and agents.
Developed as an extension of WPAA’s training, the network supports the transition from education into the professional industry by providing selected performers with an industry-facing presence. Profiles include professional materials such as headshots and showreels, allowing their work to be accessed in a clear and professional format.
The platform has been created in response to growing interest from industry professionals seeking to connect with emerging talent, offering a structured and accessible way for WPAA performers to be seen.
Inclusion is offered to students who demonstrate commitment, ability, and professional readiness within their training. Participation is optional and confirmed through written consent.
The Walton Talent Network is not a talent agency and does not provide representation or guarantee professional work. It is a showcase platform designed to support performers as they prepare for the next stage of their development.
Launching September — updates coming soon.
Take a look at some of WPAA’s past productions across stage and screen. All work is written, directed, choreographed, edited, or adapted by Adlyn Walton, creating original, contemporary performances tailored to each cast and staged in professional venues.
A Play About Britain is a powerful, thought-provoking original play exploring what it means to be British today. Told through the voices of young people, it tackles themes including identity, belonging, discrimination, allyship and community, encouraging audiences to reflect on contemporary Britain through honest, authentic and hopeful storytelling.
MR GORDON is a short film produced to showcase WPAA’s Acting for Screen course, screened at The Chiswick Cinema. The film acts as a narrative-led music video for emerging artist Danielle’s debut single, Mr Gordon.
The Roaring Twenties was a musical theatre production performed by WPAA’s Young Actors, staged at Acton Community Theatre. The production explored 1920s New York, blending jazz influences with modern music to celebrate the culture and evolution of the era.
A modern adaptation of Twelfth Night, performed by WPAA’s Young Actors. Set in the early 2000s, the production featured a predominantly female cast and combined Shakespeare’s original language with UK garage hits from the Y2K era, performed as an open-air production at Acton Gardens Community Centre.
A full musical adapted from Oliver!, performed by WPAA’s Young Actors with a predominantly female cast. The production was staged as a site-specific performance at St Mary’s Church, set within a Georgian church with a stained-glass backdrop.
An original full-length dystopian musical play performed by WPAA’s Young Actors, exploring the online world of gaming. The production traced the evolution of gaming culture from the 1970s to a future shaped by digital addiction, featuring a gospel house soundtrack, and was performed at Bush Theatre.
A short film produced by WPAA’s Young Actors in association with The Childhood Trust and AllChild, raising awareness of the cost of living crisis and its impact on families, particularly children, over the Christmas period. The film was screened at ActOne Cinema as part of The Walton Awards, where students were recognised for their on-screen performances.
WPAA’s first Young Actors production, SUS was an original full-length play performed in real time. Set during a school detention, the piece combined acting, dance, and singing to showcase the students’ talents, and was performed at Bush Theatre, gaining recognition from publisher Lucy George from Wordville Press.
At Walton Performing Arts Academy we are always here to help. Please, get in touch today:
33-35 High Street, Acton, W3 6ND