ACTING CLASSES IN CORK
Adults-only acting classes in Donnybrook, Cork — for absolute beginners, returning actors and everyone who keeps saying “I'd love to try that.” Small groups, no audition, free parking outside.
Acting classes in Cork that don't take themselves too seriously
Go On So is an independent acting studio in Donnybrook, Douglas — ten minutes from Douglas village and an easy hop from Cork City Centre, with free parking right outside the door. No city-centre hassle, no paying for parking, no fighting for a space at 6.45pm.
Every class is for adults 18 and over. Whether you've never set foot on a stage or you're taping for US casting directors, there's a room here for you. Beginners are welcome, and nobody is expected to arrive knowing what to do.
First Night Nerves
A 6-week acting course for complete beginners. Zero experience necessary. Zero pressure. Proper acting training for adults who've always thought “I'd love to try that” but haven't quite known where to start.
Find your next class
Book a current course or register interest for the next specialist workshop.
Second Night Nerves
Ready to go a little further? Four weeks of proper scene work for actors with some experience — taught by actor & trainer Cheryl Walsh.
THU 19 NOV – THU 10 DEC 2026 · 7:00PM–9:30PM · €90
Book NowSelf-Tape Clinic
You've an audition coming up or you want to apply for acting jobs on Fishpond or Spotlight. Come in, get some useful tips & tricks from pros who have booked auditions and practice in front of the camera.
SAT 3 OCT · 10AM–12.30PM · €20
The 3 October clinic sold out — new dates coming soon. Register your interest to hear first.
Studio Club
Keep acting. Keep playing. Keep getting better. A one-off acting night, every Friday from January 2027 — coming soon. Register your interest to hear when booking opens.
FROM JANUARY 2027 · ONGOING · €20 per night
Audition Workshop
One night on the thing everyone dreads. Real reads, tips, honest feedback and practice.
Coming soon · 7:30PM–10PM · €10 per person
First Take: Acting 55+
A four-week daytime acting course for adults aged 55+ who are completely new to acting, haven't acted in years, or simply fancy trying something creative and different.
TUE 17 NOV – TUE 8 DEC 2026 · 11AM–1PM · €90
Book NowThe Cork theatre scene (it's bigger than you think)
Cork has a proper theatre scene — amateur groups, tiny black boxes, a Victorian grand dame and a network for professionals. Here's a map of it, and how to work your way in.
Drama clubs & groups
Rebel City Drama Club
Independent amateur group founded in 2016, with fortnightly improv and theatre meet-ups in the city centre. Open to every level — including none.
Find them on Meetup →Cork Shakespearean Company
“The Loft” — a Cork institution founded in 1924. They meet on Thursday evenings at the Rock Community Centre on Blarney Street and are always open to new members.
Find them on Facebook →Carraig na bhFear Drama Society
Long-running village drama group in Carrignavar, just outside the city — an annual production in the community hall and a proper community ethos.
Find them on Facebook →Theatres to watch — and one day play
Cork's oldest purpose-built theatre — a 650-seat Victorian beauty on MacCurtain Street, opened in 1897. Big productions, big nights.
“The little theatre with a big heart” at Carroll's Quay — 100 seats, all in, home to new writing, one-act festivals and first-time companies.
Also on the circuit: Cork Opera House, Triskel Arts Centre, Graffiti Theatre and Firkin Crane. See a show — you'll be surprised how small and welcoming the world behind the curtain is.
Already in the business?
The Cork Theatre Collective supports independent theatre artists with funded residencies, workshops, masterclasses and a members' network that connects you to the stages of Cork. Cheryl is a member — it's where the professionals find each other.
Accredited theatre courses
Want a degree in it? UCC runs the Theatre & Performative Practices BA, and the MTU Cork School of Music runs the four-year BA (Hons) in Theatre & Drama Studies — entrance is by workshop and audition. Both are full-time, full-commitment programmes.
Getting involved — the honest route in
- 1. Start with a beginners acting course — that's us. Learn the basics in a room where nobody judges you.
- 2. Get reps in: improv nights, open workshops, see everything you can at the theatres above.
- 3. Join a drama group or club and audition for something small. Your first role will not be Hamlet.
- 4. Keep going — develop your craft, meet people, find your people. Cork's scene rewards the ones who show up.
Getting here is easy
Go On So, Unit B, C3, First Floor, Donnybrook Commercial Centre, Cork, T12 APN7. Free parking right outside, 10 minutes from Douglas village, and about 30 minutes from Cork City Centre on the 207 bus.
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