| Biography | The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts is Britain's and the world's oldest theatre arts training school. It grew out of the first production of the play that was to become a children's classic "Where the Rainbow Ends". Italia Conti who was then an established actress was invited by the producer Charles Hawtrey to teach the children for the first production of 'Where the Rainbow Ends' which opened at the SAVOY Theatre in 1911. After the Hawtrey engagement, during which Italia discovered her natural gift for managing children, she virtually gave up her career as an actress and devoted her time to teaching young people to dance, sing, act and speak! So the school was born in a basement studio in London's Great Portland Street. |