The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. It is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. LAMDA's Principal is Professor Mark O'Thomas, who succeeded Director Sarah Frankcom in 2022. Benedict Cumberbatch succeeded Timothy West as President of LAMDA's Board of Trustees in 2018. The Academy's graduates work regularly at the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's Globe, and the theatres of London's West End and Hollywood, as well as on the BBC, HBO, and Broadway. It is registered as a company under the name LAMDA Ltd and as a charity under its trading name London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. There is an associate organisation in America under the name of American Friends of LAMDA (AFLAMDA). A very high proportion of LAMDA's stage management and technical theatre graduates find work in their chosen field within weeks of graduation. As of July 2022, LAMDA alumni have received 5 Academy Awards (out of 13 Oscar nominations), 9 SAG Awards, 13 Tonys, 15 Emmys, 19 Golden Globes, 21 BAFTAs, and 39 Olivier Awards. LAMDA is also in partnership with the Fulbright Program. Each year one U.S. applicant is awarded a Fulbright Scholarship by the UK Fulbright Commission to study for a Master's degree in classical acting at the school. LAMDA Examinations in the fields of speech, drama, communication, and performance are taken by external students and are recognised by Ofqual, the regulator in England, and its counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland. LAMDA-accredited examinations at Level 3 or above are recognised within the UCAS Tariff system. History The London Academy of Music was founded by Henry Wylde in 1861; this makes the Academy the oldest of its kind in Britain, after - for example - the Royal Academy of Music (1822) and the Crystal Palace School of Art, Science, and Literature (1854). Originally located at St. James's Hall, it was divided into two compartments, one for women and one for men. The Academy began on 15 November 1861, at which time the cost per annum was 15guineas, or £15.75. The Academy accepted students for all ages "with a decided talent, or showing an aptitude for learning". Full scholarships were available. The first philharmonic concert was held on 29 April 1863, following a public rehearsal on 25 April. It