▁and ▁built ▁successful ▁care ers ▁in ▁theatre , ▁film , ▁television , ▁and ▁other ▁entertain ment ▁indust ries . ▁ ▁History ▁George ▁Brown ▁College ▁began ▁offering ▁several ▁theatre ▁arts ▁courses ▁in ▁theatre , ▁music , ▁and ▁dance ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁as ▁part - time ▁elect ives ▁for ▁its ▁general ▁student ▁popul ous . ▁In ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁bring ▁more ▁coh es ion ▁to ▁the ▁College ' s ▁performing ▁arts ▁division , ▁Dean ▁of ▁Academ ic ▁Studies ▁Brad ley ▁Web b , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁art istic ▁leadership ▁of ▁veter an ▁actor ▁and ▁director ▁Joseph ▁Shaw , ▁founded ▁the ▁George ▁Brown ▁Theatre ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁The ▁school ▁began ▁classes ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁as ▁a ▁two - year , ▁ 2 0 - student ▁program ▁hous ed ▁at ▁the ▁College ' s ▁K ens ington ▁Camp us ▁with ▁a ▁focus ▁on ▁both ▁theatre ▁performance ▁and ▁production . ▁It ▁moved ▁and ▁expanded ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁with ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁a ▁performance ▁space ▁at ▁ 5 3 0 ▁King ▁Street ▁East ▁while ▁training ▁continued ▁at ▁the ▁College ' s ▁Casa ▁L oma ▁campus . ▁ ▁Upon ▁Shaw ' s ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁Hein ar ▁P iller ▁became ▁Art istic ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁school . ▁ ▁P iller ▁engaged ▁Peter ▁C . ▁W yl de ▁as ▁Head ▁of ▁Act ing ▁and ▁under ▁their ▁leadership , ▁the ▁program ▁was ▁expanded ▁from ▁two ▁to ▁three ▁years . ▁The ▁curr icul