The British American Drama Academy (BADA) was founded in 1983 by Tony Branch and Carolyn Sands, based upon an idea they developed whilst living in La Jolla, California in 1982.
The BADA's aim was also to bring the best British directors and teachers together with young actors of great promise in North America and elsewhere.
Working initially from his apartment in La Jolla, Anthony enlisted volunteers (including James Pearson, Robert Zimmerman, and many others) to help organize the first class for the first summer program, which was planned to be in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
[1] The program moved in 1985 to Regents Park, London, in order to be better connected with the British theatreworld.
Since 1988, it has been affiliated with Sarah Lawrence College, which has spring and fall semesters with BADA in London for credit.