About the Musical Theatre Major
Within this interdisciplinary major, you will work with our experienced faculty in Theatre, Music and Dance to hone your acting, singing and dancing talents. You will learn to apply vocal and physical techniques to each of your performances, to sing with a free and authentic voice, to dance in a variety of musical theatre styles, to develop important musicianship skills, and to understand both musical theatre and dance history. We will also help you develop the tenacity, discipline and self-promotion skills that are essential to success in this competitive field.
In addition, this 48-credit major can easily be paired with another major area of study or with multiple minors, such as Arts Management and/or Film and Television.
Program Administration
The Musical Theatre Major is housed within the Theatre Arts program and is administered by Prof. James Zager MFA. 5-8 Students will be recruited into the program annually.
First Year
First Year Students are directly admitted into the Musical Theatre program without an audition, however, all Musical Theatre students are required to enroll and successfully complete THE400 Musical Theatre Workshops each semester to be continued in the program. This class focuses on audition techniques and individual artistic growth.
Second and Third Year Reviews/Triple Threat Live Participation
Students will participate in Second and Third Year Reviews and will participate in Triple Threat Live – a 3 week workshop in April culminating in a public and internally/externally adjudicated performance.
Senior Showcase
Students will perform in a Senior Showcase in March of their final year, which will consist of a one-minute contemporary monologue, two contrasting solo singing performances, and one group dance number.
Summer Repertory Series
Earn course credit and gain real-world experience in a 6-8 week ‘summer stock’ setting for course credit while you develop the skills you’ll need to sustain a successful career in the theatre and arts management industries.
Theatre Arts Scholarship
Students who declare Musical Theatre as their primary or secondary major are eligible to apply for the Dorothy Sainsbury-Steinmetz Memorial Theatre Arts Scholarship.