About the Musical Theatre Major:
Within this interdisciplinary major, you will work with our experienced faculty in Music, Dance and Theatre to hone your singing, dancing and acting 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 theatre and dance history. We’ll 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 will be housed within the Theatre Arts program, administered by James Zager. 5-8 Students will be accepted into the program annually; an audition is required for acceptance.
Initial Audition
Students will come to campus, or submit video auditions, each Spring. Students will sing 16-24 bars of a contemporary musical theatre song, perform a short choreography sequence, and 1-minute contemporary monologue.
Second and Third Year Reviews/Triple Threat Live Participation
Students will participate in Second and Third Year Reviews, in which they will participate in Triple Threat Live – a 3 week workshop in April culminating in a public and internally/externally adjudicated performance of 16-24 bars of a contemporary musical theatre song studied in voice lessons, a short choreography sequence and 1-minute contemporary monologue. Students need to score an average of at least 3 in their second year to continue in the program.
Senior Showcase
Students will perform in a Senior Showcase in March of their final year, which will include a Scene Study, two contrasting 1-minute monologues, one solo singing performance, one guitar/piano performance and one group dance/singing 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.