Musical Theatre

If you dream of being in the cast of a West End or Broadway musical, Solent’s dynamic BA (Hons) Musical Theatre degree will help you build your practical performance skills in singing, dancing and acting alongside the academic study of musical theatre performance and production, helping you gain the knowledge to kick-start a fantastic career.

With a key focus on employability and developing your creative skills, you will receive training in up-to-date acting techniques, vocal coaching based on contemporary vocal techniques, and a range of dance techniques. You will also have the opportunity to develop your skills in related areas, such as directing, theatre in education, and stage combat.

Studying musical theatre at Solent will enable you to train as a versatile performer for stage and screen, developing integrated skills in singing, dancing, and acting, and taking part in regular shows that replicate professional rehearsal processes. You will learn from an experienced, welcoming and helpful teaching team who have been professionally engaged in the performing arts across a wide range of disciplines, and who will nurture you to gain the skills and confidence to shine in auditions, self-tapes, and showreels.

Thanks to the course team's close links with industry, you’ll have the chance to gain practical experience working with local institutions on live briefs. Our industry links can create exciting partnerships with professionals and guest lecturers including actors, directors, and career guidance professionals who will share their unique insights, including our Associate Professor, Earl Carpenter (Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera).

Spotlight, the leading casting platform, and Equity, the performers union, worked together to create guidelines for drama school and university courses. Our course has been recognised as fulfilling these guidelines, allowing our third-year students to become both Spotlight Graduate members and obtain Equity’s full membership.

During your studies you will be eligible for Student Equity membership at a much-reduced rate and Equity’s full membership upon graduation. This will allow you to access essential career resources such as information on casting, contracts, pay, and to create a personal profile on their website. And as a Spotlight Graduate Member, you can receive tailored events to help nurture your transition from training to the industry, as well as discounted membership for the first two years of your career.

During the final year, one student is nominated by course staff to compete for the Spotlight Prize, with a chance to win a cash prize and perform at an industry event in front of an expert panel of judges.

Also in the final year, you can participate in an industry-standard performance showcase in London, providing the perfect opportunity to present yourself to the industry and develop professional networks that will help launch your career in the performing arts. Our showcase is listed on the Spotlight Performance Calendar, making it visible to casting directors and agents.

Who is this course for?
Solent’s musical theatre degree is ideally suited to students with a passion for musical theatre arts and a desire to work in a performance related area. Strong communication and team building skills make our students highly desirable for employers across of range of industries. Applicants will ideally have some previous experience and/or qualifications in drama and will be required to present an audition.

What does this course lead to?
The nature of this degree prepares students for a career in the performing arts. Our alumni have gone on to post-graduate studies, teaching, cruise ship entertaining, theatre and/or screen acting, theatre in education, children's’ entertaining and more.

YEAR ONE
CORE MODULES

Opening Number
The Musical Theatre Technique Toolkit
Choreograph and Create
Performing in Digital Media

YEAR TWO
CORE MODULES

Musical Theatre in the Community
Period Acting for Musicals on Stage and Screen
The Big Musical

OPTIONAL MODULES - Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Performing Arts Education
Finding Your Voice
Directing

FINAL YEAR
CORE MODULES

Theatre Maker Festival: Professional Partnership
Innovation Lab
Musical Theatre Cabaret
Show Business

You may be assessed at the end of each block by:
Individual performances
Group performances
Individual presentations
Group presentations
Portfolios
Workshops
Devising
Assignments
Log books
As part of this course, you will study one module at a time, giving you the chance to build a deeper understanding and see the results of your hard work more quickly. With regular assessments and feedback, rather than exams all at once, you’ll also benefit from improved focus, and a more manageable workload.