Musical Theatre

Explore your passion for musical theatre in a dynamic, creative and collaborative World Heritage setting.

• Develop your skills as a performer and theatre maker.

• Learn to experiment, critically reflect and innovate in your work. Explore repertoire, concepts and creative processes.

• Prepare for a rewarding career in the creative arts

BA (Hons) Musical Theatr) is designed for people who are passionate about musical theatre and who want to deepen and extend their understanding of how it works and the professional opportunities within this field.

As a student on this course, you’ll grow as a musical theatre performer, interpreter and creator.

Each year, Extended Theatre Practice modules will enable you to also gain expertise in related areas of performance work and so broaden your employability options.

Across the three years, you’ll develop and sharpen your communication, critical thinking, collaboration, research and leadership skills in a way that will enable you to operate confidently in a wide range of professional contexts within the performing arts, the creative industries and beyond after graduation.

Course Modules

Year one: Foundations

This is where you start your degree journey through building safe and individualised vocal practice, exploring musical theatre vocal techniques, and developing your skills in musical staging and Acting through Song. You’ll explore a wide range of musical theatre repertoire and practitioners, and work with Drama peers on Ensemble Theatre, Contemporary Theatre and a collaborative performance project.

**Year two: Exploration**

You’ll sharpen and extend your vocal, acting and staging skills through study of different styles of musicals and their demands of performers - both through class ensemble work and through detailed individualised work within duets or trios supported by specialist vocal and staging tutors.

You’ll learn about new musical theatre development processes and work as part of a company to create an original musical theatre performance piece. Typically, Extended Theatre Practice option modules include areas such as Applied Theatre (including schools-based work), Visual and Physical Theatres, Puppetry and / or movement-based Physical Theatre.

**Year three: Professionalisation**

Your performance, interpretive and creative skills development culminates in public performances and exploration of current cultural debates around musical theatre; you also receive industry and employability-focused guidance on audition and interview processes, digital self-promotion and networking. ETP modules typically include Staging Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama, Theatre for Social Engagement (including community theatre work) and a research project into an area of particular interest to you.

Professional Placement Year

A Professional Placement Year (PPY), traditionally known as a sandwich year, is where you undertake a period of work with an external organisation for between 9-13 months. The placement occurs between your second and final years of undergraduate study. You can engage in multiple placements to make up the total time and are required to source the placement(s) yourself, with support from the Careers team.