Drama: Musical Theatre

Why study BA Drama: Musical Theatre at Goldsmiths

This degree prepares you to create musical theatre and find work in the performing arts sector. As part of a close-knit community you'll develop your talents as a performer and in other areas, from director to arts administrator.

• Our programme encourages you to develop your talents not only as a performer, but also in other areas of musical theatre: as a director, choreographer, musical director, stage manager, writer, dramaturg, publicist, designer, or arts administrator.

• We train as a company, where you’ll be part of a community of creators and collaborators sharing the responsibilities of producing theatre – from acting to ticketing. We believe that this maximises your artistic experiences and your professional opportunities once you leave.

• You'll take one-on-one singing lessons with our lecturing vocal coach, who has trained West End performers.

• You'll study movement fundamentals, jazz, and tap. Our tap teacher brings their West End experience to the classroom as they teach all levels of students.

• We supplement our dance courses with dance workshops and we regularly supplement our singing courses with master classes with visiting artists.

• Goldsmiths has a range of studios and performance spaces. These facilities are regularly available for student booking as you develop your own work.

• The programme focuses on a series of performance benchmarks: your first year culminates in a cabaret, usually at an off-West End venue; your second year involves developing a new piece; and the third year involves a major production of a licensed show.

• You will have the opportunity to develop your own work. The department offers competitive grants and associate artist positions, as well as our rehearsal studios, to help facilitate student work.

• Modules in musical theatre history and theory will help you to think critically about performance and representation. At Goldsmiths, we think through the ethics of musical theatre and understand where it has been so that you can take it to new places.

• We are proud partners with IRIE! Dance Theatre, whose work embodies many African Dance traditions and contemporary dance styles and with whom we share workshop experiences.

• As a university in London, Goldsmiths is a 15-minute journey from the heart of theatre in Britain, not to mention a range of museums, concert halls, cabaret and jazz clubs, and other cultural venues.

Year 1
In your first year you'll take the following compulsory modules:
Ideas in Practice
Creative-Critical Project
Introduction to Movement and Dance
Introduction to Singing and Music Theory
Performance Praxis 1A: Action
Performance Praxis 1B: Acting, Voice, and Text
Musical Theatre-making 1

Year 2
In your second year, you'll study these compulsory modules:
Performance Praxis 2A: Acting and the Song
Performance Praxis 2B: Dance and Musical Staging
Musical Theatre-making 2

You will also choose one module from each of the following groups:
Global Theatre History: The Modern American Musical
or
Global Theatre Histories
or
The Goldsmiths Elective

Global Theatre History: The British Musical Since 1945
or
Workshop Facilitation: Theory and Practice

Year 3
In your final year, you'll take the following compulsory modules:
Performing Culture: Musical Theatre in a Multicultural Society
Performance Praxis 3: Working in the Industry
Musical Theatre-making 3: Collaborative Project
Devising Project: The Professional Showcase

You will also choose one of the following Perfoming Culture module options:
Performing Culture: Modern Black, British and American Drama
Performing Culture: Ecological Theatre

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

We incorporate a range of assessments into our curriculum. Performance assessments include a licensed book musical, an excerpt of a new musical in development, a cabaret show, a musical revue, as well as individual scenes and songs. Other courses culminate in a tap routine, a choreographed jazz dance, and written essays. Extensive support is provided in the first year to help students prepare to write essays.