Finding the Right School for a Career in Musical Theatre
Taking Musical Theatre to the Next Level
Musical theater is a collaborative art, and to prepare the next generation of ingenues and belters, colleges must adapt. Broadway hits like Kinky Boots, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Hamilton have ushered in pop and rock to the Great White Way, while also challenging traditional pedagogies.
A degree in musical theatre can open many doors, but how do you find the right school for you?
Getting Started
Whether you’re an adult who wants to try musical theater, or a student who is starting out, there are some things you should know. First, it’s important to start early and get as much experience as you can — take dance, singing and acting lessons and audition for shows at your college, whether those are official mainstage productions put on by the theatre department or smaller student-run theater and club talent show productions.
Then, consider getting a degree in musical theatre at a university. The best musical theater universities offer conservatory-style training that combines acting, singing and dancing with music. And while many of the top programs are located in New York City, performers from all types of schools and degrees (even those with no post-baccalaureate training) make it on Broadway and beyond.
The First Year
The BFA Musical Theatre program provides a dynamic, conservatory-style training experience to nurture your inherent talent and develop your unique creative voice. Over the course of four years, you’ll learn acting, singing and dance with a rigorous curriculum that also includes coursework in theater history, stage production, music theory and performance.
Your first year of study builds each of the artistic skills that make up a musical theatre performer: you’ll receive weekly one-hour private vocal lessons, take dance classes in Broadway styles and take an actor training curriculum including Meisner and other techniques. You’ll participate in multiple performance opportunities and gain a deeper understanding of the industry through master classes with visiting industry professionals.
From the sophomore year on, you’ll be invited to apply your classroom training through real-world experiences, such as Syracuse Stage performances and co-productions of musicals and plays directed by directing students and scenes and play rehearsals that earn you Equity membership candidate points.
The Second Year
Throughout the second year, students participate in mainstage musicals and plays and co-productions with Syracuse Stage. Other opportunities include scenes and plays directed by directing students and film projects made by our student filmmakers. These productions allow students to incorporate classroom and process skills into a public performance. They are also evaluated by theatre, music and dance faculty to gauge their progress as a professional actor.
Xavier Theatre produces a full season of eight shows each year and students are frequently cast in roles both onstage and backstage. Students also have the opportunity to work collaboratively with professional actors as understudies. They are evaluated by faculty through a variety of means including daily class critiques, weekly written evaluations and end-of-semester evaluations in addition to rehearsals and public performances.
Pace University provides conservatory-style training in musical theatre, acting and dance, and has an excellent reputation for its graduates. Located an hour from New York City, the program offers three mainstage musicals and one opera each year as well as student-directed work. Masterclasses with Broadway professionals are frequent.
The Third Year
Our Theatre (BFA) with Musical Theatre Emphasis program combines intense training in acting, singing and dance to prepare you for a career in this demanding field. You’ll study all aspects of musical theatre while working closely alongside fellow BFA Acting majors and professional actors.
You’ll take more than 12 hours of studio instruction per week and participate in a main stage production each semester along with a number of workshop and second stage opportunities. You’ll also participate in a 6-week summer stock experience that earns you course credit and industry exposure.
You’ll be assessed throughout the year to determine your progress and readiness for the next phase of your training in the Musical Theatre Studio. Students who are seen as having professional potential and strong academic standing will be invited to continue their studies into their junior year in the studio. Students who are not seen as having this potential will be encouraged to explore other degree options within the school.