University of Chichester

MA Musical Theatre

Summary Document

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MA Musical Theatre

The MA Musical Theatre course is a one-year full-time programme studied over three extended terms. In this unique MA you will work with a highly qualified, professional creative and technical team to present fully staged productions at an off-Broadway venue in New York City and in London. You will also work on devised pieces that encourage exploration of the Musical Theatre form, including immersive theatre styles, and present these to peers and industry experts at a symposium. All modules must be successfully completed to gain the MA qualification.

You will work as an ensemble company of emerging professional practitioners and in addition to furthering technical skills in Singing, Acting, Dance, there will be specialist paths in creative producing, sound and lighting design and stage management.

Industry-based lecturers from the UK and USA, will deliver workshops and master-classes which complement a teaching staff, active in the profession. The MA Musical Theatre programme’s overarching identity is as a professional company and contains all the essential elements of:

  • Vocal Study
  • Acting
  • Dance
  • Performance of two chosen pieces of work
  • Performance of a devised piece
  • Symposium
  • Creative Producing
  • Events and Arts Management
  • Stage Management and Technical Theatre

The MA is being run in partnership with The Broadway ExperienceTM, an impressive faculty based at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, NYC with significant links in the US Musical Theatre industry:

The Broadway ExperienceTMwas founded by its director Ben Hartley andis based at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center, 248 West 60th Street, New York City, home of the Manhattan Youth Ballet. Ben was a principal dancer with Matthew Bourne’s TONY award winning dance company, ‘Adventures In Motion Pictures’, responsible for the Broadway hit Swan Lake. He joined the musical Cats in the West End followed by Fosse, where he was chosen by Ann Reinking to perform a principal role. MA Musical Theatre course students will have access to masterclasses with Ben and other award winning faculty members in a bespoke programme that will include Broadway shows, return flights to New York and accommodation. Students will present their UK production to a New York audience following a short period of intensives.

Course overview

The course emphasis is a practical one with scope for academic research to support the further understanding of the decisions and processes behind delivery of the programme. It alternates between intense periods of rehearsal and production and times when the emphasis is on personal skills, development or research. Public performances are scheduled at key stages, with peer and professional assessment in class work, research presentations and written submissions. The course builds in momentum to an intensive and challenging final term.

The programme is divided into three terms:

Term 1: Jan-April

Technical skills development in all areas outlined above will be the primary emphasis. An intensive timetable is envisaged to raise performance skills to the highest standards.

Term 2: May-August

Further technical skills development. Rehearsal period in preparation for performance presentations in New York. A two week period in New York including specialist classes as part of The Broadway ExperienceTMinto production period for show and three performances. Period of evaluation and critical analysis.

Term 3: September-December

Further technical skills development with emphasis on audition technique, preparing materials for casting agents and identifying career progression routes. Explore and develop Musical Theatre forms through devised, commissioned or newly arranged work, produced and performed in the context of a symposium with emphasis on exploring musical theatre form. Present a musical theatre work to the public, casting agents and producers at a London venue. Rehearsal period in preparation for London production.

With the resource of industry-expert staff to support the UK and New York performances, the course experience will support student development as versatile, skilled and confident performers who can approach a wide variety of musical genres with a sound contextual understanding and who are able to reflect upon and critically evaluate practice in the field. For the entrepreneurially minded, the course also enables active, hands-on roles in realising an international production, including negotiation with producers.

Students will undertake masterclasses in Music, Dance, Text Analysis, Improvisation, Character Development and Stagecraft, underpinned by relevant theory in Creative Producing and Stage Management including methods of theatre marketing, international tour management, publicity, the use of social media and viral communications and a working knowledge of the strategies involved in producing a mid-scale musical. Everyone will also have a chance to develop skills in leadership and teamwork as well as develop and critique their own approaches to working in musical theatre production.

The company will be resourced from a strong staff team and visiting industry experts who will undertake the production roles of Artistic Direction, Music Direction, Choreography, Set and Costume Design, Tour Management, Stage Management and Technical Support. There is scope for some of these roles to be shadowed or covered by MA student company members.

Who is this course for?

The course is designed for those who already have an undergraduate degree or have worked as a professional performer for at least five years. We are looking for talented individuals

who can sing, act and dance and who have the necessary self-discipline and motivation needed to enable swift progression in both the acquisition of new skills and the development of existing capabilities.

Combined skills are important and the course encourages collaboration as the central ethos of performance, as well as creating and learning from working relationships with industry leaders. The selection process aims to secure a committed ensemble of performers-in-training who can thrive within a disciplined, stimulating and mutually supportive learning environment.

Course outcomes

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

Develop a structured and effective personal rehearsal process and a strong sensibility of the principles of ensemble practice; secure technique in a workable singing range and a greater understanding of the skills required in solo repertoire and ensemble singing; a physical awareness, strength and stamina to be able to express the narrative through choreography and movement; a working understanding of international touring, the essentials of the profession’s structures and how to deal with them and responsibilities when working in the musical theatre industry; a better personal understanding of which areas of the business one is most likely to succeed in.

Target intake

Approximately 16 students. Example of breakdown is 12 specialist performers who can sing, act and dance; A combination of 4 creative producer/events managers/stage managers.

Cost

Cost: £13,000 per student; includes flights and accommodation in New York, fully staged productions in London, New York City and southeast England and all classes.

Audition: £40 payable through the University online store.

Application Details

Details on how to apply can be found on the university website. For application queries please contact

For further information about the course please contact:

Karen Howard, Head of Musical Theatre,

Auditions and interview

Auditions and Interview: 21 and 22 July 2014.

An offer will only be made after interview/audition.

Auditions will take place at: University of Chichester, Bognor Regis Campus, Upper Bognor Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO21 1HR

English language

Applicants for whom English is not their first language are required to prove their English language proficiency by gaining an overall score of 7.0 in an IELTS test. We do accept equivalent English language qualifications. Applicants are advised to gain this certification as early as possible.

Distinctive features of the MA Musical Theatre course at University of Chichester
  • A multi-disciplinary, ensemble approach to skills development that should lead to the personal recognition of new capabilities
  • Engagement with a broad range of performance and performance-related practices
  • The development of intellectual knowledge and understanding of the Musical Theatre form through participation in a number of production projects
  • The opportunity to work with Musical Theatre practitioners in New York
  • A career head-start as part of a company making critical decisions and building a vital network of industry and peer contacts across the board
  • A focus on some or all the areas of voice, singing, acting, instrumental performance, dance, creative producing and stage-management working with international tutors and visiting lecturers who are specialists in these areas
  • Knowledge and experience of how the Musical Theatre industry works
  • Awareness of the canon of musical theatre, different styles, influences and contexts of production, and experiencing the unique perspective of creating and disseminating new and original material
  • A curriculum that celebrates reflects and responds to the individual and international cultural diversity of its students
  • Creativity and artistic development throughout the course

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