Acting (Musical Theatre), BA

Course information

Duration
3 years full-time
Course start
October
Award
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Acting

UCAS code

Institution
C35
Course
W410
Option
AMT

About this course

Central’s BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre) degree course provides you with the skills to work in classical and contemporary theatre, musicals, feature film, television and radio. Throughout the course, you will explore acting through a range of contemporary approaches to sung and spoken voice, movement and dance.

  • Intensive musical theatre training with the emphasis on acting
  • Extensive engagement with industry professionals
  • External performance opportunities/collaboration with artists, theatre companies and producers
  • 3 years full-time, and students are entitled to full Equity status upon graduation.

As an actor, you will interrogate both musical and non-musical settings ranging from Shakespeare and the modern American realists to Sondheim and the popular musical. As the course progresses you will acquire the necessary skills for the realisation of ‘character’ in both the transformational and heightened theatrical styles of both spoken and sung performance.

The course has outstanding links with the performing arts industry and this is reflected in the wide range and high percentage of graduate employment.

Scholarships and Bursaries

Students on Acting Musical Theatre currently benefit from a high level of external and internal scholarship and bursary support to help with fees and living expenses. 

Audition Fees and Free Auditions

BA (Hons) Acting courses - ActingActing (CDT) and Acting (Musical Theatre)
An audition at Central costs £40, however many UK-based applicants may be eligible for a free audition. In addition to students engaged through Central’s Outreach work as part of its Access and Participation Plan, the school also provides free auditions to applicants based in England who may face barriers in accessing conservatoire training. Last year, we awarded over 1,200 free audition vouchers which enabled more applicants to attend auditions and access specialist drama training.
Find out if you qualify for a free audition.
Learn more about what is included in the BA (Hons) Acting audition process

Accordion

  • About Central's Acting, BA courses

    Drawing upon multiple performance theories, rather than subscribing to a particular doctrine or method, Central actors have always adopted a pragmatic approach to their training.

    The three specialist undergraduate acting courses: ActingActing Collaborative and Devised Theatre (CDT) and Acting Musical Theatre (MT), reflect this eclecticism and celebrate the many and varied techniques available to the actor wanting to work in theatre, television, film and radio.

    These courses exist within a thriving conservatoire environment – home to a dynamic range of related performance disciplines at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Training is contextualised alongside relevant professional advice and is structured in such a way as to gradually equip you with a thorough understanding of the industry.

    Performances by Acting alumni have long been recognised by major awards such as the BAFTAs, Oscars, Golden Globes, Olivier Awards, Tony Awards, London Evening Standard Theatre Awards and The Sunday Times/ National Theatre Ian Charleson Awards. Most recently alumni have been awarded a British Academy Television Award for Best Actor, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie, MTV Movie Award for Best Hero, British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor, Empire Award for Best Actor, Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Performance, San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble Performance, Ariel Award for Best Actor and London Evening Standard Theatre Awards Emerging Talent.

    If you would like to audition for the programme, check the audition requirement section for further details on how to apply. Good luck!

  • Course Detail

    Year 1: Classes and workshops

    • A full-time schedule in acting fundamentals, acting through song, spoken/sung voice (including 1:1 weekly singing lessons), ballet, jazz, ballroom, hip hop and contemporary dance, clowning, text analysis, musical theatre repertoire and ensemble singing
    • Undertake performance projects that may include Russian and British heritage: Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Pinter, Hare and others.

    Year 2: Continuing practical training in all disciplines

    • Performance projects include Brecht, Orton, Greek theatre, contemporary American scenes, comedy of manners, Sondheim musical, Shakespeare tragedy and professional preparation
    • Perform in the public production book musical alongside final year students

    Year 3: Focus on professional development

    • Public production performances (plays, musicals, actor/musician shows)
    • West End industry showcase
    • Acting for camera (including a professional showreel)
    • Radio training (including a voice reel) and recording a professional sung voice reel.

    Previous plays includePentecost (Edgar), Man Of Mode (Etherege), Too Clever By Half (Ostrovsky), Black Snow (Bulgakov); musicals includeSweet CharityWest Side StoryCity Of AngelsCabaretGreasenew commissions includeKeeping The Faith (Fiona Laird), The Wish!The Twee Musketeers!Sleeping Cutie (Mark Chatterton and Sarah Nixon), and Through The Wire (Catherine Johnson).

  • Industry Links & Visiting Professionals

    The majority of the teaching is delivered by visiting professionals and you will engage with industry professionals on a weekly basis.

    External Performance Opportunities

    There are many external performance opportunities throughout the training and the course collaborates with a wide range of artists, theatre companies and producers, most recently:

    • Tate Modern (The Bridge by Peter Liversidge commissioned for the opening of the Turbine Hall);
    • The National Theatre (NT Connections and NT Studio);
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber (Really Useful Group);
    • Bryony Kimmings and Complicite (development of The Pacifist’s Guide To The War On Cancer at the National Theatre);
    • Complicite and Pink Floyd (for the producer’s showcase of The Wall);
    • Derby LIVE (co-producers for the tour of the autumn term public production);
    • Royal College of Music (Opera School);
    • The Royal Northern College of Music (School of Composition).

    The course closely collaborates with the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation which generously co-support the teaching post of the ALW Associate Musical Director.

    Recent Visiting Staff

    Directors

    Mike Bradwell, Sue Dunderdale, Anna Ledwich, Anthony Banks, Martin Parr, Robert Shaw Cameron, Jon Pashley, Ed Hughes.

    Musical Directors

    Phil Bateman, Catherine Jayes, Michael Haslam, Ben Holder.

    Dance

    Lynne Thomas, Lizzi Gee, Ellen Jakubiel (ballet), Shaun Paul Smith (ZooNation), Karl Stevens

    Acting

    Carol Harvey, Andrei Biziorek.

    Actor Movement

    Mark Bell, Anna Healey (clowning), Anna Morrissey.

    Sung Voice

    Verona Chard, Sarah Leonard.

    Spoken Voice

    Annie Morrison, Elspeth Morrison, Jessica Higgs, Louise Jones (accents), George Ryan, Michael Elliott.

    Acting for Camera

    David Hounslow, Emma Cunniffe, Sarah Ball, Anji Carroll, John Canon, Ben Cogan.

    Radio

    Colleen Prendergast, Chris Pavlo.

  • Graduate Employment

    Graduates of this course have recently appeared in:

    Theatre & Musicals

    • Back to the Future – The Musical, Adelphi Theatre (West End)
    • Dr Suess’s The Lorax, Old Vic
    • Dear Evan Hansen, Noël Coward Theatre (West End)
    • Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre (West End)
    • The Book of Mormon, The Prince of Wales Theatre (West End)
    • Magic Goes Wrong, Vaudeville Theatre (West End)
    • 9 to 5 The Musical, UK Tour
    • Wicked, Apollo Victoria Theatre (West End)
    • Matilda The Musical, Cambridge Theatre (West End)
    • A Comedy About a Bank Robbery, UK Tour
    • Tina, The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre (West End)
    • Pride and Prejudice (sort of), Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum
    • Romeo and Juliet, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
    • Hex, National Theatre
    • Gatsby, Southwark Playhouse
    • The Glee Club, Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
    • Elf The Musical, The Dominion Theatre (West End)
    • Six, Vaudeville Theatre (West End)
    • Carbaret, UK Tour
    • SIX, UK Tour
    • Hairspray, London Coliseum (West End)

    Film

    • Bohemian Rhapsody, Twentieth Century Fox
    • Mary Queen of Scots, Focus Features
    • X-Men: The Apocalypse, Twentieth Century Fox
    • Pokemon Detective Pikachu, Warner Bros.
    • Tomb Raider, Warner Bros.
    • Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, Screen Gems
    • Only the Brave, Lionsgate
    • Ant-Man and the Wasp, Walt Disney Motion Pictures
    • Ready Player One, Warner Bros.

    Television

    • The Stranger, Netflix
    • This is Going to Hurt, AMC Networks
    • I May Destroy You, BBC/HBO
    • The Girl Before, HBO Max
    • Killjoys, Syfy
    • Shadowhunters, Disney-ABC
    • Game of Thrones, HBO
    • Torvill & Dean, ITV
    • Humans, Channel 4/AMC
    • Call The Midwife, BBC
    • Horrible Histories, CBBC
    • Black Mirror, Netflix
    • The Ipcress File, AMC+
    • Outlander, Starz!
    • Lucky Man, Sky/Carnival
    • Queens of Mystery, Sly Fox Productions
    • Atlanta, FX/Disney
    • FBI: International, CBS
  • Notable Alumni

    Audrey Brisson (2009) starred as Amélie in the UK touring production of Amélie the Musical, for which she was nominated for an Olivier and UK Theatre Award. Her other theatre credits include starring as Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio (National Theatre); The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk and The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic); La Strada (UK Tour), and Romeo and Juliet (Rose Theatre, Kingston). Audrey also appeared in television series Outlander, and feature film W.E.

    Maddison Bulleyment (2019) made their professional debut starring in Bridges of Madison County (Menier Chocolate Factory) in 2019, and went on to play Anne Boleyn in the UK Tour of the award-winning musical SIX.  

    Georgina Castle (2014) has performed in several West End musicals, including MAMMA MIA! in which she played the lead role of Sophie; 9 to 5 The Musical;Cinderella, and Elf the Musical.

    Michael Elcock (2018) plays PC Terry Foster in Sly Fox Production’s long-running television series, Queens of Mystery. He has also appeared in a number of stage productions including Hex and The Visit (National Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); 846Live (Theatre Royal Stratford East), and In A Word (Young Vic).

    Ben Hardy (2012) left his role as Peter Beale in Eastenders, which he played between 2013-2015, to star in Marvel’s X-Men: Apocalypse. Since then, hisfilm and television credits have included Mary Shelley; Only the Brave, and Woman in White, in 2018 he starred as Roger Taylor in Oscar-winning film biographical film, Bohemian Rhapsody, which earned him a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards. 

    Ryan Heenan (2016) performed in West End’s Back to the Future the Musical. His other theatre credits have included The Boy in the Dress (Royal Shakespeare Company); Titanic (International tour); Billionaire Boy (Nuffield Southampton & UK tour); Grease (UK Tour and Tel Aviv); Sweeney Todd (Derby Theatre/Mercury Theatre Colchester); The Burnt Part Boys (Park Theatre); Pentecost (Derby LIVE) and The Sound of Music (London Palladium).

    Hannah John-Kamen (2011) has starred in several television and film productions, including Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One; Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp; Lucas Film’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens; Netflix’s The Stranger and Black Mirror; HBO’s Game of Thrones, Sky’s The Tunnel, and Syfy’s Killjoys.

    Kadiff Kirwan (2011) has appeared in several television productions including BBC’s This is Going to Hurt, I May Destroy You and Strike, Netflix’s The Stranger and Channel 4’s Black Mirror and Chewing Gum, ITV’s Timewasters.

    Jack Loxton (2013) landed the role of Albert Narracott in the National Theatre’s West End production of War Horse shortly after graduating, after which he then starred as Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. He has since worked in theatre, television, and film, most recently returning to the West End to star in the hotly anticipated West End transfer of Dear Evan Hansen, which earned him a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, and an Olivier Award nomination.

    Jammy Kasongo (2015) lead the cast of the West End’s Tina, The Tina Turner Musical (Aldwych Theatre), in the role of Ike Bennett. His previous theatre credits include; Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Aldwych Theatre); Hair (Vaults), and Grand Hotel (Southwark Playhouse). 

    Kibong Tanji (2018) made her West End debut by playing the female cover to Arinzé Kene in Misty (Trafalgar Studios) in 2018, and her theatre credits include Hairspray (London Coliseum); ensemble in Tina, The Tina Turner Musical (Aldwych Theatre), and starring in one-woman play The Sun, The Moon And The Stars (Theatre Royal Stratford East).

    Jon Tarcy (2015) plays Isaiah Morton in hit television show, Outlander. He has also appeared on screen in CBS’s FBI: International, FX/Disney’s Atlanta, and Sky’s Lucky Man. Jon has also performed extensively on stage, with credits including Royal Shakespeare Company’s productions of Antony and Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, and Titus Androgenous, and Trevor Nunn’s production of King John (Rose Theatre).   

    Will Tudor (2011) stars as Theo Tuck in HBO’s Industry. He has also had recurring roles in television productions, including HBO’s Game of Thrones; ITV’s Mr Selfridge; Channel 4’s Humans, and Disney-ABC’s hit US show Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments.

    • Entry Requirements and Admissions

      Minimum Entry Requirements

      Our minimum academic entry requirement is 64 UCAS tariff points or above - as part of meeting these tariff points, we consider a range of qualifications including A Levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. which attract UCAS points, and selection by audition.

      You can see how many tariff points your qualifications would gain on the UCAS Tariff Calculator. International qualifications and others not covered within the UCAS tariff can also be accepted.

      Normal offers may be higher and depend upon expected grades and audition performance. Exceptional applicants who do not meet this requirement, but demonstrate appropriate potential, may be accepted.

      Admissions

      This is an intensive professional training course and must be followed in its entirety.

      Candidates must be eligible to satisfy the general admissions requirements. Admission will be based on the reasonable expectation that you have the potential to complete and contribute positively to the programme and that you would benefit from honours study. There is no alternative to selection by audition.

      Selection for audition will normally depend on you meeting, or being predicted to meet, minimum entry requirements, and on written references and demonstration of the following in the UCAS written statement:

      • engagement with theatre and acting at national/local level
      • evidence of a real commitment to acting and a long-standing interest in acting and theatre
      • knowledge of a range of theatrical forms and genres
      • experience gained in post-education contexts, such as the workplace, travel and voluntary settings.

      In the absence of formal qualifications, an indication of academic potential will be sought in your UCAS statement.

      We particularly encourage applications from groups currently under-represented in higher education, such as students with disabilities and members of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups. Find out more information on Central’s commitment to equality and diversity.

      Auditions

      Find out more about the audition process for our Acting, BA courses.

      International Students

      Visit the International Students section to view details of English language requirements for Central’s courses.

    • Tuition Fees, Bursaries and Scholarships

      Tuition Fees for 2024 Entry

      UK (Home) students: £9,250 per year*
      Overseas students: £25,200 per year

      Please note that there may be additional costs that you need to incur as part of the training for the course.

      Full information is available on the Tuition Fees and Additional Costs page.


      Bursaries and Scholarships

      Central offers a range of bursaries and scholarships. If you are holding an offer for a place on a course then you will be invited to apply for a bursary or scholarship.

      UK-based undergraduate students who are applying for a student maintenance loan and have a household income under £35,000 will automatically be awarded our Access to Central Bursary.

      *If you are a UK student but already hold a qualification at the equivalent or higher level to the one that you are applying for, then you may be classed as an ELQ student and be required to pay the same fee as an overseas student.

    Student Feedback Block (layout column)

    “I was taught how to challenge myself creatively and to focus on being solely truthful in this profession. The tutors’ expertise, proficiency and wisdom inspired me for the world of acting. I will never forget the attention to detail and the focus on each individual actor to prepare them for their journey ahead.”

    Hannah John-Kamen

    Graduated in 2011, described by Screen International as ‘One of The Stars of Tomorrow’. Screen credits include Star Wars: The Force AwakensReady Player One and Game of Thrones.

    “This is classical acting training with an edge - there isn’t a course like this out there at any other drama school. It gave me all the tools I needed to get a great start as a professional actor in this ridiculously hard profession. I won’t lie by saying that it was easy – nothing worthwhile is.”

    Kadiff Kirwan

    Graduated 2011, recently appeared in City Of Angels at the Donmar Warehouse and in the BBC3 comedy Crims.

    Staff On The Course

    Wendy Gadian is a musical director, musical arranger and an academic.

    Black and white headshot of Wendy Gadian

    Vesna Stanojevic leads the actor training for the Acting Musical Theatre, BA course and has a career as a lead actress in Theatre, Film, Television and Musical Theatre.

    Vesna Stanojevic

    Students On The Course

    Eylul is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate 2024.

    Eylul

    Owen is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Portrait of Owen Arkrow

    Cerian is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Sam Black

    Anton is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Headshot of Anton Bibby

    Isabel is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Isabel Hinchcliffe

    Daisy-May is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Daisy-May Headshot

    Jack is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Jack Irving

    Calum is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Headshot of Calum Isaacs

    Elizabeth Anne is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Headshot of Elizabeth Anne Jones

    Tiara Michelle is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    tiaramoberoi_headshot

    Io is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Io Munro

    Ellie is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Ellie Ricci

    Lottie is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Andy Brown

    Jack is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Jack stott

    Imaan is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Woman in yellow top with black hair in bunches.

    Christian is studying on BA (Hons) Acting (Musical Theatre), due to graduate in 2024.

    Christian Wood

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