MA Music Theatre
THE COURSE
MA Music Theatre is a unique course designed for performers and creators who have appropriate experience and wish to explore the gamut of music theatre in its many forms. Specialist lecturers deliver workshops which complement a teaching staff reflecting the diversity and wide skills-base required by the disciplines.
The course combines a practical approach emphasising process and performance alongside an academic research base. It alternates between intense periods of rehearsal and production with times when the emphasis is on personal skills development or research. You will take the following units:
- Technique Cognisance and Development
- Music Theatre Contexts
- Adaptation, Improvisation and Performance
- Research Methods and Outputs
- Contemporary Performance
- Music Theatre Repertoire
- Personal Portfolio
In addition to creating four performance projects you may be invited to take part in an international music theatre event which might contribute to the course work.
SPECIALIST STUDY
Term One begins with individual singing, voice, acting, performance, movement and physical skills classes alongside seminars on socio-historical perspectives of music theatre. Opportunities to develop composition, writing, choreography and instrumental performance will be integrated into the curriculum where required. The culmination is a devised project, in which you learn to collaborate with colleagues as a company and perform in front of an invited audience.
Term Two includes a larger-scale music theatre production, explores presentation and audition techniques, and ends with a Showcase for professional practitioners and specialists. These are interspersed with professional development opportunities and activities that are designed to help develop your own specialist work as a performer or creator.
Term Three allows time for discussion, tutorials and evaluation processes designed to help you to prepare, execute and deliver the final written element of the course: a 12,000 word Personal Portfolio which combines personal research and reflection, contributing to 30% of the degree.
ADMISSION
Applicants will be able to demonstrate ability in a minimum of three disciplines: acting; singing; movement; dance; instrumental performance; musical composition; writing for performance; choreography. You will normally have a degree or equivalent qualification and/or significant and appropriate professional experience, as well as relevant performing experience, and a good level of written and spoken English (IELTS 7.0). Click here to read more about IELTS. Admission is by audition, interview, and submission of a 500-word piece of writing, which evaluates your own working process as a performer. Suitable candidates are invited for an audition, at which you will be required to submit your written evaluation, and present your three major disciplines and document any others.
Auditions and interviews are held at intervals throughout the year.
For specific details of admissions' criteria, please download the course specification (see panel on the right). The criteria for admissions is near the end of the course specification.
PLEASE NOTE
In order to keep with the latest industry needs and educational demands, The Central School of Speech and Drama regularly reviews its course provision. At time of writing this webpage, the MA Music Theatre course was being reviewed. When the latest course descriptions are approved for publication they will be posted here.
For further course information you can order a prospectus on +44 (0)20 7722 8183, email enquiries@cssd.ac.uk or download