Musical Theatre: Acting and Performance, MA

Indicative Course Content

Term One comprises comprehensive training encompassing essential skills vital to acting in musical theatre, including acting through song, acting and scene study, sung and spoken voice, movement, dance, and ensemble singing. You will also engage in contextual seminars that illuminate the theoretical, social, political, and cultural dimensions of historical and contemporary musical theatre.

In Term 2 you will delve deeper into your training by developing rehearsal skills that can be applied to musical theatre as well as non-musical performance texts. You will apply the skills cultivated during the first term to scenes and selections from both musical theatre and contemporary non-musical plays, culminating in a studio show for invited audiences. You will also develop professional skills in key areas such as auditioning, casting, and rehearsal techniques.

In Term 3 you will apply your skills to a large-scale musical theatre public production. This is an immersive learning experience designed to showcase your practice but also to cultivate performing as a cohesive ensemble. You will engage in a professional-level rehearsal process, guided by an industry team, that mirrors the demands of the professional world. You will also participate in an industry showcase designed to individually showcase your talents, ensuring your preparation to excel in the diverse performing arts landscape.

Term 4: With the support of your research advisers, you will explore your individual interests through a sustained independent project. This project enables you to research deeply into a specific area of theatre that ignites your curiosity, culminating in either a practical presentation (with a short piece of writing to support your work) or a written dissertation.

Assessment

We make use of a wide range of assessment modes on the course, including: in-class and public performances, continuous assessment of process, video artefacts, portfolios, and written submissions.

Offers will be based on merit alone. Scholarships are available.

Our students come from many and diverse backgrounds and disciplines. We recognise that a diverse and global student cohort is essential to the sustainability of the theatre industry and our art forms. We also recognise that many who come to study Musical Theatre: Acting and Performance may not have had formal training or studied musical theatre in the past, but encourage all with skills and interest to apply.

You should normally have an undergraduate degree in a relevant field, (drama, theatre or performance studies), however, we consider applications from graduates of other subjects as well as candidates without a degree but who have significant prior experience. Some experience as a performer is essential. Entry is by a two-stage audition, which is used to assess the candidate’s ability to succeed on the course.

We particularly encourage applications from groups currently under-represented in higher education and the UK theatre, such as students with disabilities and Black and Global Majority students. Find out more information on Central’s commitment to equality and diversity.

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.

While a test result is not required in order to submit an application, applicants are advised to gain this certification as early as possible and more information can be found on the English Language Requirements page. 

Auditions

All first-round auditions for entry in autumn 2024 will be conducted online through the submission of a self-tape video. Full details of how to submit your self-tape will be shared with you via email after you have applied. Applicants who are successful following the first-round self-tape audition will be asked to attend a recall workshop either at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London or via a Zoom video call.

You will be asked to submit a recent self-tape that includes the following:

• One song from the Musical Theatre repertoire that you feel best showcases your vocal abilities as well as your ability to act through song. It can be from any era of musical theatre. Remember, we are as interested in your ability to tell the story of what is happening in the song as in your vocal potential. Try to choose songs that you connect with, that you feel represent you and resonate with you more than songs that reveal your ability to ‘transform’.
• One monologue from a play written in the 20th or 21st century. A contemporary piece that enables you to connect with the role and the writing is best. Choose something that feels close to you and your experience. The monologue should be under 2 minutes in length.
• Please start the video by introducing yourself with your full name and the name you prefer (if different), the course you are auditioning for (MA Musical Theatre) and the names of the pieces you are performing.
• Example: ‘Hello, my name is (insert name), and I am auditioning for the MA Musical Theatre course at Central. I will be performing “Mister Snow” from the musical Carousel and a monologue from Lucy Kirkwood’s Chimerica.’

Filming your video

Once you are ready to film yourself, make sure you choose a background that is not too distracting and as plain as possible. A good tip is to film against a closed door or a plain wall!

Ensure you are somewhere well lit, for example filming in the day time with light coming from in front of you, to make sure we can see you. Make sure you are somewhere as quiet as possible so that you can be heard clearly in your video.

Set up your recording device (this can be a camera, phone or tablet) on something stable (this could be a tripod, table or stack of books) so that the shot is either portrait or landscape.

We need to see as much of you as possible (not just your face). A full body shot is ideal, but if that’s not possible, please film yourself from the knees up so that we can see your hands, torso, and full face. Try to get your camera level with your chest or your eyes so that we can see as much of your expressions as possible.

For example: Shot Options for BA (Hons) Acting self-tapes

When performing look just off camera so that it looks like you’re talking to someone, and then deliver your monologue or song.

For further information see the How to Apply section.

International Applicants

Central regularly welcomes students from all over the world – and we are proud to have a large network of alumni working internationally.

Visit our International Students pages for advice and information on studying at Central and living in London, if you’re not a home applicant.

There is no formal application deadline for our MA courses. Applications are assessed, and places offered on courses, on a rolling basis, and applications are closed when a course becomes full. Therefore, you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Graduate employment includes*:

West End

Sweeney Todd (ENO), The Commitments, The Scottsboro Boys, The Book Of Mormon, The Lion King, The Colour Purple, Ghost The Musical, Legally Blonde, Chicago, The Bodyguard, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, Exposure: The Musical, Aladdin, Phantom Of The Opera, Les Misérables, Made In Dagenham.

UK

Kiss Me Kate (Opera North and Welsh National Opera); Fiddler On The Roof (Grange Park Opera, the Proms); Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (UK tour); Love Story (Southwark Playhouse); On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (Union Theatre); Little Shop Of Horrors (tour); Blood Brothers (tour), Parade (Manchester); Dirty Dancing (tour); Singin’ In The Rain (tour); Calamity Jane (tour).

Film

Skyfall; The White King; Perfect Hunch Of An Agoraphobe; Everyone Knows.

Television

Casualty, Cuffs, One Child, (BBC); Hollyoaks, The Future Wags of Great Britain (Channel 4); The Girl’s Guide To Depravity (Cinemax, US).

Video games

Evie Frye in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.

Theatre

The Oresteia, Measure For Measure, 946: The Amazing Story Of Adolphus Tips (Shakespeare’s Globe); Caroline Or Change, The Amen Corner, A Pacifist’s Guide To The War On Cancer (National Theatre); Feast, Been So Long (Young Vic Theatre); Porgy And Bess (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Posh (Duke of York’s Theatre).

*The above reflects graduates of MA Music Theatre.

Notable graduates include*:

Matthew Atkins (2013) theatre credits include Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (UK Tour), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Twickenham Theatre), Hamlet (Open Air Tour) and The Rocky Horror Show (Manchester Palace Theatre).

Adebayo Bolaji (2008) film and television credits include Cucumber (Channel 4), Les Misérables and Skyfall. Theatre credits include Ghost The Musical, The Colour Purple (Menier Chocolate Factory) and The Scottsboro Boys (Young Vic).

Rebecca Jade Hammond (2009) theatre credits include Love Steals Us From Loneliness (Camden People’s Theatre), Sexual Perversity in Chicago (Tristan Bates Theatre) and A Streetcar Named Desire (Theatre Royal Bath).

Oliver Lidert (2007) West End theatre credits include Aladdin (Prince Edward Theatre), Beautiful (Aldwych Theatre), The Lion King (The Lyceum Theatre) and The Book of Mormon (The Prince of Wales Theatre).  

Andrew Mathys (2006) theatre credits include Philip Pullman’s The Firework Maker’s Daughter (The Bloomsbury Theatre), Die Tote Stadt (The Royal Opera House) and James and the Giant Peach (Polka Theatre).

Felix Mosse (2013) currently plays Jean Prouvaire in the West End’s Les Misérables, his other theatre credits include The Book of Mormon (The Prince of Wales Theatre), Love Me Tender (No.1 UK Tour), A Winter’s Tale (Oxford Stage Company) andThe Heights (Connections Festival).

Ruth Clarke-Irons (2006) is a member of the Principal Theatre Company, with productions includingThe Merry Wives of Windsor, The Tempest and As You Like It. She also performed in the award winning UK Tour of Woody Sez. 

Notable international alumni include*:

Tsai Pao-chang (Taiwan); Robin Evan Willis (Canada); Victoria Atkin (UK/US); Windson Liong (Singapore and UK)

*The above reflects graduates of MA Music Theatre.

Directors

• Bill Bankes-Jones
• Jo Davies
• Janie Dee
• Joe Deer
• Suzy Catliff
• Ed Goggin
• Kate Golledge
• Stephen Clark
• Simon Greiff
• Thomas Hescott

Musical Directors

• David Charles Abell

• Derek Barnes
• Richard Balcombe
• Joshua Rosenblum

Producers, Agents and Casting

• Andy Barnes

• Ellie Collyer-Bristow
• Jane Deitch
• Lisa Hull
• Anne McNulty
• Daniele Tarento
• David Grindrod Associates

Tuition Fees for 2024 Entry

UK (Home) students: £19,000*
Overseas students: £24,000

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.

*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.