Musical Theatre BA (Hons)

On this module you will take part in practical exercises to develop your understanding of acting techniques and training. You will draw on the methods outlined by practitioners such as Stanislavski and Chekhov, as well as contemporary techniques used by companies including the Wooster Group and Forced Entertainment. You will consider the contested role of the actor and acting training in the 21st century. You will study this module alongside students on first year Drama courses.

This module combines practical work and academic study to introduces themes which are integral to musical theatre vocal practice. These include:

• The prioritising of learning through practice
• The progressive and creative development of musical theatre performance technique
• Inclusive group work
• Establishing a broad understanding of musical theatre vocal repertoire

You will build on your pre-existing musical theatre vocal skills and start to gain ensemble skills, leadership and conducting skills, creative song-writing experience, and musical understanding which are a central to this degree.

This module explores company practice and creates an opportunity for the company to programme, rehearse and deliver a cabaret style showcase musical theatre experience. Through practical sessions you will develop the pieces you want to perform. By investigating the history of musical theatre, you will develop your musical and theatrical understanding. We will offer you weekly singing lessons, helping you to advance your vocal ability and giving you the confidence to perform.

On this module you will develop your research and writing skills, preparing you to study musical theatre at university level. By completing several short projects, you will explore musical theatre and music from a range of genres, appreciating how they connect with societal, cultural and political issues. These projects will also allow you to develop musical skills such as score reading and production analysis. The vocabulary and skills you gain on this module will help you throughout your degree. You will study this module alongside first year students on our Music courses.

On this module you will take to the studio and explore dance and movement as a narrative tool in musical theatre. You will improve your dance abilities and build an understanding of relevant dance styles and techniques. We will encourage you to use dance and movement to establish and develop characters. You will work with your classmates to choreograph extended movement sequences, and perform fully realised dance routines in a practical assessment.

This module is your chance to choose, programme and perform a full length musical theatre show. It is an opportunity to apply what you have learnt so far and think about your future in musical theatre. Before you start rehearsing, you will conduct research into different employment opportunities related to musical theatre. You will then form a professional company with your cohort to rehearse and produce your musical theatre show. Second year students from our Music courses will collaborate with you on this module.

This module will help you to develop as a solo musical theatre performer, enhancing your technical and interpretative singing abilities. Acting through song will also be explored in this module. Alongside this, we will introduce you to effective performance preparation strategies. This includes finding an effective practice routine, and developing ways of dealing with tension and anxiety in performance. This module shares some sessions with second year solo performers on our Music courses.

On this module we will introduce you to physical theatre; a genre used by many contemporary performance companies. You will start by examining the history of the genre and go on to explore a range of techniques used by physical theatre practitioners. Musical theatre, dance and drama students work together on this module, so you can share knowledge and broaden your skills. This will run as the optional module in 2022 to 2023.

On this module you will continue your exploration of research in musical theatre and musicology. You will start researching independently, and exploring complex ideas in more detail. Through a series of projects you will explore different themes, while also developing and fine tuning your musical and analytical skills. You will study this module alongside second year students on our Music courses.

This module is all about creating original musical performances. You will research how musical theatre professionals create their performances, and use this to inform how you devise your own work. At the end of the module you will rehearse and perform a piece of original work, written collaboratively as part of a group.

On this module you will explore how, as an actor, you can also direct your own short film production for the screen. You will have the opportunity to act in a film while also engaging with your own artistic vision for the production. Taught workshop practices will guide you through the practical and technical aspects of acting for camera and making short film sequences. You will also work on interpreting screenplays and learn to grasp the language of a writer’s material.  On this module you will become both the performer and the visionary.

On this module you will learn about key autobiographical performers, and develop a practical understanding of autobiographical performance. You will learn to create autobiographical work that not only tells stories about yourself, but uses the details of your life to explore universal issue.

On this module you will develop and facilitate workshop and performance activities for children and young people. You will then deliver these activities in both formal and informal youth settings, and gain valuable experience for your future. Through this you will explore drama in education techniques and develop the creative skills needed for workshop design and project planning.

This module gives you the skills and understanding needed to create performances that use theatre to address political and social issues.  As part of this you will explore existing play texts and performance practices that have stimulated political or social change. You will investigate key practitioners to develop your understanding of social responsibility and the impact you can have as a theatre maker.

The re-emergence of the vignette, a short or one act play, has encouraged new formats for performance in independent theatres across the UK. This module provides you with the opportunity to specialise in a training method called The View Points. This is a contemporary method for actor training which encourages you to work spontaneously and intuitively. You will participate in weekly workshops in which you will explore contrasting forms and styles of performing vignettes.

This module, which leads to Company 2, is the musical theatre experience which draws together all your learning across the degree as you create a new musical with the company you have formed. Every part of the delivery of this musical will be done by you and your cohort. You will devise, compose, workshop and reflect on practices on this highly practical module. The assessment at the end of semester one is a Performance Presentation of the devised show in process.

This module follows on from Company 1 in your first semester, bringing together all of your learning on the course. You will organise and run workshops and practical sessions engaged with rehearsing and producing your final production. You will be actively encouraged to view this practice research as modelling good practice for your working life after graduation. For this half of the module you will be assessed on the final performance of your show.

This module continues your solo musical theatre performance training. You will continue with individual singing lessons and work towards a contemporary recital at the end of semester 1. This is also an opportunity to showcase brand new musical theatre compositions. Seminars, workshops and masterclasses, alongside third year Music students, will further support your development. 

On this module, which continues from Repertoire 1, you will have the freedom to plan a final solo performance of your choice. This will give you valuable experience in choosing your repertoire, organising the project, and honing your skills to perform at a high standard. This is also an opportunity to plan audition repertoire and showcase it in a professional environment. 

This is your opportunity to specialise in an area of musical theatre that you are passionate about. For your dissertation you will choose your topic, design the research, and complete an extended piece of written research. You will explore your topic through analysis, experimentation, theory and practice. This module includes a large portion of independent study, but you will be supported by a dissertation tutor throughout and receive feedback as you progress.