The 124-unit program includes a minimum of 78 units of work in music, theatre arts and dance, and musical theatre. In their first two years students focus on the fundamentals of acting, singing, dance musicianship, music theory, piano, oral interpretation, and theatre production. Emphasis is placed on the development of the artist's instrument and imagination. Students learn how to take personal responsibility for developing their musical and theatrical skills for the rest of their lives. In their junior and senior years students integrate their previous experiences through courses in theatre directing, musical theatre history and repertoire, musical theatre workshop, a professional internship, and an individualized final project.
Emphasis is placed on the development and synthesis of personal working methodologies.
Throughout their four years, students take private singing lessons and participate in a variety of musical and theatrical performances. They become solo and ensemble performance specialists, ready for lifelong work in the musical theatre profession. The BFA Musical Theatre program is an interdisciplinary major administered by the Visual and Performing Arts Division. Each student is assigned to a three-person advising team which consists of faculty members from music, theatre arts, and musical theatre. See Department for details.