BA (Hons) Musical Theatre

Our musical theatre programme – the only one of its kind in Wales – equips you with physical, vocal and professional skills to meet the demands of this ever-changing industry.

Heavily practical in nature, it prepares you for a career in musical theatre through a rigorous, expert-led training programme, enriched with performance projects and at least two fully staged productions working under professional conditions.

Guided by our experienced industry practitioners, you’ll study a comprehensive range of singing, spoken voice, dance and acting methods. You’ll also learn how to create your own original work through a collaborative and creative process – contributing, cooperating and taking responsibility for the collective realisation of a final project or performance.

To help foster exciting opportunities for future work, we organise musical theatre showcases for our final-year students. You’ll perform in Cardiff, London’s West End and New York (for our American students) to an invited audience of industry professionals, including agents and casting directors.

With individual tuition and small group classes set in a thriving creative arts centre, you can evolve into a reflective, collaborative and professional artist, possessing all the skills that pave the way for a deeply rewarding career on stage.

• You’ll develop a comprehensive, highly developed and cohesive set of vocal, professional, physical and acting skills and techniques. These will allow you to adapt to the diverse opportunities and wide-ranging demands of today’s rapidly expanding musical theatre industry.
• You’ll develop a broad working knowledge and appreciation of both contemporary and classical musical theatre repertoire and genres.
• It’s the only programme in Wales that provides professional, conservatoire-based training in musical theatre.
• You’ll have one-to-one tutorials, small classes of 20 students, workshops, performance projects and seminars. 
  
• Our impressive list of tutors includes renowned industry practitioners, distinguished coaches and creative artists in a range of genres. They offer you not only first-rate teaching, but mentorship and networking opportunities as well.
• Three industry showcases in Cardiff, New York (for our American students) and London’s West End will allow you to demonstrate your talent to a roomful of industry professionals, such as casting directors and agents.
• You’ll participate in a series of performance-based projects, concerts and cabarets, collaborating with students on your course and those studying other subjects here at the College.
• One of these opportunities includes a ‘bridge project’, which places you in a professional rehearsal environment working alongside stage managers and lighting and sound designers towards a short run of performances of scenes, or an abridged work, for an invited audience.
• In your final year, you’ll also take part in public performances of at least two consecutive, fully staged productions, working under professional conditions as part of our Richard Burton Company.
• Our robust links with the profession means you’ll work closely with a range of leading industry visitors, such as renowned directors, Musical Directors and Choreographers.
• You’ll explore the creative process involved in developing your own work, helping to further extend your professional potential.
  
• You’ll have practical classes and workshops focusing on singing, voice, speech and text, which are supported by individual tutorials. Dance and Movement classes include Ballet, Jazz and Tap technique and repertoire, as well as Movement and Conditioning classes
  
• Acting classes and projects will guide you through practical explorations of approaches to improvised performance, working with texts, developing character and building relationships through the rehearsal process.
• You’ll also study approaches to Shakespeare and other heightened texts, as well as investigate the specific practices and demands of the film and television industries.
• You’ll focus on boosting other skills essential to maintaining a portfolio career, such as finding employment and learning successful audition techniques.