Musical Theatre Program

Musical Theatre Studio offers high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to train in an intensive pre-college musical theatre program. Applicants who are chosen for the program attend challenging singing, acting, and dance classes to learn the art of performing live musical theater. Students polish their performance skills by participating in master classes and evening rehearsals. During the five-week program, Musical Theatre Studio students refine audition pieces and perform musical scenes consisting of songs and dances in a final showcase performance for peers and parents.

Program Features

Musical Theatre Studio focuses on strengthening the performance skills and knowledge of high school students who are interested in performing musical theater onstage. Through the program, Musical Theatre Studio students are expected to:

• Strengthen overall dance technique, abilities, and vocabulary by practicing various dance styles
• Enhance vocal and physical awareness through both acting and musical assignments
• Learn about song structure, various techniques for how to break down a song, and strengthen their skills in song, text, and character analysis
• Gain a basic understanding of the timeline of musical theater history, its development, and some of its various forms (i.e., Operetta, Vaudeville, Musical Comedy, Musical Drama, and Contemporary Musicals)
• Learn how to discover, prepare, and build a repertoire of songs suitable for auditions
• Receive individual vocal training and coaching to build confident stage presence and excellent audition technique

Musical Theatre Showcase

Students who complete the program will have an opportunity to perform in a final showcase performance scheduled for Saturday, August 11, 2012. The final showcase performance gives students a chance to demonstrate the musical theater skills they have learned through the program.

Program Dates and Costs

Program Dates (including required orientation): July 8–August 10, 2012
Showcase: August 11, 2012

Musical Theatre Program per student: $3,595
On-Campus Housing per student: $2,995

Who May Apply

High school students entering grades 11 and 12 during the 2012–2013 academic year are welcome to apply to Musical Theatre Studio.

Musical Theatre Studio is designed for students who want an intensive musical theater training experience, have respect for the rehearsal process, and understand how to manage their time and complete assignments both in and out of the classroom. Musical theater performers who have the desire and maturity to receive constructive criticism about their work and give helpful feedback to others during the program are encouraged to apply. Each candidate for the Musical Theatre Studio Program must submit the required application form, completed and signed, along with the following required documents.

• Student Statement of Purpose: In one page, please describe what you hope to achieve during the studio program.
• Essay: In one page, discuss a musical theater production or musical theater artist that you believe has most influenced or inspired your work.
• Teacher Recommendation: Please submit one recommendation, completed by a teacher who knows your work, in a sealed envelope with the teacher’s signature across the back seal.
• Photo and résumé of your theatrical experience

Download the Pre-College Studio Application Form (PDF)

Download the Pre-College Studio Teacher Recommendation Form (PDF)

Skills Assessment

An audition is not necessary for candidates who apply to the Musical Theatre Studio Program. However, all applicants who are accepted into the program will be required to perform musical theater pieces at a performance skills assessment during the first week of the program.

At the assessment, program instructors will evaluate each student’s dance, vocal, and stage performance skills. All Musical Theatre Studio students will be expected to participate in the following required assessment activities:

1. Dance routine: Students will be taught a brief dance combination by program instructors and asked to perform the routine within a specific time period.
2. Vocal presentation: Each student must perform—from memory—excerpts from two different musical theater songs. Each excerpt should consist of 16 measures. One excerpt must come from a song written before 1965. We recommend that you bring such contrasting selections as a ballad and uptempo. All students should bring sheet music for the songs they plan to sing. An accompanist will be provided. Please prepare in advance, and practice accordingly.

Sample Schedule

Schedule is subject to change.
Monday–Friday,
9:00 am–5:00 pm and 6:30–8:30 pm
Saturday, 9:00 am–12:00 pm

Week One
Performance skills assessments; dance, vocal coaching; studio work in acting basics and ensemble acting exercises; musical theater history; musical theater synthesis; and master classes

Week Two
Dance, vocal coaching; studio work in acting basics and ensemble acting exercises; musical theater history; musical theater synthesis; and master classes

Week Three
Dance, vocal coaching; studio work in acting basics and ensemble acting exercises; musical theater history; musical theater synthesis; and master classes

Week Four
Dance, vocal coaching; studio work in acting basics and ensemble acting exercises; musical theater history; musical theater synthesis; and master classes

Week Five
Dance, vocal coaching; studio work in acting basics and ensemble acting exercises; musical theater history; musical theater synthesis; rehearsals for final Saturday showcase for parents, guests, and peers

Saturday Showcase
Time to be announced