Theater - Musical Theater | University of the Arts

As part of the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts community at the University of the Arts, you’ll study on Philadelphia’s famed Avenue of the Arts, home to the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Academy of Music, the Wilma Theater, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre and the Merriam Theater, and within three blocks of the Forrest Theatre, the Walnut Street Theatre, and the Theatre at the Drake, home to four resident companies.

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In additional to having numerous performance opportunities right here in UArts' Brind School (starting your freshman year), you'll also benefit from the city’s rich theater community, whether it’s through master classes, internships or jobs after graduation. The city of Philadelphia provides an almost endless number of opportunities for practicing your craft in more than 100 performance venues (dozens of them within walking distance); you’ll take regular trips to New York City—less than two hours away—or travel abroad to immerse yourself in the international theater scene.

Sav Souza

'18

Theater - Musical Theater

Hometown: Tracy, CA

Sydney K Banks

'19

Theater - Musical Theater

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Brady Fritz

'19

Theater - Musical Theater

Hometown: Bel Air, Maryland

Experience the passion and creativity of young artists on the threshold of professional success. See this season's lineup of shows.

On Stage

You’ll learn from a faculty of professional actors, directors, singing coaches and choreographers—among them a Tony Award nominee and multiple Barrymore Award winners—many of whom coach the pros as well.

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Cesar Alvarez

Theater - Musical Theater

An award-winning Off-Broadway composer, lyricist, and playwright.

Alex Bechtel

Theater - Musical Theater

Actor, composer, sound designer, writer, director

Jenna Pastuszek

Theater - Musical Theater

Performer, teacher, voiceover artist

Charlie Gilbert

Theater - Musical Theater

Composer and lyricist whose shows have been produced in New York and Philadelphia.

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Sample Courses in the Musical Theater Major
First Year Acting Studio Musical Theater Performance Music Skills for Musical Theater Voice Lesson for Musical Theater Intro to Ballet	Second Year Acting Studio: Technique Music Skills for Musical Theater Principles of Singing Acting Voice Lesson for Musical Theater Theater History
Third Year Partnering Musical Theater Dance Repertory Acting Studio: Poetic Realism Musical Theater Styles: Solos and Scenes Voice Lesson for Musical Theater	Fourth Year Musical Theater Performance: Professional Preparation Business of Theater Acting Studio: Verse Drama Contemporary Scene Study Cabaret Performance Theater Internship

About the Curriculum

The Musical Theater Program in the University of the Arts' Brind School prepares students as artists in the musical theater or for continued study in graduate school. Students receive the same acting technique training as acting majors as well as training in vocal technique, musicianship, dance, movement, musical theater performance techniques and study of musical theater repertoire in print, recordings, rehearsal and performance.

Graduates of the Musical Theater program will demonstrate all the competencies of the Acting major and will also:

Effectively analyze song content and structure, identify dramatic conflict, and craft [strong] choices of objective, obstacle and tactic that serve both the needs of the script and score, and the artist’s individuality.
Communicate authentically, specifically, and expressively within the given circumstances of a song or musical scene.
Be able to reveal both a strong sense of self and a strong sense of character in performance as the material demands.
Be able to reveal both a strong sense of self and a strong sense of character in performance as the material demands.
Be able to read/learn music independently based on a solid understanding of pitch and rhythm as well as musical form with adequate mastery at the piano for the purpose of learning music.
Demonstrate a dynamic, healthy, and expressive singing voice that reveals the artist’s unique individuality, while technically meeting the nuanced needs of the material they sing.
Be able to read/learn music independently based on a solid understanding of pitch and rhythm as well as musical form; have adequate mastery at the piano for the purpose of learning music.
Be an articulate and expressive dancer with a technical foundation in ballet, jazz, tap and partnering; have clear understanding of the dance styles encountered in musical theater; learn steps quickly and execute choreography in all major musical theater styles.

To earn the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater, students will complete a total of 129 credits as follows:

63.5 credits in the Musical Theater Major
4.5 credits Collaborative Studio
9 credits in Theater History
33 credits in the Liberal Arts
19 credits in free Electives

UArts' Brind School Musical Theater alumni can be found on Broadway, in Hollywood, in London’s West End, and in successful careers in every sector of the theater industry.

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