Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre
The Musical Theatre program at Penn State is a professional training program offered by the School of Theatre and supported by the School of Music. To ensure individualized training, admission is highly selective. Students admitted into the program are eligible for talent-merit scholarships.
Musical Theatre Faculty
Our training faculty are dedicated to dual professions: They are union-affiliated members of the musical theatre performance community, and also university faculty profoundly committed to the training of musical theatre students. They understand that not all students are the same, and while the aim is to train the "triple threat" performer who can sing, act, and dance, the Musical Theatre program is designed to heighten individual artistic strengths. Faculty work to enhance each student's unique qualities and train artists who are self-reliant and able to contribute to the highly competitive world of musical theatre.
Structure
The B.F.A. in Musical Theatre curriculum is made up of five components: theatre (acting, movement, voice, history, production classes), music (voice, theory, sight singing, and piano), dance (ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theatre styles), musical theatre (form and analysis, performance studio, and history/literature), and general education. This curriculum has been carefully balanced to offer four years of intensive training for the profession as well as a well-rounded Penn State undergraduate education. Students have evaluation sessions with the entire musical theatre faculty at least once a semester.
Performance Opportunities
Performance experience is an integral part of the training process. Because musical theatre professionals find themselves working in various venues, we provide a wide variety of performance experiences. During the academic year, two musicals are produced as part of the School of Theatre production season.
Penn State School of Theatre offers a graduate degree in directing for the musical theatre stage. B.F.A. majors have the opportunity to perform in graduate directing projects.
One way to assure more work in the field is to assure the creation of new musicals. We are committed to producing fully rendered workshop productions and staged readings of new works. For experience in cabaret performance style, seniors perform in the Penn State President's Tailgate Revue.
Professional Liaison
During the spring, advanced-level students have the opportunity to audition for Pennsylvania Centre Stage, our professional summer theatre, and other professional theatres.
Through the generosity of longtime Penn State volunteers and advocates Arthur and Paige Nagle, a $500,000 Nagle Family Endowment for Musical Theatre has been created to assist musical theatre students in making the transition into the profession. The Nagle Endowment is used to support a senior New York Showcase, paid professional summer theatre internships, guest artists/educators, and New York field trips and master classes.
Scholarships
All students accepted into the Musical Theatre degree program are eligible for musical theatre merit scholarships. We also offer Penn State trustee scholarships, which are need-based and merit-based.
Musical Theatre Interview/Audition Requirements
Complete the requirements of all
applicants as described under “B.F.A. Admission Procedures”
and prepare for the interview/audition as follows:
- Prepare a portion of an up-tempo song and a ballad from the musical theatre repertoire. One song should be written prior to 1960 so that we may hear both traditional "Golden Age" singing and contemporary musical theatre singing. Additionally, it is our hope that women will demonstrate both their soprano and their belt voices. Both songs combined should last no longer than 90 seconds. We will provide an accompanist for auditions in all cities except Las Vegas and Los Angeles, where applicants will need to bring recorded accompaniment and a portable player.
- Our dance faculty will teach a short ballet combination and a short jazz combination except for the Las Vegas and Los Angeles auditions. Please bring clothes appropriate for dance.
- Prepare a monologue not to exceed one and a half minutes. The monologue should be from a contemporary play and within the applicant's range.
For more information or to schedule a Musical Theatre interview/audition, contact:
Cary Libkin | Head of the B.F.A. Musical Theatre ProgramSchool of Theatre
The Pennsylvania State University
116 Arts Building
University Park PA 16802-2900
Phone: (814) 863-7384
E-mail: musicaltheatre@psu.edu