The Musical Theatre Company course combines rigorous conservatoire training with continued, collaborative, student-led development of new work, preparing students not only to gain employment in the musical theatre industry, but as artists creating their own work.
With weekly classes in a range of dance styles, voice, acting, and singing (including audition technique), students will form a company and use these skills to engage in continued and collaborative development of new work (alongside students from the other MAs), guided by leading directors and practitioners working in the industry today.
Working towards public performances at the end of the year, students will leave prepared for auditions, the rehearsal process and the life of a working actor, having developed the knowledge, skills and contacts necessary to succeed in this highly-demanding industry.
Students will take weekly classes in each discipline of musical theatre in order to develop as fully-rounded performers who are able to hold their own in this highly-competitive industry. With a dual focus on technique and individualism, students will benefit from focused individual training in singing, audition technique and scene work, as well as group work in dance, ensemble singing and acting. Using leading professional performers in the industry as benchmarks, tutors will ensure students leave with drama school training that will be showcased in various public performances throughout the year.
Collaboration is an integral part of the ethos at Leeds Conservatoire. Musical Theatre students will share core modules with students from the other Theatre MAs, where they generate new work in a collaborative student-led environment. Students will be encouraged to work in new and interdisciplinary ways, where they can find and hone their individual creative voices as artists and practitioners. Throughout the year there will be several opportunities for their developing work to be performed in a range of contexts and environments.
This course offers an immediate introduction to the industry by offering workshops and projects overseen by leading professionals in the field, as well as taking advantage of the richly diverse theatrical community on our doorstep. Companies we work with include Leeds Playhouse, Red Ladder, Opera North and Slung Low. Students will work on musicals, plays, and in the development of new work to experience the various shapes the role of the musical theatre performer may take.
Our campuses include a brand-new building at Playhouse Square, housing state-of-the-art specialist performance facilities. With a panoramic view over the city landscape, this £60m development contains bespoke facilities for our theatre courses, including state-of-the-art dance and drama studio spaces and music ensemble rooms.
Leeds is also rich with creative and artistic spaces which are invaluable in offering training which is embedded in the City. As an artist who is interested in developing new work you may be able to use those environments to inspire your work.
Students will explore various methods of creative thinking and problem-solving, which will become the initial starting points for later development of new work.
Weekly sessions will focus on case studies of performers, work or artists to critically analyse how research is used in the development of new work and in the telling of personal narratives or stories.
Case studies may include practitioners such as Kate Tempest, Frantic Assembly, Pablo Helguera, Javaad Alipoor, debbie tucker green, Lin-Manuel Miranda or other contemporaries.
This work will be student-led, tailored to the student’s area of interest. Students will interrogate the actor's role in the creation of new work, through collaborative work with the other MA’s.
In this module, students will embark on intense training in each discipline of Musical Theatre; ensemble singing (acting through song is covered in Applied Musical Theatre Context), acting, and dance.
These skills will develop students into fully-rounded professional musical theatre performers who can hold their own in this highly-competitive industry.
In dance, there will be core training in ballet, jazz and commercial dance to develop secure techniques that are required musical theatre performers.
Alongside this emphasis on technique, students will explore who they are as individual artists throughout these disciplines, allowing them both to fit into an ensemble and develop characters themselves.
Working with Acting and Actor Musicians alongside the Musical Theatre Creatives, this module gives the students opportunities in small companies, to develop early performance material as part of a short non-décor festival.
These pieces will be semi-directed/tutor-led but will be developed from stimuli founded within the group. By developing original material (or reproducing existing material) in a collective setting, students will develop the all-important collaboration skills necessary in the creation of new theatre.
Within the sessions, students will then work with their assigned tutor/director in developing new performance material which should be appropriate for small-scale touring. In developing these particular skills, students will have, upon graduation, material which they could tour or develop further.
The focus for the musical theatre performers is to explore and develop their own performance in audition scenarios, working alongside the Musical Directors and Musical Theatre Creatives.
Musical Theatre Company students will take part in weekly acting through song and musical theatre context classes.
They will develop audition technique and etiquette, explore repertoire and build a personal song portfolio to take out into the industry for auditions.
They will also develop analytical skills on how to approach texts and songs through dissecting the key components of song and lyric in relation to their place and time in the musical theatre landscape.
They will study style and genre and use this as a starting point to prepare and perform (and potentially develop) work of their choosing.
The Major Project will be developed over a term and will be a based on the student’s area of interest, culminating in a performance and/or sharing . Major projects can be in collaboration with other MA students from across the Theatre MA’s or something entirely individual.
Each student will also choose how they want to present their work for assessment, either as practical performance, theatre-making or written dissertation. Students will also reflect on their work through a spoken viva voce exam and reflective writing.
You will be assessed at the end of each of three trimesters on Applied Musical Theatre Context, Skills for the Musical Theatre performer and the Performance Project. These practical assessments will focus on putting into practice the skills received during that trimester. This will include dance, singing, acting and audition technique, as well as your collaborative process in the Performance Project.
Finally, you will be assessed on your Major Project, which culminates in a production/s in third term. This assessment will cover the Project's inception, development and performance/s, largely based upon a dissertation you will produce.
Our Performing Arts students benefit from bespoke new facilities in our brand new Playhouse Square building.
Teaching will take place at our St Peters Square, Mabgate and Playhouse Square buildings as well as external teaching spaces where necessary.
We are confirming teaching spaces for 2023/24, but teaching spaces in 2022/23 also included Slung Low Theatre Company in Holbeck, Dance Studio Leeds and Yorkshire Dance.
Take a look at our custom-designed studios with panoramic views over Leeds city centre.
See Performing Arts FacilitiesGraduates from the Musical Theatre Company MA will be excellently placed to work in a wide-range of theatre performances and performance projects, with experience they will be able to adapt to different size and scale projects. Upon successful completion of the course students may go onto careers which may include:
Students will be taught by staff who are specialists within their field and include performers, creatives, entrepreneurs and academics who work professionally in the theatre industry. All teaching staff must apply for and be granted Recognised Teacher Status by the University of Hull.
Course Type: MA Postgraduate Degree
Duration: 1 year
Study Mode: Full Time
Start date: September
Validated by: University of Hull
Alternatively you can apply directly to Leeds Conservatoire via our MA Musical Theatre Company Direct Application Form.
OR
All students requiring a visa to study in the UK must meet the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) department's English Language requirement of IELTS 6.0 with no sub-test less than 5.5
The process will be in 2 stages:
Find out more and read our full guidance on our Postgraduate Auditions page.
Tuition fees pay for the cost of teaching, assessment, validation, the facilities, support and administration of your course.
Find out more about Fees & Funding for Postgraduate study.
View our Musical Theatre Company kit list for clothing and equipment requirements.
