<p>I know there have been many requests for BA musical theatre programs/theatre programs and many lists have been made regarding strong BA programs. I am currently at a BA theatre school that has an excellent acting reputation, however, musical theatre is almost nonexistant here. The theatre department does not put on musicals, only straight plays, and I know this to be true of many BA theatre programs. So, my request is, does anyone know of any BA theatre programs where the theatre department consistantly puts on musicals? Ideally in the northeast? I know of Muhlenberg, but are there any others?</p>
<p>Plymouth State University in NH - Auditioned BA - two mainstage/ studio musicals per year, plus revues. Small program, lots of performance opportunities</p>
<p>Wagner College - Auditioned BA - many mainstage and studio musicals per year.</p>
<p>James Madison University - Auditioned BA (school of theatre and dance) or BM (school of music)... (programs produce productions together and sperately.. students in either programs may audition for productions in both schools) - 1 mainstage musical, 2 - 3 studio musicals per year. 1 - 2 revues per year, one mainstage opera.</p>
<p>University of NH is a non-auditioned BA program in Musical Theatre that does many musicals per year.</p>
<p>Another school is Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA. They have a BA MT program and put on at least 2 musicals each year -- maybe more.</p>
<p>Here's an idea for you. Our S did a double-major at Amherst College in Theater and Music. For his required senior project in theater, instead of writing a dramatic play, he wanted to write and do a staged reading of an original dramatic musical. It took many meetings with faculty in both departments, but he finally was granted permission to do this. THe music department provided the conductor and 4 instrumentalists (getting the student conductor was the hardest accomplishment). My S wrote the drama, music, lyrics, and orchestral arrangement alone (had some prior coursework related to all of these elements). He was mentored by his acting professor re: how to cast and direct it.
It was very hard to secure the funding support from the music department, as they were used to working separately. The acting department didn't stage musicals, preferring drama, although within the previous 5 years there had been one student senior project of a staged musicals ("Company"). That was a helpful precedent, since it had been well-attended and successful in recent memory.
He had to be quite persistent and patient, getting permissions and funding, which turned out to be harder work than actually writing the musical. But it all came together beautifully, and he was graduated "cum laude" because of this ambitious project.
You have to really be ready for a time-consuming senior year, but perhaps it's doable in other theater departments. Or, imagine it as a co-production with another student who majors in Music. My S's observation was that he could gain the ear of the music department since he was a double major with Music. He couldn't have just approached them because he'd taken a course or two. So, that leads me to suggest a coproduction with a Music major at the college.<br>
There was no dance component as a staged reading. It was enough to get that done in a year.
He chose not to act in it, feeling that he had enough to do already and he had already done plenty of acting in his time there on campus.
It really stretched him in theater, experiencing the production side, which is a good thing. He learned so much.</p>
<p>Wilkes does two mainstage musicals and two regular per year. Up to seven student productions (which include musicals). Is an audition BA MT program. We have visited a few times and they seem like they are trying to expand the program. Muhlenburg is a non audition BA theatre program, was in our backyard but my D only selected audition schools. Wilkes seems like they have a few recent grads in national tours and even in a new movie.</p>