USC Launches New Degree in Contemporary Musical Theater

[soozievt]

FYI: USC’s School of Dramatic Arts is launching a new degree program in Contemporary Musical Theater. The first class will enter in the fall of 2018.

http://dramaticarts.usc.edu/sda-launches-new-degree-in-contemporary-musical-theatre/

August 15, 2017
The USC School of Dramatic Arts is unveiling a brand-new professional degree in contemporary musical theatre, which will welcome its first cohort in fall 2018. Taking advantage of the unparalleled resources and faculty of the School’s prestigious partner arts schools at USC, including the USC Thornton School of Music and the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, this degree will offer singular opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and creativity.

The rigorous, cohort-based, conservatory-style undergraduate program features comprehensive training in acting, voice and dance. It offers students the opportunity for a transformative artistic journey as their foundational training will be augmented by classes in the latest contemporary applications for musical theatre, including digital entrepreneurship and the on-screen musical.

The program is further distinguished in students’ junior and senior years when classes are offered to foster creative growth for not only performers, but also composers, lyricists, book writers, directors and choreographers — allowing for culminations in musicals created by members of the cohort.

[Notmath1]

Thank you for sharing this. The west coast had needed an strong musical theatre program and it makes sense that USC would have a contemporary degree because it fits in with their pop vocal

[BwayLA]

Program Overview: https://dramaticarts.usc.edu/programs/undergraduate/contemporary-musical-theatre/

Pre-screen (online) audition requirements: https://dramaticarts.usc.edu/programs/undergraduate/apply/bfa-musical-theatre/

[loribelle]

FYI: This program has been put on hold for a year. Disappointed…D had prepared and taped three extra cuts per original requirements for artistic prescreen already and link disappeared when she went to upload. Update here:
https://dramaticarts.usc.edu/programs/undergraduate/contemporary-musical-theatre/

[Twoboysandadog]

@loribelle Did you already pay the application fee?

[sopranomtmom]

Oh, that’s disappointing. One of my daughter’s friends who is a senior this year was really excited about the opportunity to apply for this program. I doubt she will want to risk taking a gap year just to wait on the chance to throw her hat in the ring for the 2019 class.

[loribelle]

@Twoboysandadog She had held off submitting the common app because it was one of the longest supplemental question/essay sections…it was her last one to submit, but she had already invested a lot of time in drafting up answers and of course the additional artistic submission requirements, including paying a choreographer for additional dance and for two extra track cuts produced for specific song requirements. Hopefully, she will maybe use those songs when asked for additional songs in future auditions. I don’t think you pay any artistic submission fee–hers was still in process. Good news is she has one more small item and then she is now all done with applications and pre-screens!