associate degree in occupational studies
musical theatre performance
program features
Master Classes
Master classes offer students small group workshops with successful Broadway performers, choreographers and directors.
Repertoire
Working professional faculty assist students in preparing an audition repertoire uniquely suited to their individual strengths as a performer.
Performances
Students are cast in a performance each semester. Selected scenes, song cycles and fully produced productions in the second year mean you are always rehearsing for performance in front of an audience.
Mock Auditions
Mock auditions with casting directors and industry professionals allow students to get essential feedback on their auditions. Students participate in a dance call as a part of Theatre Dance
what our students say
The Musical Theatre program is a prestigious and serious program that is individually focused with your personal growth in mind.
Grant - Spokane, Washington
Prepare to empty your metaphorical cup of knowledge and open your mind, body and soul to dig into the art of musical theatre.
Miah - Venetia, Pennsylvania
curriculum
In a seminar with the librarian, learn to locate and identify high quality research materials. Work with the on-line tutorials on the NYCDA and New York Public Libraries. The class covers copyright, evaluating print and online sources and advanced internet searching, as well as in-depth instructions on Boolean searching techniques and controlled vocabularies used to search NYCDA and NYPL catalogs.
This is a required, non-credit course
A deep dive into Sanford Meisner’s techniques for achieving authentic reactions and behaviors. The course covers listening skills, repetition exercises, relationship-focused scene work, emotional preparation, imaginary circumstances, and point of view.
2.0 Credits
Students study vocal anatomy, and how to use proper breath support to sing correctly, as well as maintaining good vocal health. Specific exercises are used to explore and expand range. Students will begin to build their repertoire books with assigned songs in both Golden Age and Contemporary musical theatre styles. Each song is researched, and the background of the musical theatre piece is presented to the class to provide context. Students apply the vocal techniques to actual repertoire, and during the course of the semester will learn to approach a song as story through detailed analysis of lyrics, using both personalization and imagination. In-class discussions will encourage constructive feedback from peers, as well as discussion of the musical theatre industry as a whole. A mid-term performance will be presented to faculty and staff. End of semester performance is open to the public.
2.0 Credits
The course is designed to discover the expressiveness of the voice as an instrument for performance. Students experience a relaxed physicality with fullness of breath, and are introduced to vocal tools to enhance expressiveness, which include articulation, pitch, volume, resonance, and tempo variations. A variety of text is explored to increase the actor’s connection to imagery and words. Performances allow the students an opportunity to immediately apply vocal techniques to the acting of text, while receiving guidance and feedback from the instructor.
3.0 Credits
Students meet with their assigned private voice teacher for an individual session each week consisting of a total of 10 lessons per semester. Private voice lessons begin in the 3rd week of each semester and emphasize the development of the student’s voice through singing technique exercises and a further exploration of repertoire. Examination of the anatomy of the voice as well as proper care of the voice is also taught.
.5 Credits
This course covers ballet terminology and basic technique. Barre, center and across the floor work are introduced. All levels from beginner to advanced are given individual care, attention, corrections, and support from the faculty to ensure progress. Students are placed in class sections based on level of experience.
1.0 Credit
In this course the student will develop skills in sight reading. The course incorporates sight singing, ear training, and written theory. Music theory foundations include basic pitch and musicality with pitch notation exercises including aural and rhythmic dictation.
1.0 Credit
This course travels from research to performance. Students will research and learn the history of the art form and examine its origins and development from operetta to the 1960’s. Students will be assigned and perform songs and/or scenes from the periods studied to better understand the style and context in which the songs were written. Students will present a final performance to faculty, staff and students.
2.0 Credits
Prior to the start of class, students will partake in a dance placement process designed to assign each student to the appropriate level of Tap; beginner, intermediate or advanced. Students learn steps represented in the various types of Tap: Rhythm, Classical, Broadway, and Post-Modern, with an emphasis placed on Broadway. Students will perform choreographed numbers representing different types of Tap as well as study iconic tap performances throughout history.
1.0 Credit
Through the exploration of exercises based on the work of such people as Stanislavski and Hagen, students begin to explore the facets of the craft that allow actors to immerse themselves and take ownership of the given circumstances of a script in a truthful way. Endowment, emotional memory, sense memory, objectives, and actions, and creating a moment before are some of the lessons that are covered. Simple A/B scenes begin the course, leading to scenes from plays.
2.0 Credits
The class will move through a series of exercises across the floor, building in complexity. Students will learn combinations in Jazz styles. The history of Jazz from the ritual and celebratory dances of the 18th century to present is discussed. An emphasis is placed on the great jazz choreographers including but not limited to Jack Cole, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse and Michael Bennett.
1.0 Credits
This course introduces students to performance conditioning, a practice that focuses on strengthening the body to be adaptable and responsive to dance and theatre movement. Movement techniques from calisthenics to viewpoints that ensure the body has muscle memory and responsiveness during performance; stretching and relaxation techniques are utilized. Text is incorporated into movement exercises in this course.
1.0 Credits
Learn the technical aspects and differences for the actor working on a single camera and a multi camera set. Everything from hitting marks to adjusting to different camera angles. Who to listen to and take direction from -To having an understanding of everybody’s job on the set that is important to the actor. Learn all the terminology of working in film and television. What is professional behavior on a set and what is the actor’s responsibility. The class is taught from the actor’s point of view.
2.0 Credits
In this course, we apply, through heightened awareness, the principles of emotional preparation to specific text work. Exploring text; preparation techniques; personal invention; focus on believable behavior in order to achieve spontaneity and honesty in sharing. Maintaining the integrity of the text, interpreting material and acting the moments as they are written; memorize and interpret speeches as well as perform a fully interpreted score.
4.0 Credits
Prerequisite: THE161
This course travels from research to performance. Students will research and learn the history of the art form and examine its origins and development from 1960s to present. Students will be assigned and perform songs and/or scenes from the periods studied to better understand the style and context in which the songs were written. Students will present a final performance to faculty, staff and students.
2.0 Credits
Prerequisite: THE169
Actors Lab II challenges the student to use his or her analytical skills to build characters in organic and truthful ways. This is a natural progression from the previous Actors Lab I work. Students will take the work they have been doing in Actors Lab I and Meisner class and apply it to the given circumstances of a play. Students will read and present scenes from contemporary American playwrights.
Credits 2.0
Prerequisite: THE172
Students continue to build on the techniques learned in Studio Performance I, with a continuing emphasis on vocal technique, breathing and vocal health using assigned solo songs. Repertoire building is expanded to include non-musical theatre styles of singing (jazz, country, R&B, pop). Students are paired for duets and/or scene/songs with their classmates. Research will include presentations using videotaped performances of working theatre artists to dissect and explain how the techniques learned in class are used by professionals. Lyrics are explored in more depth, and song as story is applied in more detail. Students are guided in beginning the process of selecting their own material. In class discussion will include constructive feedback from other students, and further exploration of the musical theatre profession, including auditions and self-taping techniques. A mid-term performance will be presented to faculty and staff. End of semester performance is open to the public.
2.0 Credits
Prerequisite: THE163
The course is designed to continue building on the vocal skills gained during Voice and Speech I in the previous semester. The course uses Shakespearean plays to introduce students to more heightened text for an experience of a more energized and expressive voice. Students are introduced to advanced concepts of vocal performance, including cadence, breath for thought, and word emphasis. The course also uses a variety of contemporary texts from film and television to delineate and explore the vocal requirements for a variety of genres. Students are given the opportunity to create their own performance script based on a Shakespearean character and are introduced to a rehearsal process to increase vocal variety and freedom of expression.
3.0 Credits
Prerequisite: THE164
Students meet with their assigned private voice teacher for an individual session each week consisting of a total of 10 lessons per semester. Private voice lessons begin in the 3rd week of each semester and emphasize the development of the student’s voice through singing technique exercises and a further exploration of repertoire. Examination of the anatomy of the voice as well as proper care of the voice is also taught.
.5 Credit
Prerequisite: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE165
Students continue to study within the appropriate level of ballet; beginner, intermediate or advanced. Course work in all levels continues to address vocabulary, technique, physical form, alignment, muscle movement as well as barre and floor exercises. Intermediate to advanced levels emphasize more complex ballet combinations. A strong emphasis is placed on the actor/dancer telling the story through dance.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisite: THE166
This course will emphasize sight-singing, pitch, scales, notating intervals, rhythm, harmony and chords. More advanced students will delve into transposition of keys and written theory.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisite: THE167
Students continue to learn steps represented in the various types of Tap: Rhythm, Classical, Broadway, and Post-Modern, with an emphasis placed on Broadway. Students will perform choreographed numbers representing different types of Tap as well as study iconic tap performances throughout history.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisite: THE171
A continuation of exercises across the floor and combinations in Jazz styles. The history of Jazz from the ritual and celebratory dances of the 18th century to present continues and emphasis is placed on the great Jazz choreographers including but not limited to Jack Cole, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse and Michael Bennett.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisite: THE187
Performance Year prepares you for the professional world of musical theatre, including: auditioning, monologues, cold reads and building a repertoire of songs. The final semester introduces the on-camera musical, the dance audition, and a focus on the business of the business. Master classes taught by visiting industry professionals, and a main stage production of a musical finalize the two year program.
Advancement into the Performance Year is based on teacher evaluations, academic standing, and final performances reviewed by the Academic Committee.
This course explores the primary elements of text analysis, enabling the actor to dissect and deconstruct a play and focus on breaking scenes into beats, finding actions, and applying research to the work. With a focus on contemporary works, text is studied, rehearsed, and performed throughout the semester.
2.0 Credits
Prerequisite: Successful Completion of First Year or equivalent.
This course builds on the acting (technical and scene study), vocal and movement work from the first year. Through the
rehearsal process, we will explore how the script as well as the musical and physical texts come together to create a musical theatre performance. Understanding the historical context (when it takes place, when it was written) and stylistic context of the piece will be a focus in the work. We will learn from and establish the rehearsal process leading up to performance. The instructor will choose various scenes from musicals for the semester. Some scenes will be double or triple cast allowing students to learn from each other’s work on the same scene.
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent.
Students continue to meet with their assigned private voice teacher for an individual session each week consisting of a total of 10 lessons per semester. Private voice lessons begin in the 3rd week of each semester and emphasize the development of the student’s voice through singing technique exercises and a further exploration of repertoire. Continued examination of the anatomy of the voice as well as proper care of the voice is also taught.
.5 Credits
Prerequisite: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE185
The objective of this class is to provide the student with the ability to utilize a variety of dialects that are useful for an actor as well as to understand the process of researching all accents first-hand. Dialects covered may include but are not limited to: Standard British (RP), Cockney and Estuary English, American Southern & Deep South, Irish, Jamaican & West Indies, and General New York. Finally, students will work in small groups to research and learn another dialect or accent of their choosing to perform it as part of their final.
2.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE 184
A continuation of exercises across the floor and combinations in Jazz styles. The history of Jazz from the ritual and celebratory dances of the 18th century to present continues and emphasis is placed on contemporary Jazz choreographers.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE187
Students continue to learn steps represented in the various types of Tap: Rhythm, Classical, Broadway, and Post-Modern, with an emphasis placed on Broadway. Students will perform choreographed numbers representing different types of Tap as well as study iconic tap performances throughout history.
1.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE 193
Students continue to study within the appropriate level of ballet; beginner, intermediate or advanced. Course work in all levels continues to address vocabulary, technique, physical form, alignment, muscle movement as well as barre and floor exercises. Intermediate to advanced levels emphasize more complex ballet combinations. A strong emphasis is placed on the actor/dancer telling the story through dance.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisite: THE186
Known as the New Works Project, students experience the development of new musicals. Students will be cast in a musical that is currently in development or newly produced. In some cases, students will meet and work with the writers. In the past, students’ work on these pieces have helped shape future productions of the work. For the first 14 weeks of the semester, students will rehearse their musical during class. The final week of the semester, students will tech, rehearse, and perform their fully produced musical(s) in a NYC theatre. Performances are open to the public. Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent
3.0 Credits
Students will explore combinations from existing musicals. Both original choreography and existing combinations will be taught in preparation for mock dance calls.
2.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent.
This course continues to address vocal technique that supports vocal health and progress. Students will explore non-musical theater styles of singing (jazz, pop, R&B, rock, etc.) through listening exercises and song assignments. Students will be assigned up to three songs, including ensemble pieces, during the course of the semester and continue to approach the song through analysis, research, and rehearsal as they would a monologue. Song assignments will encourage students to look outside their comfort zone and explore more diverse roles in order to expand the range of their vocal technique. In-class performances will encourage constructive criticism from peers. End of semester performance will be open to the public.
2.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent
This course focuses on the audition process for On-Camera Auditions and Self-tapes. For the first 7 weeks, on-camera sides are assigned, workshopped, and presented. Students will learn the basics of the on-camera audition and participate in mock auditions in class. The last 7 weeks are dedicated to the self-tape. Students work on contrasting song self-tapes that will be presented to a NYC casting director for review and feedback.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent
The course is designed to enlighten students to the Business of Musical Theater, how to interact with industry professionals, and what they need to begin their careers. Students participate in a 4-week seminar with a NYC Talent Agent. Topics covered include but are not limited to the industry landscape, the importance of branding: websites, headshots, the structure of the resume, and the proper way to correspond with agents and casting directors.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent
This course focuses on heightened language and style. With an emphasis on Shakespeare and Comedy of Manners, students will learn and rehearse scenes working with appropriate costumes, props and set pieces
2.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent
This course builds on the work done in Scene Study I and continues to explore how the script as well as the musical and physical texts come together to create a musical theatre performance. Students will rehearse a truncated version of an existing musical as if for the stage during the 1st seven weeks of the semester. The second half of the semester the musical will be blocked and rehearsed in a one camera set-up.
2.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE202
The Curriculum is divided into two sections Voice Over in the 1st seven weeks and Commercials in the later 7seven weeks. The Voice-Over portion of Commercials is designed to give the student a professional overview of the work available in the voice-over field and the tools to pursue that work. The Commercial on-Camera portion will introduce the concepts of “acting in commercials” as opposed to “commercial acting”; real space communication; and communicating thoughts vs. speaking words.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Platform Year or equivalent.
Students continue to meet with their assigned private voice teacher for an individual session each week consisting of a total of 10 lessons per semester. Private voice lessons emphasize the development of the student’s voice through singing technique exercises and a further exploration of repertoire. Continued examination of the anatomy of the voice as well as proper care of the voice is also taught.
.5 Credit
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE205
Students continue to learn steps represented in the various types of Tap: Rhythm, Classical, Broadway, and Post-Modern, with an emphasis placed on Broadway. Students will perform choreographed numbers representing different types of Tap as well as study iconic tap performances throughout history.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE208
Students are introduced to freestyle, improvised dance indicative in Hip Hop. Beginning with a warmup each class, students learn b-boying, street jazz, popping, locking and house that concludes in a high energy routine.
1.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent
This course is a continuation of the audition process starting with callbacks from the self-tapes presented in THE292. Song repertoire, including non-musical theatre styles, is workshopped and presented. Students will prepare two contrasting songs in preparation for a mock audition with industry professionals.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE292
A continuation of exercises across the floor and combinations in Jazz styles. The history of Jazz from the ritual and celebratory dances of the 18th century to present continues and emphasis is placed on contemporary Jazz choreographers.
1.0 Credit
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent, THE207.
Current faculty and guest teachers from the Musical Theatre world will conduct workshops and masterclasses throughout the semester. Master Classes may include Stage Make-up, Song Performance and/or audition techniques, Improv, the comedy of musicals, stage reading a musical, and more. Guest teachers are Broadway professionals, talent agents and casting directors. Guest teachers may also include Off-Broadway performers, directors and choreographers. 1.0 Credit Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent.
Over the course of 14 weeks, students take part in creating their own work in a unique musical presentation that highlights the individual strengths of each student. Students will write their own monologues and scenes and pair them with songs from musical theatre. Students may, where needed, develop choreography. play a musical instrument, and present individual talent for their scene. In week 15, rehearsals move to a NYC theatre, where a final week of tech, photo shoots and run-throughs lead to a fully produced final performance open to the public.
3 Credits
Prerequisites: Successful completion of the First Year or equivalent.