Musical Theater, BFA

Contact

Brian Cimmet, Program Coordinator

820 East Genesee Street

315-443-2669

bcimmet@syr.edu

Faculty

Rufus Bonds Jr., Kerry Bereza, Kiira Schmidt Carper, Brian Cimmet, Diane Coloton, Marina de Ratmiroff, Danita Emma, Marcus Herndon, Rebecca Karpoff, Richard Koons, Andrea Leigh-Smith, David Lowenstein, Felipe Panamà, Abel Searor, Jacob E. Stebly, Bradley Stone, Kathleen Wrinn

Description

The purpose of the musical theater program is to train students in a systematic way that prepares them to compete realistically in the complex professional world of musical theater. Achieving this goal requires a carefully structured balance of studio and academic work. Musical theater studio work requires skills not only in dramatic performance, but in music and dance as well. Students develop their skills in a structured, intensive format that features careful and expert guidance.

Performance is a major focus of the 128-credit program. Students gain skills and experience in the various modes of musical theater: the revue, traditional musical comedies, operettas, and new and experimental forms. Coursework includes a balance of acting, voice, dance, theater history, music theory, and liberal education studies.

The first year is the foundation for all future training. It focuses on techniques of acting, ballet, voice-both singing and speaking-sight-singing, music theory, dramatic theory, and technical theater crafts. Writing is also a requirement for all musical theater majors. The first year is a non-performance year, but students are assigned to work on one production behind the scenes. They may elect to work on additional productions in a wide variety of jobs.

After the first year, students may audition for all productions-musicals, dramas, films-i.e., all productions connected with the Department of Drama, Syracuse Stage and the wider University. They also begin specialized training in musical theater performance, scene study, audition techniques, musical theater history, musical theater dance, and choreography. Supplementing these studies are courses in theater history, additional weekly lessons in voice, vocal ensemble experience, piano, and academic electives.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Sing with a flexible voice that can execute the requisite sounds and styles of the MT repertoire, drawing on a wide and diverse heritage of music genres

2. Exhibit technical and stylistic proficiency in the various dance forms of musical theater, drawing on a wide and diverse heritage of dance genres

3. Demonstrate the acting techniques to create and inhabit various characters, including material with which they can personally and artistically identify

4. Apply the acquired skills of analysis, in music and acting, to the preparation of a wide and diverse variety of literature for performance

5. Demonstrate the ability to participate and contribute to collaborative artistic endeavors to a professional standard

Program Requirements

Drama Requirements: 34 credits

DRA 115 - Drama in Context I
DRD 115 - Introduction to Theater Production I
DRD 116 - Introduction to Theater Production II
DRA 125 - Introduction to Acting I - Majors
DRA 126 - Introduction to Acting II - Majors
DRA 221 - Voice/Verse I
DRA 222 - Voice/Verse II
DRA 220 - Introduction to Scene Study (x2) 3 credits each
DRA 352 - Survey of Theater History
Upper Level Acting Course (3 credits)
DRA 127 - Core Intensives

Musical Theater Requirements: 28 credits

Dance Requirements 18 credits

Ballet (x4) (2 credits each)
Dance Electives (x5) (2 credits each)

(eight credits MUST be at the 300-level or higher)

Applied Music: 9 credits

DRA 118 - Vocal Techniques for Musical Theater Majors I (x2) 1 credit each
DRA 218 - Vocal Techniques for Musical Theater Majors II (x2) 1 credit each
DRA 318 - Vocal Techniques for Musical Theater Majors III (x2) 1 credit each
DRA 418 - Vocal Techniques for Musical Theater Majors IV
PNO 120 - Piano Instruction (x2) 1 credit each

Theatre Laboratory: 0 credits

DRA 090 - Theater Lab
Seven Required Semesters of Theater Lab (total of zero credits)

Academic Requirements: 6 credits

Academic Electives: 23 credits

Academic electives are courses that involve critical thinking and theoretical understanding as opposed to practical application, mostly in the Liberal Arts. These academic courses usually have non-art-related content, such as math, natural sciences, astronomy, global history, political science, psychology, entrepreneurship, and languages, among others. You can find a comprehensive list of approved academic electives here. A maximum of 9 credits out of 23 can be from the department of drama.

Drama Electives: 9 credits

Drama electives (also known as drama support) are courses that are not required specifically for the student’s program of study, but which are meant to enhance their understanding of their major field or their overall undergraduate experience.

Note:

Students may only have a combined total of 12 credits from Independent Study, Experience Credit, or Internships.

Course Catalog