Music Theater

The overall purpose and philosophy of this course is for the students to apply various approaches to the performing process in musical theatre. Through text analysis, peer interaction, employment of various exercises, and performance of final project, students will learn to become more successful performers.

Acting skills for the musical theatre stage will be developed. This course is designed to build upon the skills taught in THE 215 and 315 with application to the musical theatre genre. Offered in the Fall semester each year.

A continuation of MUT 250, the course develops a personal approach to coaching and guiding the advanced actor with physical, emotional and behavioral acting using a variety of elements designed to help the actor build a solid foundation of skills that are flexible enough to be applied to any challenge a performer faces. Offered in the Spring semester of each year. Prerequisite: MUT 250.

This course, which explores a topic of contemporary interest to the study of musical theater, is offered as needed to students with at least sophomore standing.

This course is offered as needed to students with at least a sophomore standing.

The history of musical theatre from the recorded beginnings of music and drama in Italy (c.1600) through the American musical comedies of Rodgers & Hart (c.1940). Genres explored will include opera, operetta, burlesque, pantomime, vaudeville, tin pan alley, the minstrel show, revue, and musical comedy. Major figures discussed will include composers, lyricists (including librettists/book-writers), producers, directors, choreographers, performers, and conductors. The literature will be explored within a social-historical context. Offered in the spring semester each year.