Calling all inspiring musical theatre actors/actresses! Have you ever dreamt about performing in the West End? Let’s face it – if you love musicals and enjoy (or like the sound of) singing and acting your heart out on stage you probably have! You might even be considering it as a future career, and some of you might already be on your way. For those of you who aren’t, I’m here to tell you that yes, you CAN make it big as a professional musical theatre performer. Granted, it takes a lot of hard work, natural talent (so if you’re tone deaf and can’t stay in key, you’d better go home now), determination and luck – but as long as you have those four things, it’s entirely attainable to one day be starring as Elphaba, Jean Valjean, Mary Poppins – or even the Phantom of The Opera himself.
First Steps – Lighting the Spark
You only have to look at the number of musicals featuring children (Matilda, Billy Elliot, The Lion King, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Annie, Oliver!, The King and I, Les Misérables – just to name but a few!) to realise that more and more performers are beginning their professional careers at a very young age. However, if you want to perform on the West End, you don’t have to start when you’re seven years old – but you can certainly start working towards that goal! For every performer making their professional stage debut as a child, many others are taking it a little bit slower and instead partaking in activities to ‘light their spark’ (as I like to call it). My own spark was lit when I was about seven years old, and a theatre company came into my primary school to run a drama workshop. To ‘light your spark’ you can –
- Take part in extracurricular drama clubs/schools – such as Stagecoach. This was ho
- Take individual/group singing, dancing and/or acting lessons – this could be through school or elsewhere.
- Start performing in school and/or community youth productions.
Next Steps – Building Foundations
Soon, it’ll be time for you to choose your GCSES and, if you’re considering making it big as a musical theatre performer, it pays to choose subjects that are related (the most obvious – Drama and Music – if you can combine them, so’s the better)! After GCSEs come A Levels – and again, it makes sense to choose subjects that are related. So, Drama and Music are in – but if your educational establishment requires you to take more than two subjects at A Levels (some require at least three), I would personally recommend English as well. This is because this subject places a huge emphasis on developing close reading and analytical skills which will really help you to enhance your understanding when you come to read scripts – which will in turn help you to make your performance the very best it can be.
As an alternative to A Levels, you could do a more vocational course (such as a BTEC) which relates to your career aspirations. These tend to place a greater emphasis on coursework (perfect if you’re, like me, not a fan of exams) and practical application – and therefore are, could be argued, the preferrable option. What’s more, there are vocational courses that specialise in musical theatre instead of just generic “drama” or “theatre;” one such course is the UAL Diploma in Performing and Production Arts Level 3, ran by Coleg Gwent. Offered at its’ Crosskeys campus, the course takes two years to complete (first, you’d complete the Year 1 90 Credit Diploma, before going on to complete the full Extended Diploma the following year). According to the course page on the Coleg Gwent website, the course is practical based, and incorporates modules focused on the three essential musical theatre disciplines of singing, dancing and acting. It goes on to say that “you may also experience some technical elements of performance, such as lighting and set design.” Here is further information about the course taken from the corresponding page on the college website: UAL Diploma in Performing and Production Arts Level 3 course – Coleg Gwent
‘This course is suitable for learners who are progressing from attainment at GCSE level, or from a relevant Level 2 course who enjoy:
- Working as part of a group
- Singing
- Dancing
- Acting
Assignments are practically based, with written work underpinning the skills being developed as a performing arts student. Research into current, historical topics and practitioners will help shape your devised and directed performances.
You’ll take part in a variety of performances during the year as part of your course such as:
- Plays
- Devised pieces
- Monologues
- Musicals.
Facilities include a dedicated theatre space, drama studio, dance studio and rehearsal space. Students regularly take part in trips to see performances, workshops and speakers.
This course is continually assessed through practical and written assignments, presentations, performances and portfolios of work. On completion you’ll achieve:
- Level 3 Performing Arts
- Skills Activities
- Maths and English
- Other relevant qualifications to enhance your skill set‘
According to the College, to secure a place on this course, you would need:
1. A minimum of 5 GCSES at Grade C or above (including either Maths, English or Welsh First Language) OR equivalent Level 2 Diploma qualification at Merit Grade with GCSEs, to include either Maths/Maths Numeracy or English/Welsh First Language at Grade C or above.
2. A keen interest in the performing arts, and a willingness to practice/rehearse outside of college times.
3. Self – motivation
4. Creative ability (this will be assessed during an audition as part of the entry process).
5. Desire to succeed.
The college says that after competing this course, you could take a Foundation Degree, a HND or degree course – or even go straight into employment as a performer (they must be really confident to claim that)!
Third Step – Building FURTHER Foundations
After finishing this course (or an equivalent one), you have three main options. You could either leap straight into trying to find work as an performer (good luck) or, if you’re less fearless, you could…..
A. Train at a specialist drama/music/performing arts school or conservatoire
This is the traditional route that many serious aspiring performers go down after leaving school/college – but you don’t have to go to RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art), Guildhall School of Music and Drama or Mountview in London (although it is more convenient if you’re specifically aiming for work in the West End) – drama schools and conservatoires exist all over the UK; such as Guildford School of Acting (GSA) in Guildford (where else!) and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) in my homeland – Wales.
The College offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) with Honours degree in Musical Theatre. This course is full – time and lasts for three years. Here is some additional information, taken from the course page on the college website BA (Hons) Musical Theatre | Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (rwcmd.ac.uk)
‘The BA (Hons) Musical Theatre programme is designed to equip you with a comprehensive, highly developed and fully integrated set of technical skills that will enable you to adapt to the diverse opportunities and wide-ranging demands of today’s rapidly expanding musical theatre industry. Distinctively, the programme also incorporates modules dedicated to exploring the creative process involved in the development of new work, in order to further extend your professional potential. Practical classes and workshops focused on singing, voice, speech and text run throughout the first two years, supported by individual tutorials. Dance classes cover jazz technique and repertoire including street and commercial forms as well as ballet and tap, Latin and ballroom styles.
Acting classes in the first term guide you through practical explorations of approaches to improvised performance, working with texts, developing character and building relationships through the rehearsal process. The second year Acting module comprises of two components focusing on a) approaches to Shakespeare and other heightened texts and b) an investigation of the specific practices and demands of the film and television industry.
A series of performance-based projects runs throughout the first two years providing opportunities for practical exploration of the integrated and creative processes involved in the rehearsal and production of new and known works.
A ‘Bridge Project’ in the third year places you in a professional rehearsal environment working alongside stage managers, lighting and sound designers towards a short run of performances of scenes, or an abridged work, for an invited audience.
In the final year, you will take part in rehearsals and public performances of two consecutive, fully staged productions working under professional conditions as part of the College’s Richard Burton Company.
Regular seminars running throughout the course offer insights into the professional context, identifying key developments within the industry and offering strategies for finding employment, with particular emphasis on audition technique.
Towards the end of the third year, you will perform in Showcases in Cardiff, London and New York (US students only) to an invited audience of industry professionals including agents and casting directors.‘
After completing this course,
To apply for this course, applicants must complete a UCAS Conservatories application before attending an audition (the first over Zoom and, if successful, a second ‘recall’ audition in person – to enable the College to assess your skills, ability and suitability for the course. According to the College, securing a place on this course is dependent on a successful audition, and an applicant’s qualifications (A Levels, BTECs or equivalent qualifications are accepted – but the college does not specify any particular subjects). The College may also offer you a place if you don’t have any of the desired qualifications, but demonstrate “an exceptional level of practical ability.”
B. Study a related subject at a ‘standard’ university.
Alternatively, many ‘standard’ universities offer subjects related to the career of a musical theatre performer – such as University of South Wales. Although this particular university does not offer a specific musical theatre course, it offers a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama which is also relevant. It is based at the university’s Cardiff campus.
Like the BA at the RWCMD, this is a full – time course that lasts for three years but, unlike the former, it is not as focused on the specific skills needed in musical theatre; instead allowing for a general study/exploration of all aspects of theatre and theatre making. According to the university’s website, the course enables students to explore theatre making as a whole by integrating practice and theory, working with play texts (i.e. scripts), and devising and linking personal creativity with with ensemble – based artistic collaboration. Students will also ‘investigate approaches, conventions and theories connected to theatre and drama through studio practice and academic research.’ There are many different modules enabling students to develop skills, explore and experiment in (among other things) acting, directing, theatre and performance histories, voice, movement, devising, theatre production, and applied drama practice in research. Here is some further information about the course lifted directly from the course’s page on the University website. BA (Hons) Theatre and Drama | University of South Wales
‘In practical workshops, you’ll explore a variety of approaches to theatre from the perspective of the actor, director, deviser, facilitator and writer. In lectures and seminars, you’ll discuss and debate a broad spectrum of theatre and drama, including historical approaches, theories and ideas about theatre and theatre-making, and performances in different parts of the world.’
‘You’ll have the opportunity to study topics in which staff have specialist expertise, such as site-specific and offsite performance, adaptation, scriptwriting, physical theatre, theatre and science/action, horror performance, Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, and musical theatre, among others.
Our workshop and seminar studies are complemented by visits to the theatre, participation in public performances, and opportunities for industry placements. You’ll also have the chance to work with established professionals as part of the international arts scene in Cardiff and further afield.
In year three, working with fellow students, you can present your work at our annual student theatre festival. Our employability module will enable you to prepare yourself for a career anchored in theatre and drama.‘
Year one
Perspectives on Performance
Practical Lab
Professional Skills 1
Professional Skills 2
Year two
Intersections: Devised Storytelling
Theatre Festival
Specialist Studies 1
Applied Drama
Year three
Professional Practice & Employability
Specialist Studies 2
Specialist Studies 3
Research Project
‘This drama degree is structured to ensure that the theories, conventions and approaches covered in class are explored through academic and practical work.’
We use a range of teaching methods, including lectures, seminars, workshops, intensive rehearsals, masterclasses with visiting practitioners, web-based forums, work placement projects, and hands-on training with technical equipment.’
‘The work submitted for assessment by our students is equally varied and incorporates conference presentations, online portfolios, reflections on practice, and running workshops, as well as essays and performance work.’After completing this course, you’ll be able to seek employment in a wide range of industries – not just theatre, but wider media/entertainment, production, and even teaching! Alternatively, you could choose to develop your skills even further by going on to a postgraduate degree.
Another way in which these courses differ is their respective application procedures. To apply for the course at University of South Wales, you must apply via UCAS, similarly to the RWCMD. However, unlike the RWCMD which requires several rounds of auditions during the application process, the entry requirements of the USW course are solely based on the qualifications an applicant has achieved beforehand. Offers made by the college are dependent on the qualifications an applicant has achieved, see table below for typical examples; Taken from BA (Hons) Theatre and Drama | University of South Wales
| Typical A – Level Offer | BCC – CDD including a relevant art and design subject. This is equivalent to 104-80 UCASA tariff points |
| Typical Welsh Bacc Offer | Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with grade C/D in the Skills Challenge Certificate as well as BC – CD at A Level with a relevant art and design subject (this is again equivalent to 104-80 tariff points. |
| Typical BTEC Offer | BTEC Extended Diploma (Distinction Merit, Merit Merit, and Merit Pass accepted) in a relevant (i.e. arts related) subject (this is equivalent to 112 – 80 UCAS tariff points). |
| Typical IB Offer | Pass the International Baccalaureate Diploma (with a minimum score of 29 overall, including at least 5 in English at standard level). |
| Typical Access to HE Offer | Pass the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 80 UCAS tariff points |
Additionally, The University usually needs a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or equivalent, however ‘consideration is given to individual circumstances.’ I believe this to mean that, similar to the RWCMD, if an applicant meets the other entry criteria (i.e. if they possess any of the qualifications described above) the University may allow them onto the course regardless of their GCSE results.
The other major difference between the two courses is that they offer the chance to study in very different learning environments. Unlike the RWCMD which is a college dedicated to the performing arts, the University of South Wales is, very much, a ‘traditional’ university. As such, there is the potential for the course offered by the latter not to offer as many performance opportunities as the facilities might not be as specialised as the former – which might not be an appealing aspect for a serious MT student. However, it could be argued that, if a student would desire to go down a different career path, it would be far easier to do so without at a traditional university like USW that offers a wide range of subjects in different sectors – if, while studying at the RWCMD, you discover that musical theatre (indeed, performing as a whole) is not the right career path for you, you would almost certainly have to leave!
Alternative Third Step
You’ve tried and tried and tried to get in to drama school, or that further education just isn’t for you? If you’re prepared to put the work in, you can still become a West End performer (hear me out!), just take Luke Suri (pictured above) as a real – life example. Suri, currently ‘Frankie Valli’ in the West End production of ‘Jersey Boys‘ has never attended drama school or performing arts college, he isn’t even formally trained for goodness sake; but instead achieved his lifelong dream by steadily working his way up the ladder straight after leaving school. Check out the below quotation taken from an interview Suri did last year for London Theatre Tickets | West End News | LondonTheatre.co.uk, where he explained his unconventional journey to theatrical stardom. I find it very inspiring stuff, and reading it has made me realise that although they are nice to have, professional qualifications and/or training aren’t necessarily the most important things – even if you want to make it big in the West End!
“I never went to drama school or college for performing arts, so for me as an untrained performer, it really is everything that I’ve ever worked on for the past 10 years. To be here in London in a fantastic show is a dream come true.
“I left school at 18 and I ended up working for a company based in Yorkshire. At the time, they were the sole entertainment provider for Thomson cruise ships. I auditioned for them with a blank CV and a passport photo — I didn’t even know what a headshot was!
I went into that audition and they took a chance on me. Straight after that I ended up doing some touring pantomimes, holiday parks, and hotels. It’s been a step ladder from hotels to West End leads within 10 years.”
Taken from – Luke Suri Interview | London Theatre
Summary
In summary, conducting this research has, first of all, taught me that the arts sector is such a diverse one (from production, sound, and teaching – as well as actually performing!), and there is quite literally something for everyone. In this respect, the interviews I conducted with various arts professionals (which you can check out under the ‘Silver Arts Award’ tab), as well as the investigation I did into all the different jobs in a theatre were such enlightening experiences. Of course, I was aware before this that there is so much more to the arts industry than just ‘performing,’ but now I know a lot more about some of these other roles; in fact, as well as holding on to my lifelong dream of someday performing on the West End stage, I think I’d also like to be a drama workshop leader! Furthermore, I have found out that there are so many ways to become a musical theatre performer. In particular, as an aspiring musical theatre performer myself, I particularly enjoyed learning about all the different educational institutions I could attend; especially the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. In fact, I’m seriously considering going there to do the musical theatre degree! At the same time however, I’m easily homesick and I think I’d struggle being away from my mother for a long period of time, so I also found it incredibly reassuring to learn that you don’t have to attend somewhere like that to become a musical theatre star; and that volunteering and performing as MUCH AS YOU CAN (whether that be on cruise ships, holiday parks, hotels, or just amateur dramatics) are just as beneficial as doing an musical theatre degree and taking singing lessons. I’ve also learnt that whatever way to decide to approach to career journey, being enthusiastic, hard working, and willing to take rejection are crucial skills to have. To conclude, this research has inspired me to muster the courage to forge my own career in the arts (whatever that might be)!