BA in Musical Theatre
Naperville, USA
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest startdate
TUITION FEES
USD 42,866 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* tuition fee
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Why pursue a musical theatre degree at North Central College?
Unlike most musical theatre colleges in Chicago, here you'll train to become a "triple threat"- a talented actor, dancer, and singer. North Central encourages close connections among all of the performing arts, including theatre, dance, and music. Our program allows you to gain hands-on experience in theater arts working with various teachers dedicated to refining your mastery of this fine art discipline. Whether you aim to star in Broadway musicals or continue learning with a theater conservatory, our musical theater program will provide you with the training you need to develop your techniques, range, and style. As a result, you won’t need to focus exclusively on voice, acting, or any other single type of dramatic art performance. You can pursue all your interests within the fine arts, hone your craft through at least eight mainstage productions and graduate as a sought-after professional or graduate school candidate.
You can also:
- Tap into our faculty’s professional network, which extends throughout Chicago’s vibrant musical theatre and dramatic arts community.
- Audition for well-known agents and casting directors (including Paskal Rudnicke Casting, Claire Simon Casting, and Stewart Talent) as part of the Senior Showcase.
- Direct a show of your choice in our state-of-the-art venues as part of our Student Directed Series.
- Work with a faculty advisor during your senior year to select a show, coordinate production responsibilities, and produce and present a fully mounted production in one of our state-of-the-art venues.
Curriculum
Major Requirements
Core Courses
- THEA 100 - Script Analysis
- THEA 141 - Stagecraft
- THEA 144 - Makeup
- THEA 150 - Acting Fundamentals
- THEA 170 - Music Theory for Actors
- THEA 270 - Acting for the Musical Stage
- THEA 308 - American Musical Theatre
- THEA 459 - Business of Theatre
Advanced Theatre Courses
Two of the following:
- THEA 250 - Acting Realism
- THEA 370 - Musical Theatre: Audition and Portfolio
- THEA 495 - Storefront Series
Dance Courses
- THEA 120 - Musical Theatre Dance I
- THEA 220 - Musical Theatre Dance II
- THEA 222 - Jazz Dance
- THEA 223 - Tap Dance
- THEA 224 - Ballet
One of the following:
- THEA 225 - Contemporary Modern Dance
- THEA 322 - Advanced Jazz Dance
- THEA 323 - Advanced Tap Dance
- THEA 324 - Advanced Ballet
- THEA 329 - Choreography
- THEA 429 - Advanced Topics in Dance and Choreography
Voice Lessons
Six semesters of:
- THEA 221 - Voice Lessons: Musical Theatre
- Piano Lessons
Six semesters of:
- THEA 211 - Piano Lessons: Musical Theatre
Note: Piano lessons provide instruction in both piano practice and music theory for piano.
Theatre Practicum
Six semesters of the following:
- THEA 115 - Practicum
- THEA 116 - Practicum
- THEA 117 - Practicum: Musical Theatre
- THEA 118 - Practicum: Musical Theatre
Note:
*Voice lessons, piano lessons, and theatre practicum may be taken for zero credit hours, or for credit in partial satisfaction of elective credits, up to College limits. These hours are in addition to, not part of, the hours required for the major.
Additional Requirements for the BA Degree
Students must demonstrate elementary competence in a foreign language.
Career Opportunities
A North Central education integrates career preparation with rich academic study. Our faculty encourages you to refine and apply your knowledge in an interconnected world. Here you'll learn to think independently and work globally to solve problems and lead.
Internships
- Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier
- The Other Theatre Company, Chicago
- American Theatre Company, Chicago
- Goodman Theatre, Chicago
- Greenhouse Theater Center, Chicago
Careers
Recent graduates in musical theatre have been cast at:
- Light Opera Works, Wilmette, IL
- Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago
- Timber Lake Playhouse, Mt. Carroll, IL
- Canterbury Summer Theatre, Michigan City, IN
- The American Theatre Company, Chicago
- Heartland Festiva, Platteville, WI
- Royal Caribbean Productions
- Music by the Lake, Williams Bay, WI
- Norwegian Cruise Lines
- Royal George Cabaret Theatre, Chicago
- Steel Beam Theatre of St. Charles, Ill.
- Greenhouse Theater Center, Chicago
Admissions
English Language Requirements
Certify your English proficiency with PTE. The faster, fairer, simpler English test, accepted by thousands of universities around the world. PTE, Do it worry-free!