RWCMD Razzle Dazzles ‘Em With a New MA Musical
Theatre
Musical theatre has never been so popular. Last year a record
14,257,922 people saw a West End show, and films such as
Chicago and High School Musical, as well as TV’s
Glee, Over the Rainbow and Maria mean
that there has never been a better time to work in Musical
Theatre.
In order to make the most of this rise in employment
opportunities Royal Welsh College has developed a new MA Musical Theatre. The course is part of a
range of new masters programmes, developed for performing arts
professionals wishing to further their careers in the creative
industries.
The course will incorporate the three core disciplines of
musical theatre – acting, singing and dancing. Expert lecturers and
industry professionals will focus on vocal technique and
repertoire, dance and movement, and acting techniques. Public
performance opportunities range from intimate to large-scale
productions, and all students take part in a series of public
showcase presentations in Cardiff and London – a chance to perform
for agents and casting directors.
This new MA builds on the College’s proven track record in
musical theatre. Just a year after graduating, Aneurin Barnard was awarded the Olivier
for Best Actor in a Musical for his West End debut as
Melchior in Spring Awakening. Katy Treharne is currently
understudy for Christine in The Phantom of the Opera in
the West End and recently had to take over the role half way
through the performance. She is joined on stage by Melanie Gowie
who is understudy for Carlotta and Tabaitha Webb who plays
Alternate Christine.
Vivien Care has been appointed Course
Leader and will be overseeing the audition process. Born and
educated in Wales, Vivien initially trained at the Welsh College of
Music & Drama and continued her studies at the Royal Academy of
Music. She graduated with distinction and received the prestigious
Mary Hammond Prize. Since then she has sustained a busy and varied
career in Musical Theatre - in prominent roles in large-scale West
End musicals as well as in small-scale and fringe productions,
session work and radio broadcasts. She is also much in demand as a
vocal consultant and coach. She can currently be seen as Sister
Margaretta in The Sound of Music.
She tells us about the MA Musical Theatre:
What do you love about musical theatre?
I love the sheer diversity of it! From musicals in the style of
opera through to pop and rock, the genre encompasses a huge variety
of styles. It’s thrilling to both be in a show, or watch one where
everyone onstage is of a high standard in all three areas of
acting, singing and dance. It’s the spoken word further heightened
with the emotive powers of music and expressive use of the body
that delivers a fully accessible performance to the audience,
allowing them to relate to the storytelling on many levels. As a
performer it's amazing to feel the audience swept along with your
passion, as the relationship with them develops. From my own
career, whether it's been the grandeur and pathos of Les Misérables
or the light-hearted frisson of Cole Porter's High Society, the
audience are delivered an experience full of visual, musical and
emotional stimuli.
Why do you think it’s a good idea to study MA Musical
Theatre?
The demanding ‘eight-show week’ schedule of many Musical Theatre
jobs, often sustained over long contractual periods, requires a
versatile performer who is vocally and physically fit, and highly
competent in all three disciplines. They must be able to deliver a
wide range of vocal qualities and styles safely, together with good
movement, dance and acting skills. The MA Musical Theatre at is a
course firmly rooted in the current Musical Theatre Industry.
Classes in acting, singing, spoken voice, dance and movement will
run alongside projects led by external practitioners to fully
integrate all skills at a professional level. Direct links with the
profession will be established and nurtured by Directors, Musical
Directors and Choreographers who will all have a continuing and
relevant professional presence within contemporary Musical
Theatre.
What will you be looking for at the
auditions?
We’re looking for students with strong skills in all of the
three disciplines – acting, singing and dancing. We will want to
identify candidates who already possess these skills who would
benefit from further professional training. They should be able to
show outstanding ability in at least two of the disciplines, and
ideally will have already completed an undergraduate course in
performing arts. We'll listen to the auditionees sing and speak,
we’ll assess their dancing and have a chat with them. We hope they
will be enthusiastic, expressive and have an active and continuing
interest in musical theatre.
What will the course will cover?
We’ll cover singing technique in the various styles required for
musical theatre. Regular repertoire coaching sessions will also be
provided. Movement skills will be worked on daily, with attention
paid to tap, jazz, ballet terms and partner work. Classes in spoken
voice, text work and accents will also feature highly. An important
focus of the course will be the many exciting short term projects
we have planned, resulting in at least three external showings open
to the public. Additionally, an agent showcase will take place in
the third term, with an invited audience of agents and casting
directors. The entire course will be carefully planned to provide
audition preparation (or other ‘survival’ techniques), awareness of
vocal processes, musicality, repertoire, and to help create
precedents for the graduates’ continuing careers.
'As a performer myself, I am so looking forward to
leading this highly focussed course at RWCMD, where I began my own
training. I am thrilled to be able to help generate this dynamic
and long awaited new venture. It promises to meet industry needs
for greatly specialised and thoroughly integrated performers. I
look forward to working with the talented students and highly
experienced staff at RWCMD.'