Do you love singing, dancing and acting? Do you sing along to Broadway show tunes? Do you want to learn how to create, direct, and stage-manage your own musical?
Consider majoring in Musical Theatre, where we study and perform the human condition.
Degrees Offered
- BA in Musical Theatre
Related Degrees
About Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre artists inspire, entertain, and challenge audiences with live performances that enhance our capacity for empathy and illuminate our common humanity. At Converse we train and support the next generation of performing artists by providing programs that promote intellectual curiosity, creativity and lifelong learning. The stage is our laboratory, a place where we grow and create in community.
We teach and inspire our musical theatre students by sharing rigorous scholarship, unique studio process, and transformative live performance in music, dance and theatre. Our primary focus in the classroom, in rehearsal, and in live performance is to give student artists opportunities and support to succeed. Join us and find your light!
- Perform powerful roles in a unique environment
- Enjoy small class sizes and a dedication to personal mentorship
- Study the Michael Chekhov Acting Technique with certified teacher, Professor Melissa Owens
- Take cutting-edge courses in devised theatre and dramaturgy
- Create a collaborative senior capstone project by writing a play, researching a dead diva or directing a musical
Productions
Through Theatre Converse’s rich production season including mainstage and studio series productions, you will be given opportunities to shine onstage, backstage and off the stage in all aspects of theatre arts, technical production, production design, arts management or playwriting. See images from some of our productions.
Internships
- Stage Management Team, Spartanburg Little Theatre’s The Mystery of Irma Vep
- Actor, Spartanburg Youth Theatre’s The Fantastic Mr. Fox
- Assistant Director, Spartanburg Little Theatre’s Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
- Drama Teacher, Woodland Heights Elementary After School Program
- Dance/Theatre Instructor, Fine Arts Day Camp
Musical Theatre Mentoring Project
As part of the interdisciplinary Psychology of Musical Theatre class, students and faculty team up to lead an “acting the song” month-long workshop with local high school students. Together they create a collaborative musical performance, exploring major themes such as “To Dream” and “To Fight.”
Study-Travel
Theatre & Dance students have the opportunity to study and experience live international theatre through travel-study courses.
During a Jan term study-travel trip, students studied literature and theatre in England with Dr. Templeton & Professor Owens. They spent 12 days visiting Shakespeare’s Stratford-Upon-Avon, the Cotswolds, the University of Oxford, and London. These tangible experiences brought new life and meaning to the works they studied. Visits to key sites – Big Ben, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey- as well as multiple theatre experiences in the West End, at the Barbican, the Globe and the National, engaged, entertained and inspired students and faculty.
The study of musical theatre includes instruction in major works of dramatic literature, dramatic styles and types, and understanding the principles of organizing and producing full productions. As a musical theatre student, you will have a wide variety of roles in productions: from stage management, to directing, acting, movement, stage lighting, costuming, set design, and script writing. In addition to hands-on learning, you will understand the evolution of Theatre by exploring the history and theory of Theatre, with an emphasis on musicals.
Sample Courses
- Acting the Song
- Theatre History
- Voice
- Technical Production
- Musical Theatre History
- Musical Theatre Dance
- Ballet
- Musical Theatre Ensemble
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Musical Theatre
Our Musical Theatre degree involves intensive study and research in acting, voice and dance, along with the histories and theories of music and performance. You will develop skills in analyzing, anticipating, and executing performances rooted in music.
From voice to stage production to dance, you will find a wide variety of challenges and means of expression in Musical Theatre at Converse. We want you to grow as an artist and a future professional in our program.
What are common careers in Musical Theatre?
- Actor
- Director
- Choreographer
- Costume, Scenic or Sound Designer
- Theatre Management
- Monologue Coach
- Dance Instructor
- Educator
NEXT STEPS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Madeline Faulk Tesh ‘14, Converse’s first Musical Theatre major
Madeline reflects, “The Theatre professors at Converse taught me what it truly means to be a confident, well-rounded and well-trained Theatre professional. Having the knowledge and ability to play several “different roles” in theatre production has greatly impacted my journey. Because of the skills I gained from Theatre Converse I have no doubt, with continued hard work and perseverance, I can achieve my career goals in the Arts.”
Since graduating, Converse’s first Musical Theatre major, has performed for Carowinds Theme Park, near Charlotte, NC, Spamalot the Musical and Adams Family the Musical at Centre Stage, in Greenville, SC. Her most recent film credits include The Righteous (2018) and Operation Resist (2018).
