BA Musical Theatre Degree Course | Undergraduate Introduction

Introduction

The BA Musical Theatre programme offers a high level vocational education for exceptionally talented students who are dedicated to becoming skilled and innovative professional artists.
Our graduates consistently gain industry representation and continue to work across the arts and entertainment sectors. Graduates can currently be seen performing in the West End, on Broadway, in national and international tours, with national companies, regional theatres, and in a variety of television and film projects.

We offer an extraordinary combination of world-class training and facilities, professional connections, and opportunities for collaboration. You will train with us as multi-disciplinary artists, who demonstrate outstanding acting, singing, and dance abilities, as well as instrumental skills. Beyond skilled, you should be curious, ambitious about your own development, and passionate about the way your chosen discipline connects you to the world around you. You will spend time working with lecturers and creative teams on new work, contemporary material, and traditional repertoire from the established musical theatre canon.

You will collaborate regularly with the rest of your cohort, as well as students from other RCS programmes, through our Options modules and other student-led collaboration opportunities. Each learning experience is designed to challenge, inspire, and prepare you for a sustainable career in the performing arts.
We pair our students with experienced teaching artists and industry professionals in a focused approach to specialist training which affords students the space and support they need to thrive. Our teaching staff are active practitioners engaged in an industry responsive approach to education, continuously adapting to emerging developments. You may also have the opportunity to encounter the wider industry though coproductions, touring productions, masterclasses and the development of new work. Our combination of excellence in teaching with a network of visiting artists and industry partners will provide you a unique balance of artistic rigour and professional engagement.

Programme structure

Year 1

This is a skills focused-year as you work to identify areas of development and train intensively towards excellence in acting, music, dance and voice. Underpinning this is a strong focus on self-understanding as you develop a practice of creativity through performance classes and practical workshops. You will also investigate the potential of cross-programme collaboration and broaden your knowledge of musical theatre history through practice-based research.

Year 2

This year bridges the skills work and creative practices of year one with a focus on skills synthesis. Skills classes are complemented with project-based work; musical theatre scene study and new writing projects. You will begin to engage with professional practice, developing industry awareness and considering your potential as an artist within that industry. Research, practical seminars and a range of visiting artists support you in broadening your perspective and developing your skills in a range of performance contexts.

You will have the opportunity to choose modules of study specific to your interests, needs and artistic development. These are cross-conservatoire modules, known internally as ‘Options’ allowing meaningful collaboration with students from other artistic disciplines.

Year 3

The final year is designed to offer performance experiences reflective of industry standards. This year provides the bridge between training and the profession. Skills classes and seminars are focused on industry engagement including audition techniques, self-employed business management and professional practice activities. A season of fully-staged productions culminates in an actor-musician performance and industry showcases in Glasgow and London.

Keep up to date with the Musical Theatre course on Twitter and Instagram.

Why choose us?

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is in the World Top 10 for performing arts education 2016, 2017 and 2018 (QS World Rankings)

100% of RCS Musical Theatre graduate respondents are in employment or further study (HESA, 2017/18)
Intensive musical theatre training with actor-musician specialism
Industry showcases in Glasgow and London
New York Industry Events for North American students
Excellent staff-student ratio
A high level of one-to-one contact including lessons in singing, repertoire and instruments
Excellent industry connections
Experienced staff, who continue to work professionally as creatives. performers and leaders in their field
Season of performance in the state-of-the-art facilities and external venues

Teaching staff

Through your studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland you will receive support and guidance from varying staff, external specialists and industry professionals. The staff tutors and their team will manage your day-to-day skills base development while external directors and musical directors will work with you in performance classes and project work. Each student will also meet many visiting practitioners in order to support network opportunities and contacts with industry professionals.

Head of BA Musical Theatre

Emily Reutlinger

Associate Head of BA Musical Theatre

David Higham

Teaching staff

Jane Hensey – Head of MA Musical Theatre & Lecturer (Acting)
Gordon Adams – Coordinator of MA Musical Theatre and Lecturer (Voice)
Jean Sangster – Lecturer and Head of Voice
Ruth Mills – Lecturer (Dance)

Andrew Panton – Visiting Professor

Singing Lecturers

Dance Lecturers

Voice Lecturers

Music Lecturers

Laura McIntosh
Andrew Nunn
Matthew Brown

Visiting Industry Professionals

Facilities

Classes take place across the two campuses of Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. During the programme students can expect to work in all four of our performance spaces – Athenaeum Theatre, Stevenson Concert Hall, Chandler Studio and Alexander Gibson Opera Studio. Core classes take place in our purpose built dance studios and drama/voice rooms at either Renfrew Street or The Wallace Studios at Speirs Locks. Research, reflective practice and professional practice subjects are taught in a fully equipped student IT suite and supported by a vast array of reference material, sheet music and CD/DVDs in our RCS library.

The Wallace Studios have recently been developed to include 8 purpose built multi functional dance and rehearsal spaces and the programme will utilise these for all major productions – allowing a fully integrated professional rehearsal process with onsite production and technical team involvement.

External venues used by the programme have included Oran Mor, Cottiers Theatre, Tron Theatre, The Arches and Scottish Youth Theatre.

Students have successfully auditioned for and worked with Dundee Theatre, Macrobert Arts Centre and The Citizens Theatre as part of their student placement programmes.

Graduate destinations

Graduates are working in London’s West End, regional theatres, film and television productions and with major companies including the National Theatre of Scotland, Citizens Theatre, Dundee Rep and the BBC. Following showcase, the majority of our students are signed by agents from the UK and overseas.

You may have seen our recent graduates perform in: Avenue Q (national tour), War Horse (national tour), 39 Steps (West End), Once (West End), Aladdin (West End), Blood Brothers (national tour), Wicked (West End), Spiderman (Broadway) and Let the Right One In (New York), Sister Act (national tour), The James Plays (international tour).

Recent graduate successed include:

Meg Forgan (Class of 2018) – The Last Witch (UK Tour)
Pia Hagen (Class of 2018) – Trainspotting (Off-Broadway)
Chiara Sparkes (Class of 2018) – Glasgow Girls (UK Tour)
Barney Wilkinson (Class of 2017) – Bat Out of Hell (West End), Sunset Boulevard (UK Tour)
Liam Vincent-Kilbride (Class of 2017) – Son of a Preacher Man/Honk, UK tour
Julian Capolei (Class of 2017) – Aladdin (West End)
Euan Bennet (Class of 2016) – Sunshine on Leith (UK Tour)
Christopher Marshall (Class of 2016) – West Side Story (BBC), Mamma Mia (West End)
Katie Barnett (Class of 2016) – Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour (West End)
Will Kinnon (Class of 2016) – Cilla (UK tour)
Michelle Chantelle Hopewell (Class of 2015) – Aladdin, Matilda (West End)
Tom Milligan (Class of 2015) – Jack Ryan 2 (Amazon), Slaves of Solitude, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (West End)
Kara Swinney (Class of 2015) – Glasgow Girls (National Theatre of Scotland)
Christina Gordon (Class of 2015) – Glory on Earth (Lyceum Theatre)
Rachael McAllister – Son of a Preacher Man, UK tour
Scott Gilmour – Actor & Co-director of Noisemaker Productions

Testimonials

Scott Gilmour – Actor & Co-director of Noisemaker Productions

“I began my training in 2009 as part of the first intake of students on the BA Musical Theatre programme.

As a student, RCS provides exceptional training, resources and guidance but, above that, it grants opportunity and freedom to forge a path of your own when you come to graduate. It’s this factor that made my training so integral to the career I have today.

Since leaving RCS, I have worked as an actor across the UK with companies such as National Theatre of Scotland, The Roundhouse, The Royal Lyceum, Oran Mor, Splendid Productions and Chichester Festival Theatre.

In my final year, I began writing with composer Claire McKenzie. Our first piece, FreakShow, was developed through RCS and The Arches and went on to win the Scottish Daily Mail Drama Award 2013. Claire and I formed new writing company, Noisemaker, and have continued to create our own work, including Forest Boy (winner of the S&S Award for Best New Musical).

As a student, I was allowed to develop as an actor, and as a writer, and now that is what I do.

RCS supports its students and graduates alike and I am grateful to the time I spent here. It encourages you to hone strengths and challenge weaknesses, develop versatility and, ultimately, that you will never stop learning to grow as an artist.”

Andrew Fraser – Actor

“I trained at RCS from 2009-2012 and was privileged to be part of the first BA Musical Theatre programme. I chose RCS as my place of study because of the passion of the tutors, the time and energy that was given to each of us as individuals and the encouragement given to create, discover and enhance our full self as performers and actors.

Since my graduation my work includes: Touring Britain, America and Asia with the National Theatre of Scotland’s Black Watch; various workshops with National Theatre Scotland; Oran Mor’s Play pie and a Pint; and The Macrobert Theatre company.

RCS provides students with a safe, constructive and encouraging environment. Which enabled me to work on the attributes I already had and encouraged me to discover and play with new ideas and ways of working. Then apply these new skills to my work, in order to build a set which served me in great stead moving into the professional world.

As actors, we never stop learning, but RCS provided me with three years of variety, of growth and of challenges, which gave me time to develop and create a strong foundation, that is mouldable and adaptable to all jobs and lets me keep on learning without taking a step back.”

Sophie Reid – Actor

“I am a very greedy creative and I have always known that I wanted to work in as many areas of the industry as possible. This is what appealed to me about RCS. To be in a place where all artistry is represented and where collaboration and individuality is encouraged and nurtured is a very special thing and something I feel very grateful to have been a part of. From day one we were told this was not a “break you down to build you up experience” but a place to build and develop what you already have and extend it! I am happy to say that my creative greed is being satisfied as a result. I am now working in TV/Film: Gary: Tank Commander, Game of Thrones, I also regularly gig with my own music and am working on an EP. I am currently First Cover to ‘Girl’ in the West End actor/musician musical Once. I am very ambitious and RCS has played a huge hand in fueling the confidence I needed to believe that such ambition is possible, not to mention completely achievable.”

Lawrence Robb – Actor

“My story with RCS began in 2009 where myself and thirteen others, were part of the first cohort of the new BA Musical Theatre program.

RCS provides some of the best training you can find world-wide, its resources and lecturers are at the top of their game and as a young professional it is a flawless sanctuary to prepare you for the outside world in whatever path you choose. You are taught to hone your skills in a beautiful city whilst having the freedom and explore on your own, becoming whatever you want to be during your program. All this has been fundamental in getting me where I am today.

Since leaving I have worked as both as an actor and a singer working with companies such as the National Theatre of Scotland and Sonia Friedman Productions working in venues varying from Stirling Castle to The Harold Pinter Theatre in London.

I was fortunate enough to perform with Rod Stewart featuring Michael Bublé at his Christmas Show in 2012, months after graduating. I had been fortunate on acquiring representation from a well established and influential agent and so meetings on exciting projects were common. In July 2013 I acquired my first professional job and West End debut in the Harold Pinter Theatre; a revival of Jez Butterworth’s hugely acclaimed and first piece Mojo in a cast that no recent graduate should be allowed to say they have worked with. Working with a director like Ian Rickson and a cast with Rupert Grint, Ben Whishaw and Colin Morgan (also an RCS graduate), my training in everything from professional etiquette to how a rehearsal space is run would have been significantly harder to achieve had it not been for my time at RCS. It allowed me to develop my skills as an actor with the added benefit of singing and dance which is essentially what I do in my professional life now.

The support throughout my last couple of years was priceless. RCS is like no other place you will study at, and you will be treated like the young professional you deserve to be. You will make life-long friends and keep artistic contacts long after you graduate.

Images and video

Batboy

Spring Awakening

London Road

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Fees and scholarships

Tuition fees for academic year 2020-21

Scottish/EU Students – £1,820
Rest of UK (RUK) Students – £9,250
International (Non EU) – £17,685

Scottish/EU students

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) will pay tuition fees for all eligible full-time Scottish-based and other non-UK undergraduate EU students, who are studying in Scotland at degree level for the first time. Students should apply to SAAS for payment of tuition fees even if they are not applying for any other means of support. Eligible students can also apply for student loans through SAAS . For further advice and to check eligibility contact SAAS directly on 0300 555 0505 or visit their website .

Rest of UK students

Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland studying in Scotland will be eligible for the same funding/loan package that they would benefit from if they attended an institution in their home country. For further advice please visit student finance England , student finance Wales , or student finance Northern Ireland as appropriate.

International students

Students from outside the EU typically fund higher education by a variety of resources, depending on the home country. More specific information on funding options relevant to specific countries can be found here .

Scholarships

Any potential student who auditions for a place at the Royal Conservatoire will automatically be considered for a scholarship. They are awarded on a combination of talent, potential and financial need. More information about Scholarships is available here

Sources of external funding

For more information about alternative funding sources, including external scholarships and bursaries, please visit here.

The Conservatoire’s International and Student Experience team are available to advise and assist applicants and current students in respect of queries about funding your studies at the Conservatoire. Please email or telephone +44 (0)141 270 8281/ +44 (0)141 270 8223 for further information.

Entry requirements

Our admissions processes are designed to be fair, transparent and efficient. The audition/interview approach serves the dual nature of allowing the panel to assess first-hand an applicant’s suitability for their chosen programme and it also affords the applicant the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the nature of that programme and the opportunities offered by the RCS.

In arriving at its recommendation, the audition/interview panel will take account of all aspects of the applicant’s profile i.e.:

General Academic entrance requirements

Scottish Highers – 3 passes (grade C or above)
A Levels – 2 passes
International Baccalaureate – minimum score of 24 with 3 subjects at Higher Level
Recognised equivalences (EU and International Entry Requirements)

We welcome the Scottish Baccalaureate and will accept combinations of Highers and Advanced Highers.

We offer a flexible approach to students taking Higher over more than one academic year and/or who achieve their qualifications in more than one sitting.

Language of Study

The language of study is English. Applicants who first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of proficiency in English. We accept the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Level 7.5 (with a score of 7.5 in speaking) is required.

Non-standard Entry

We welcome applications from individuals whose academic qualifications or English language qualifications do not match (in terms of equivalence) or fall short of the normal entrance requirements, where specified*. Having satisfied the Audition Panel that they meet the selection criteria and demonstrated that they have the capacity to pursue the proposed course of study, such applicants will be considered through examination of contextualised data provided in accordance with the Non-Standard Entry Policy. The appropriate Head of Department/ Programme will make a case in support of the applicant for consideration by the Directors of the Schools and Convener of the Quality and Standards Committee.

*Note that UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) imposes minimum English Language qualifications in respect of international (non-EU) applicants who require a Tier 4 Visa to study in the UK.

Mature Students

RCS welcomes applications from mature students, i.e. students over the age of 21 at entry to the programme. Whilst the selection procedures will still be applied, consideration will be given to appropriate artistic experience not normally expected in school leavers, which is deemed to compensate for any lack of traditional entrance qualifications. Successful mature applicants, as for all other applicants, must convince auditioning panels that they have the ability and potential to cope with the demands of the programme. Their progress, especially in the early stages of the programme, will be closely monitored and appropriate advice and support given.

Auditions

Preparation for audition

The audition process is separated into four sections designed to explore skills in acting, singing, dance and musicality. Importance is weighted equally in these four areas and we will be looking for a strong ability in three and trainable potential in all four, although it should be noted that the panel will look for evidence of emotional connection and clarity of expression in all four disciplines.

Dance

You will be led through a group dance audition, which may include elements of jazz, ballet and contemporary styles. During this session the panel will look for:

the ability to use the body as a means of expression
evidence of technique, style and the physical fitness to cope with the intensive demands of the programme
the ability to communicate with the teacher/choreographer and other members of the group and to synthesise and recreate choreography

Singing

You should prepare three songs for your audition. These should show vocal range and the awareness and ability to use contrasting stylistic features common to Musical Theatre repertoire. The range should include three songs, one of which is not from a musical (this may be pop, rock, blues, gospel, jazz, folk, etc).

Music should be prepared clearly for the pianist and should be in the correct key. If the song is longer than three minutes, please have a cut ready.

No recorded backing will be permitted and you may not accompany yourself for this element of the audition.

It is unlikely that the panel will listen to all three complete songs – we will hear what we need to get an overall impression of range, technique and potential.

During this session the panel will look for:

evidence of vocal technique and the ability to make style choices appropriate to musical theatre repertoire
the ability to communicate intention, emotion and character through song
vocal flexibility, intonation, pitch and musicality

Acting

You should prepare one Shakespeare monologue and one contemporary monologue to contrast, of no longer than two minutes in length. Please prepare and learn these carefully and have an understanding of the entire play, not just your monologue, as the panel may ask you to talk about your choices.

During this session the panel will look for:

the ability to bring a character to life with believable thoughts, feelings and actions which are appropriate to the text chosen
the ability to connect emotionally with a text
the ability to engage an audience through verbal and non-verbal communication

Music

You should bring an instrument to the audition (this cannot be voice).* If do you play an instrument please prepare a short piece or section of music (no more than two mins) demonstrating your musicality. If you do not play an instrument please be prepared to talk about any experiences you have had with music and how this influences your choices as an actor, singer and dancer. You will only be asked to perform this if you reach recall stage.

For this programme, please note the panel are also looking for elements of potential in musicality and so if you do not currently play an instrument we would encourage work towards demonstrating any connection with music at your audition. E.g. you could learn a basic melody/chord sequence on piano or guitar.

*A piano will be available however all other instruments must be brought by the applicant.

In all the above audition sessions, the panel will look for:

the ability to discuss your work giving reasons for choices made
an ability to respond positively to re-direction
an openness to others, responding creatively to their ideas, thoughts and feelings
knowledge of the theatre, television, film and music industries
experience in public performances
evidence of the resilience and commitment necessary for successful completion of the programme and entry into the profession

The first audition

Group dance call

In the first audition, you will be asked to take a group dance call where you will be taught a short routine and be asked to repeat this in smaller groups.

Individual audition

Following the dance call, you will have a time allocated individual audition where you will be asked to perform one song and one monologue from your list of prepared pieces for the panel of two staff or professional theatre practitioners. At the end of the morning session, a first recall list will be drawn up as you are given a brief tour of the building. If you are unsuccessful at this stage it may be, for instance, that the panel considers that you need to gain more performance experience.

The first recall

The first recall begins after lunch. Those who reach this stage will be asked to perform extended sections from your list of prepared material before the main panel which will consist of members of the core faculty. At this stage it is likely that the panel will do some work with you on one of your pieces.

Please bring an instrument as you will be asked to play it at this stage (see notes on Music above). There will be a short interview with the panel. Do not try to give the replies you think are wanted, or that will impress, just be yourself and answer honestly.

The recall will take a maximum of 15 minutes. The session is followed by a group question and answer section with the Chair of the Audition Panel.

Following your audition, you will then be advised if you have reached the final workshop recall audition stage by email and be given details of when this will be.

The workshop audition

Applicants who proceed past the first recall stage will be invited to attend a workshop recall audition. This will be a full day audition and will involve sessions led by faculty staff in areas including, acting games and exercises, dance combinations, singing, devising and improvisation. The workshop audition will be filmed.

International Auditions

Whilst most auditions take place at the Conservatoire in Glasgow, we do hold auditions internationally. If you wish to audition overseas, please visit our International site here for further information on that particular application process as well as details about the venue and date(s): https://international.rcs.ac.uk. Should you plan on auditioning overseas, we kindly ask that you submit your application at least one month in advance of the audition date. If you apply less than a month in advance, we cannot guarantee to audition you in person, and we may ask you to submit a recording instead.

If you select ‘RCS’ as the Audition Location on on your application, your audition will take place in Glasgow. We welcome recorded auditions from non-UK applicants. If you wish to audition by recording, please select ‘recording’. If you require further information about auditioning internationally, please email hello@rcs.ac.uk.

UK Auditions

We will also be holding auditions in London for BA Musical Theatre in February 2020. To audition at these locations, you must apply via UCAS Conservatoires by 15 December 2019. Audition spaces are limited and are allocated on a first come, first served basis. For more information on our UK auditions, please e-mail our Admissions team at admissions@rcs.ac.uk.

Last decision by	Your reply date is
3 January 2020	31 January 2020
16 March 2020	14 April 2020
14 July 2020	30 July 2020
4 August 2020	8 September 2020
After 4 August 2020	22 September 2020

BA Acting

Undergraduate Courses

Open Days

Junior Conservatoire

Short Courses