It is our mission to train our future colleagues to become visionaries, creators and leaders in the next generation of American professional theatre.
Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts offers an intense four-year actor's training program leading to a BFA degree in acting or musical theatre. Both performance programs are based on a block of courses called the Conservatory. Complementing this program, musical theatre students take music and dance courses, and both acting and musical theatre students complete elective liberal arts courses that balance the curriculum and provide a well-rounded education.
The student will demonstrate an effective Musical Theatre process that integrates
- A free and responsive vocal and physical instrument
- Strong research and text analysis skills
- A free and activated imagination
- The ability to utilize a variety of dialects
- The ability to work in a variety of styles and mediums
- An understanding of American musical theatre history
- An understanding of cultural and historical forces that form the background for dramatic literature
- A free, technically proficient, authentic singing voice
- The ability to dance proficiently in a variety of musical theatre styles
- The ability to sing choral parts in the musical theatre canon of ensemble singing styles
- An understanding of music theory and musicianship as it applies specifically to the musical theatre repertory
Courses completed with a grade of D do not count toward fulfilling the specific course requirements of the major.
Auditions/interviews are required for all students planning major in theatre at Webster University. Auditions/interviews are held each year during the spring semester for entrance into the following fall session. Both on-campus and off-campus audition sites are available to prospective theatre students. No video auditions are accepted.
- 113 required credit hours
- 12 general education credit hours
- 3 elective credit hours
| MUSC 1000 Fundamentals of Musicianship | 3 hours | |
| MUSC 1010 Music Theory I | 3 hours | |
| MUSC 1080, 1085, 2001 Applied Music: Class Piano, Secondary and Non-Major Piano | 2-5 hours | |
| MUSC 1810 Musicianship I | 2 hours | |
| MUSC 1820 Musicianship II | 2 hours | |
| MUSC 2910 Applied Musicianship for Musical Theatre III | 3 hours | |
| MUSC 4002 Applied Music: Voice | 16 hours | |
| 2 hours from the following: | 2 hours | |
| MUSC 4900 Webster University Choral Club | 1 hour | |
| MUSC 4950 Vocal Jazz Ensemble | 1 hour | |
| MUTH 1030 History of American Musical Theatre | 3 hours | |
| DANC 1010 Ballet I | 2 hours | |
| DANC 1020 Ballet I | 2 hours | |
| DANC 1090 Jazz I | 2 hours | |
| DANC 1100 Jazz I | 2 hours | |
| DANC 1230 Tap Dance I | 2 hours | |
| DANC 1240 Tap Dance I | 2 hours | |
| MUTH 2410 Musical Theatre Dance Styles I | 2 hours | |
| MUTH 2420 Musical Theatre Dance Styles I | 2 hours | |
| 12 hours from the following | 12 hours | |
| DANC 2010 Ballet II | 3 hours | |
| DANC 2020 Ballet II | 3 hours | |
| DANC 2090 Jazz II | 3 hours | |
| DANC 2100 Jazz II | 3 hours | |
| DANC 2230 Tap Dance II | 2 hours | |
| DANC 2240 Tap Dance II | 2 hours | |
| MUTH 3410 Musical Theatre Dance Styles II | 2 hours | |
| MUSC 3420 Musical Theatre Dance Styles II | 2 hours | |
| CONS 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 | 32 hours | |
| (The Conservatory sequence or its equivalent) | ||
| MUTH 3010, 3020, 4010, 4020 | 20 hours | |
| (The Musical Theatre sequence or its equivalent) | ||
470 East Lockwood Avenue