The MGA one-year Foundation course in Musical Theatre offers a pre-vocational year designed to prepare you for the demands of professional, full-time training and provides you with the skills required to audition successfully for the country’s leading Musical Theatre institutions.
It is directed at those students who intend pursuing a vocational training but who either don’t quite yet have the skills required to audition successfully, or who do not have the required academic qualifications to start a Bachelor of Arts qualification.
The course is designed to thoroughly prepare you for the process of auditioning and the rigours of taking up a three-year place at a Drama School, expanding your skill set and enabling you to realise your full potential in your future training.
MGA Foundation students have gone on to study at, among others, the American Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Arts Educational Schools, Bird College, Guildford School of Acting, Laine Theatre Arts, Mountview Academy, Performers College, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama – and, of course, The MGA Academy of Performing Arts.
The Foundation schedule runs for one whole academic year over three full-time terms of training and an HNC qualification is awarded to those who successfully complete all the required modules.
The course is technique orientated, giving you a solid foundation in the three key disciplines of Acting, Singing and Dance that can then be built upon in future studies.
Specialist classes and training workshops include:
- Singing Skills For Musical Theatre
- Jazz Dance For Musical Theatre
- Ballet Dance For Musical Theatre
- Acting: Developing Skills
- Vocal Techniques for Musical Theatre
- Performance 1: Developing Skills
- Graded Unit: Musical Theatre
- Audition Technique and Performance for Musical Theatre
- Personal Development
- Individual Singing Lesson
- Group/Ensemble Singing
MGA’s unique focus on audition technique and professional development will ensure that students are best placed to gain entry into any of the UK’s distinguished drama schools.
Though MGA has an excellent track record, given the nature and level of competition for Drama School places, we cannot guarantee that foundation students will be accepted at their chosen full-time provider and successful completion of the MGA foundation course does not automatically mean that students will progress onto MGA’s own three-year programmes.
The Level 6 Trinity Diploma courses in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre provide the highest standards of education, training and guidance required for a career in both professional dance and musical theatre performance.
Safe practice and wellbeing are at the heart of each programme whereby students’ capabilities and needs are fully considered.
The One Year Foundation Course at SLP College has been re-designed.
If you are 16+ you can now study for the UAL Level 3 Diploma in Performing & Production Arts.
Students on this exciting and challenging course will gain the skills, knowledge and understanding to progress to Conservatoire Training or Higher Education.
You will receive professional training in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Commercial, Modern, Acting, and Singing preparing you for further training in musical theatre and dance. Dedicated Tutors and guest teachers from the industry will support you on your technical and creative journey.
The one year Level 3 course which carries a maximum of 84 UCAS points can also be increased to a two year, extended diploma which carries 168 UCAS points – the equivalent of 3 A Levels.
20+ contact hours per week will ensure that you are kept fit, busy and inspired to reach your full potential.
Entry requirements: five GCSEs at Grade 4 or above which must include English and Maths.
Entry by audition.
Three Year Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre (Trinity Level 6) or SLP Three Year Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre
Our outstanding Musical Theatre Course is designed to allow students to develop their skills and be the best performer they want to be. Students will engage in a multi-disciplined training programme stretching themselves as actors, singers and dancers allowing for a seamless combination of performance skills required for the industry.
- One-to-one singing lessons and repertoire coaching
- Regular acting skills classes with tutors from RWCMD’s well established acting programmes working with improvisation, character, relationships and text
- Vocal skills classes focussing on physical techniques for performance as well as vocal physiology, dialect and accents
- Classes in dance skills including jazz and tap, and the effective use of movement in theatrical communication
- Practical sessions on audition technique in preparation for professional stage and television auditions
- Showcase presentations in Cardiff and London to an invited audience of agents, casting directors and potential employers
- Roles in public performances including at least one cabaret and one fully staged production
- Advanced principal study tuition from professional musicians – instrumentalists and singers
- Wide range of solo and ensemble performance opportunities
- Tuition available in supporting areas such as Alexander Technique, doubling instrument, end-of-line instrument and period instruments
- Advanced training in chamber music
- Professional coaching and accompaniment provision
- Language, movement and drama classes (singers)
- Specialist, advanced performance classes (instrumentalists)
- International masterclass series
- Fully integrated performance programme by international artists
- Wide range of performance opportunities in world-class facilities
- Outward-looking, flexible programme, allowing students to tailor their pathway
- Option to focus extensively on Principal Study
- Options to develop expertise in key areas of professional practice through Professional Projects, linked to real-world experiences
- Cross-disciplinary opportunities to work with Drama embedded in the programme
- Access to specialist mentors to support Professional Project work and broaden network of contacts
- Inclusive practice built into the programme
- Research and reflection underpinning development of creative artistry
- Drawing on industry and innovation as cornerstones of individual career development
- Opportunity to create and curate own performance projects
- Focus on employability and transferable skills
- Specialist tuition from established team of professional design practitioners
- Input from visiting professionals from around the world
- Design positions in up to two College productions ranging from drama to musical theatre and opera
- Professional work placement opportunities
- Public exhibition of your work for one week in Cardiff and four days in London, including industry nights for an invited audience of potential employers
- Final component a formal Dissertation at the end of Year 2 or the completion of a reflective portfolio based on your professional engagement after three years with support and mentoring from College tutors
Our arts management training equips students with the skills and experience needed for a career in the creative sector. This unique programme develops resilient, work-ready and sought-after graduates that can succeed in a fast-paced and ever-changing industry.
Why study arts management at RWCMD?
- Industry facing: our course reflects current practice as it is delivered by a team of professionals who all still work in the industry, as well as guest specialists who visit throughout the year.
- Employability: we are very proud to have maintained a 100% employment record since 2013, with students continuing to secure related jobs within three months of graduating.
- Focus on industry experience: you’ll have opportunities to gain that all-important work experience as it is a key course focus. We have a comprehensive work placement programme and arrange placements for all arts management students, both in our multi-venue arts centre + within one of our 30+ external partner organisations.
- Conservatoire-based training: you’ll learn within a music and drama conservatoire and world-class arts centre which provides unique opportunities for arts management students to collaborate on projects across the college and work with visiting artists/companies.
- Choice of three specialist pathways: choose from creative producing, orchestral management or general arts management as your area of specialism, depending on your interest and career aspirations.
- Practical studio and rehearsal-based training in professional working conditions
- Small class sizes
- Established teaching team made up of experienced theatre professionals
- Regular opportunities to work with visiting actors and directors
- Core acting skills workshops exploring approaches to working with texts, building a character, improvisation and performing Shakespeare
- Vocal skills classes focusing on effective physical techniques for performance as well as vocal physiology, dialect and accents
- Specialist classes in singing technique, repertoire and musical theatre performance
- Movement skills classes including Alexander Technique and stage combat
- Training in the specialist techniques and requirements of acting for screen
- Roles in public performances selected from a wide and challenging repertoire
- Practical workshops to prepare students for professional auditions for theatre and TV
- Mentoring and support in the initiation, production and performance of an original piece of work
- London Performance Week
- Showcase presentations to an invited audience of agents, casting directors and potential employers in Cardiff, London and New York (for American students)
