Are you a born performer? The musical theatre program in the Rome School of Performing Arts is designed to engage your passion for the stage in a rigorous training program that will prepare you to become a professional theatre artist, armed with the skills to perform on any stage and screen.
 
Musical Theatre’s "triple threat" instruction includes intensive acting, voice, and dance lessons. Classroom study will translate into practical performance experience, preparing you for a career on the stage or screen. Your core liberal arts requirements will round out your education, preparing you to make thoughtful choices as an artist.
 
When you graduate, you will have a strong performance background with the added benefit of a liberal arts education, preparing you well to excel on the stage or in whatever calling you may choose.

Degree Requirements

Typical Four Year Plan

Applicants for this degree program must successfully complete proficiency auditions in voice, acting, and dance. Specific audition information is on our landing pages at https://getacceptd.com/ or email us at arts.cua.edu

Once accepted into the degree program, musical theatre majors must audition for all University musical productions, even if they are unable to be cast. All shows will be cast (principals and chorus) from these auditions.

Students must complete 240 crew hours of production work in order to graduate.

All students, at the end of the sophomore year jury, will receive a review of their progress to determine their acceptability for admission to junior-level musical theatre courses and voice lessons. At semester juries, students may be given written warnings if they are not developing as expected. Those not admitted to junior-level musical theatre courses, including voice lessons, may seek admission to another degree program in the drama department or will be allowed to re-audition for the Musical Theatre Program after completing additional study in deficient areas that would be specified in writing. Juniors and seniors may be required to repeat skill studies as warranted before graduation.

If it becomes necessary for a musical theatre major to take more than one set of voice lessons in a given semester, all lessons must be taken with the same instructor. Students are not permitted to study for credit with two different voice instructors in any given semester.

Ten (10) credits of dance: To ensure that students have a well-rounded dance curriculum, the eight (10) credits must consist of four (4) credits in Ballet, two (2) credits in Tap, two (2) credits in Jazz, (1) credit in Modern Dance, and (1) Credit in Theatre Dance. Final determination of dance requirements will depend on the student's background, and substitutions may be recommended by the adviser.

Students with extensive dance training may elect to fulfill their dance requirements at one of the consortium universities or an area professional dance school. Each course taken elsewhere (at least two times per week, minimum 40 hours per semester) will equal one of Catholic University's dance courses per semester. Only students with advanced level training may request to take dance elsewhere. Students should contact the Dance Coordinator or Area Head to request permission and credit.

In addition to tuition, students are required to pay a fee for each dance class and private lesson taken at The Catholic University of America. Click HERE for enrollment’s website outlining applicable fees.

Musical theatre majors are required to complete a minimum of two (2) credits of class piano or they can pass a proficiency exam. 

The musical theatre student who, before the beginning of his/her Junior year, has (1) maintained at least a 3.000 cumulative GPA, (2) completed their music theory, and (3) registered for and completed one of the two required internships may elect to spend a spring semester abroad in the junior year to study theater in London or Spain. Music elective credits, when used as substitutes for music course credits, may be satisfied by either MUS or MUPI. In order for MUPI credits to count toward the degree, a jury is required.

A minor in music and/or dance is permitted for musical theatre majors, please check the applicable website or contact your advisor.

Musical Theatre majors are required to audition for all season musicals even if they are not eligible to be cast due to other commitments. Only the head of musical theatre can waive this requirement. 

 
The area also offers a Minor in Dance.