How to Enroll
- Submit your registration.* Begin by submitting your registration online. If applicable, you may need to submit additional supporting materials.
- Make your tuition payment.* All programs have limited capacity, so be sure to complete your full tuition payment to reserve your space in the program.
- Request housing. If you will be age 15 or older by the start of your program and require on-campus accommodations, complete the Residence Hall Contract in the Next Steps tab of your registration portal .
*Please note: This program has limited capacity. Submission of registration materials alone does not guarantee participation in the program. You will secure your spot by paying in full. When the program capacity has been reached, registrants who have not paid in full will be placed on a waitlist.
Each day, students will participate in several core classes in voice, acting, dance, and audition techniques.
Master Classes
Every summer Musical Theater Workshop offers master classes to students for an opportunity to connect with a master teacher in a classroom setting. This summer master classes will be lead by the following guests:
- Erika Henningsen, originated the role of Cady Heron in Broadway’s Mean Girls
- Khiyon Hursey, songwriter on the major motion picture Spirited, starring Ryan Reynolds
- Dan Callaway, national Broadway tour with Phantom of the Opera
- Debo Ray, Grammy-nominated performer
Core Classes
- Voice
- Dance and Movement for the Stage
- Acting Technique
- Audition Technique: This required class will help you ace your next audition by learning the dos and don’ts of audition etiquette. Bring your own sheet music for two contrasting selections in the correct key, ideally 16–32 bars each. Headshots and resumés are welcome but not required.
Electives:
Students will also take three electives, ranking their topic preferences before starting the program.
Acting Through Song: Practice what William Eastland calls "The Juggling Act" - balancing concentration on your character’s objective without getting distracted by vocal challenges in musical theater, opera, and contemporary styles. A discussion will be followed by coaching of several student volunteers. Please bring your own sheet music in the correct key if you would like an opportunity to perform and receive feedback. Please note that there is only time for a limited number of students to perform in a master class, while the rest learn through observation.
Healthy Belting Workshop: “What is belting and how do I do it?” Further explore the concepts of register, mixing, belting, and vocal health. Learn some exercises to help keep your voice healthy and singing for a lifetime. You will attend a program-wide master class introducing this technique with Dan Callaway. Afterwards, this elective will provide more practice time and individual coaching with Dan.
Circus Arts: Circus skills have made their way into shows all over. Broadway, from Pippin to Sideshow. Joy Clark will teach you some circus basics and a short partner-acrobatic routine so you are ready for the next production of Barnum that comes to town. Partner work will be involved.
Contemporary Musical Theater: Prepare your favorite musical theater songs that draw on pop, rock, and hip-hop. All contemporary repertoire is welcome. This could also be an exciting opportunity to get coached on your rap skills by Khiyon Hursey, music assistant for Broadway’s Hamilton and co-songwriter with Pasek and Paul for the Apple TV+ film Spirited. Please bring your own sheet music of a contemporary theater song in the correct key if you would like an opportunity to perform and receive feedback. You may also choose to learn through observation.
Moves and Grooves for the Performer: Get comfortable adding fluidity and soul to your movement without the stress of learning a combination. Julius Williams III will teach you basic grooves through the decades and create a fun and interactive atmosphere with a funk, soul, and R&B soundtrack from the '60s (Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors), '70s (Motown, Summer) and '80s (Get on Your Feet, Head over Heels). Beginners are welcome.
Monologue Workshop: Whether on stage or at an audition, performing a monologue demands deep character work and text analysis. Bring in a monologue to perform, ideally memorized, and get pointers on your interpretation. For those without prior material or experience, Brandon Green and Caitlin Gjerdrum will provide a few options.
Nailing the Dance Audition: Are you ready to tackle the dance audition? Julius Williams III will take you through what you need to know to walk into your dance audition with confidence. Learn how to pick up choreography quickly, apply corrections on the spot, recover from mistakes, and make a positive first impression. Information on what to pack for your dance audition and the do's and don't of dance auditions will also be explored.
Stage Combat: Learn the fundamentals of an art that dates back centuries. Learn how to simulate fights onstage while escaping without a scratch. Brandon Green will get you started on skills that could come in handy for shows from West Side Story to Heathers: The Musical.
Tap Dancing, level 1: Tap is a longstanding tradition celebrated in numbers from Mean Girls to Book of Mormon, and a style that continues to thrive on innovation, such as in Savion Glover’s choreography for Shuffle Along. Joy Clark will teach you some basics as well as a short routine. Tap shoes required; please choose this elective only if you can bring tap shoes.
Tap Dancing, level 2: An opportunity to develop and finesse more advanced vocabulary of tap dance, taught by Joy Clark. Please only choose this elective if you already are able to execute triple time steps.
Writing an Original Musical: Have you ever wanted to write a song or a whole musical? Or maybe you already have? Led by Caitlin Gjerdrum and David Reiffel, this elective will give you the opportunity to gain some theatrical writing tools and deeper appreciation for the craft. This elective may be taken independently or in addition to the Original Student-Written Musical Ensemble.
Note: All offerings subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Ensembles
Nightly rehearsals culminate in a main stage final showcase on Friday.
Smash Ensemble: Perform a medley from the TV show Smash, in which a songwriting team creates a Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe—featuring songs like “Let Me Be Your Star” and “Don’t Forget Me.” Led by Director/Choreographer Julius P. Williams III and Music Director Ned Rosenblatt.
Khiyon Hursey Ensemble: Perform contemporary theater songs written and directed by Khiyon Hursey, co-songwriter with Pasek and Paul of “Good Afternoon” and more for the Apple TV+ film Spirited. Khiyon’s solo work in past years has moved audiences to tears. Music direction by Hana Uwai.
Fangirl Ensemble: After a wildly successful debut last summer, Fangirl is back! Be the first to workshop the next installment from this new musical exploring three realities: a hit teen drama, its rabid fanbase, and a stan caught in the real-life drama of high school bullying, catfishing, and personal growth. Book, music and lyrics by Berklee alum Luna Abreu-Santana. Directed by Brandon Green with music direction by Scott Nicholas
“Not Another High School Musical” Ensemble: Featuring songs from The Prom, Footloose, and yes, High School Musical, this ensemble will turn the stage into the high school gym on prom night! Led by Director/ Choreographer Heather Myers and Music Director David Coleman
Original Student-Written Musical Ensemble: Collaborate with other students to co-write and perform a 10-minute musical from scratch, guided by Caitlin Gjerdrum and David Reiffel.
Villains Ensemble: Director/Choregrapher Joy Clark and Music Director William Eastland will guide you through classic and contemporary songs and dances of the notorious villains, antiheroes, and antagonists of the musical theater canon: Sweeney, Ursula, Velma Kelly, Hades and more!
Below is a sample of a typical day in the program.
| Time | Event |
| 8:00 a.m.–9:15 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 9:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | Core Classes in Dance, Acting, and Voice |
| 1:00 p.m.–1:50 p.m. | Lunch |
| 2:00 p.m.–3:45 p.m. | Interview and Master Class with Visiting Artist |
| 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. | Elective or Audition Technique |
| 5:10 p.m.–6:50 p.m. | Dinner |
| 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. | Ensemble Rehearsal |
Schedule subject to change.
The program culminates in a final showcase of student ensembles. Each student will take the stage and participate in at least one ensemble.
Students also have the opportunity to perform in an open mic on the first day of the program.
All students 15 and older with some background in musical theater are welcome to attend.
After completing your registration, you will receive an e-mail invitation to choose your electives, ensembles, and to submit a video link of a vocal solo. These links are reviewed by the faculty to place students into the appropriate level classes and help assign roles in ensembles. Professional video quality is not required, but your performance should demonstrate your personal best.
Program Director
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Once you're enrolled visit our Next Steps for Enrolled Students to make sure you have everything you need for your program.
Before arriving on campus, please review our expectations of rehearsal etiquette and tips on getting the most from a master class.
Choose your ensembles and electives
Choose your ensembles and electives using our online questionnaire. As part of your questionnaire, you will need to post a link to a video audition specifically for this program. Your video will allow us to consider you for solos in the final showcase or any other opportunities that may arise. You will be asked to sing one to two memorized selections in character from any musical theater repertoire. Piano accompaniment and simple filming is all you need. iPhone recordings are acceptable. Important tip: set your video to be viewable by anyone with the link as several faculty members will need access to your video.
Check your email for important information
- You should continue to check the email that you used to enroll in the program for important information.
- You will receive a detailed check-in email with information regarding your assigned arrival location, housing assignment, and a link to view your program schedule one to two weeks prior to the start date of your program.
- When you arrive on campus, you will receive additional program information to guide you through your program.
What to pack
- For classes:
- Please wear dance or active wear with socks. Bring tennis shoes, Toms, jazz shoes, or any dance shoes—including character heels—that you already own. If you are choosing a tap elective, you must also bring tap shoes. Pack any hair accessories needed to keep your hair secure and away from your face. Consider a towel and deodorant. You will also need a refillable water bottle, notebook, pencil, black sharpie, highlighter, and tape recorder or phone recording app.
- We recommend you arrive with clearly marked sheet music in your correct key for several musical theater songs you have memorized. There will be multiple opportunities to be coached on your repertoire by our faculty or visiting artists.
- For performances: Bring a variety of black clothing and black socks, tights, and shoes.
- For a practice audition: Pack clothes without rips, holes, or visible logos. Your outfit could be as dressed down as jeans and a nicely fitting tee-shirt with sneakers or boots, or more dressed up with a button-down shirt, dress shoes, or heels. Select two pieces of music demonstrating your ability to act and sing. We ask that you have clearly marked sheet music ready to supply an accompanist, typically 16 bars, but no longer than 32 bars in length. If you are inexperienced in preparing vocal selections, we recommend “Happy Birthday” as a great solution in a pinch. Headshots and résumés are welcome, but not required.
- If you are staying on campus, you can reference this packing list with any additional items you’ll need while attending your program.