How to Enroll
- Submit your registration by July 1.* Begin by submitting your registration online. If applicable, you may need to submit additional supporting materials.
- Make your tuition payment by July 1.* All programs have limited capacity, so be sure to complete your full tuition payment to reserve your space in the program.
- Request housing by July 1. Students who are 15 years of age or older by the start of their Boston-based program are eligible to stay in on-campus housing. If you meet the eligibility requirements and have indicated that you would like to request on-campus housing, please revisit your registration portal and submit a Residence Hall Agreement.
*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.
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 year's masterclass will be led by Erika Henningsen, currently on Broadway as Sandra Dee in Just In Time, the originator of Cady in Broadway’s Mean Girls, and a featured actor in Tina Fey’s Netflix series The Four Seasons. Henningsen will address the entire program with a career conversation and master class.
An accompanist will be provided; 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. Please see “How to get the most out of a master class” for more information.
In previous years, master classes have been led by the following guests:
- Christy Altomare, originator and star of Broadway’s Anastasia
- 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 résumés are welcome but not required.
Electives:
Students will rank their top six electives by preference and be assigned the top three available. Previous electives are listed below to give you an idea of the types of classes available.
Acting Through Song (ATS): 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. Note: There is only time for a limited number of students to perform in a master class, while the rest learn through observation (see "Getting the most out of a master class.") This elective is also taught by Khiyon Hursey and Caitlin Gjerdrum.
Healthy Belting Workshop (BLT): "What is belting and how do I do it?" Sign up to further explore the concepts of register, mixing, belting, and vocal health, and learn some exercises to help keep your voice healthy and singing for a lifetime. Note: All students will attend a program-wide master class introducing this technique with Dan Callaway. Afterward, this elective will provide additional practice time and individual coaching with Callaway.
Circus Arts (CIR): 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 (CMT): Prepare your favorite musical theater songs that draw on pop, rock, and hip-hop. All contemporary repertoire is welcome but, in particular, this is 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. (Please see "Getting the most out of a master class.")
Moves and Grooves for the Performer (MGP): Get comfortable adding fluidity and soul to your movement without the stress of learning a combination. Heather Myers 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 (On Your Feet!, Head Over Heels). Beginners are welcome.
Monologue Workshop (MON): 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 (NDA): Are you ready to tackle the dance audition? Heather Myers will take you through what you need to know to walk into your dance audition with confidence: how to pick up choreography quickly, how to 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 dos and don'ts of dance auditions will also be explored.
Stage Combat (SC): Learn the fundamentals of an art that dates back centuries, and 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 (TD1): 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 are required; please choose this elective only if you can bring tap shoes.
Tap Dancing, Level 2 (TD2): An opportunity to develop and finesse more advanced vocabulary of tap dance, taught by Joy Clark. Please only choose this elective if you are already able to execute triple time steps.
Writing an Original Musical (WOM): 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 a deeper appreciation for the craft. This elective may be taken independently or in addition to the Original Student-Written Musical Ensemble.
Note: All offerings are subject to change.
Ensembles
Nightly rehearsals culminate in a mainstage Final Showcase on Friday at 2:00 p.m. Each student may invite unlimited guests to attend in person. The performance will also be live streamed. Students will rank ensembles by preference and will be assigned their top available choice.
Life Ensemble: Director/Choregrapher Ramone Owens and Music Director William Eastland serve as your Life Coaches as you dive into the joys and adventures of LIFE through the lens of musical theater! Titles will include: “Prologue” from Into the Woods, “Changing Lives” from The Prom, “Dancing Through Life” from Wicked, and “I Got Life” from Hair. .
A Million Aisles Away Ensemble: After three wildly successful summers workshopping her show Fangirl, Luna Abreu-Santana is back with fellow Berklee alum and co-songwriter Utsav Bhargava and bookwriter Julia Newman. Be among the first to workshop an installment from this rollicking and absurd new musical rom-com about a superstore florist’s search for love in the aisles on Black Friday. Directed by Brandon Green with music direction by Scott Nicholas.
Wicked Ensemble: Telling the untold story of the Witches of Oz, this ensemble will give you a chance to perform an exciting medley of songs from Wicked staged by Director/Choreographer Thomas Vacanti and Music Director Ned Rosenblatt.
Hell’s Kitchen Ensemble - Hell’s Kitchen, a new Broadway musical inspired by the life and music of Alicia Keys set in 1990s New York, is a tribute to growing up, finding your voice, and making it your own. Perform a unique medley of songs from the show in this ensemble led by Director/Choreographer Heather Myers and Music Director David Coleman.
Khiyon Hursey Ensemble: Perform contemporary theater songs written and directed by Khiyon Hursey, co-songwriter of “Good Afternoon” and more for the Apple TV+ film Spirited along with Oscar and Grammy winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Khiyon’s work in past years has moved audiences to tears; his recent stage musical Long Way Down will be coming to NYC in the near future.
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.
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.
General Requirements
All students 15 and older with some background in musical theater are welcome to attend.
Participants must possess a proficient level of English to enroll in this program. We do not require proof of English language proficiency (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo) as part of the enrollment or application process; however, you are expected to have a sufficient command of the English language to understand class material and assignments.
After completing your registration, you will receive an email invitation to choose your electives and 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.
Required Materials
We ask that you bring clearly marked piano sheet music, in the correct key, for one or ideally several memorized selections. Prepare a full-length song as well as an audition selection between 16-32 bars in length. You never know what opportunities will present themselves to sing for a visiting artist, faculty, or your peers—be prepared!
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 opting for a tap elective, remember to bring tap shoes. Pack any hair accessories needed to secure your hair away from your face. Consider bringing a towel and deodorant. Additionally, you will need a refillable water bottle, notebook, pencil, black Sharpie, highlighter, and a tape recorder or phone recording app.
We recommend arriving with clearly marked sheet music in your correct key for several musical theater songs you have memorized. There will be multiple opportunities for coaching 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 casual as jeans and a nicely fitting tee-shirt with sneakers or boots, or more formal 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 to 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.
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The Berklee Summer Programs Team is excited that you've taken the first step! Now that you've enrolled, here's what to know, to be sure you're prepared before and after you check in for the experience of a lifetime.
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