Year 1 - Terms 1 & 2 (FHEQ Level 4)
In Level 4 of your training you will work on developing a strong foundational technique in the craft of Acting, Singing and Dance. You will be given the opportunity to perform several times a week and gain feedback by staff and other industry professionals to help develop your artistry.
Acting
Acting lies at the heart of every good Musical Theatre Performance. At Associated Studios you will learn how to build your understanding of how to reach your acting potential. You will do this through working with Directors, Voice Teachers, Writers and Actors/Acting Practitioners who will use a range of classes and techniques to help you discover how to harness the power of drama.
Areas of Work Include:
- Improvisation
- Text Class: Including work on the seminal classical and contemporary playwrights which may include Shakespeare, Chekov, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Pinter and David Hare.
- Acting Technique: Looking at the approach of practitioners such as Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, Stanford Meisner and Mike Alfreds. You will create a tool-box of techniques you can draw on to create a truthful performance.
- Monologues: You will explore how to choose and perform monologues suitable for acting and musical theatre auditions.
- Voice classes: Voice work includes learning the basic techniques of the actors voice such as: Resonance, Articulation, ‘Forward Placement’, Breath Control and work on RP and General American accents.
- Scene Study: Putting your technical skills into practice, you will work on scenes from set plays with a director.
Singing and Music
The study of singing and music is fundamental to developing into a professional Musical Theatre Artist. Level 4 is about understanding your singing voice and building the strength and flexibility required to perform 8 times a week. You will also develop your versatility for approaching different styles of Musical Theatre from ‘legit’, classical MT and Operetta through to Contemporary Musicals and Pop/Rock. We find it essential for all students to be given regular 1-to-1 Singing Technique training to supplement your normal class work. You will work with a number of Musical Directors, Singing Teachers, Directors, Movement Directors, Vocal Coaches and Composers.
Areas of Work Include:
- Vocal Technique: You will build the vocal, physical and mental strength, flexibility and stamina required to succeed in the competitive singing industry, through establishing a rigorous practice regime.
- 1-to-1 Singing Technique: Work individually with a singing teacher on a regular basis throughout your training.
- Repertoire: Learn how to find appropriate songs from across the breadth of the Musical Theatre genre. Understand how to cut and present sheet music required for professional auditions. Associated Studios takes pride in alumni having audition ready repertoire folders, appropriate to the any demands of the industry.
- Vocal Performance: Work with Musical, Movement and Acting Directors to develop your individual performance by acting through song.
- Audition Technique: Working with Musical Directors, Agents and Casting Directors you will gain greater understanding of the techniques behind successful singing auditions, including how to cut for 32-bar auditions. Audition etiquette will be discussed and practiced.
- Performance Confidence: Work through the common problems of anxiety and lack of confidence in a safe, nurturing environment.
Dance and Movement
Building your understanding of dance and movement will underpin the physical work required for the other disciplines. We stream our dance classes to allow you to work at the level suitable for your current experience and skill. Dance classes aim to bring you up to the standard required to successfully audition in a ‘dance call’ in the current musical theatre industry. As well as undertaking work to condition your body to be at its peak fitness, you will learn to use your technique to adapt into different dance styles and genres, learning how to connect your acting to your movement and vice versa. You will work with a range of Dance Practitioners, Choreographers, Stage Combat Directors and Movement experts on a wide range of classes to give you a rounded experience throughout your training.
Areas of Work Include:
- Dance Technique: You will work on a range of dance techniques from Ballet to Jazz and Contemporary Dance. Building your language of the body and how to use it.
- Musical Theatre Routine: Working with choreographers and current West-End performers, you will explore the different styles and genres of dance and movement within the world of Musical Theatre which may include work inspired by choreographers and practitioners including: Agnes de Mille, Bob Fosse, Gene Kelly, Michael Bennett, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp and Matthew Bourne. You will have weekly audition dance masterclasses in which you are taught a current show routine by a professional choreographer.
- Movement Practice/Body Conditioning: You will build your strength, flexibility and stamina by using body conditioning practices which may include: Cardio, Pilates, Yoga and Alexander Technique.
Contextual Studies
You will explore the world of Musical Theatre through the lens of history to understand how we ended up here. You will look at the importance and impact of culture on theatre, lives and experiences of the important writers, the impact of style, and how to understand your place as an artist in the industry. Although a lot of these classes are lecture style, they are taught in an interactive and thought-provoking way that will encourage you to explore the issues and topics more deeply. You will also learn the fundamental study, research and writing skills you will use throughout your training. Finally you will look at how to use this information to bring about a deeper understanding in your own practice of musical theatre, through music and lyrical analysis of your repertoire.
- Musical Theatre History: You will explore the history of musical theatre and research into the pivotal moments which changed our styles, our approaches to performance and our culture. You will look at the seminal events which changed our way of thinking and doing, and you will celebrate the work of all of the writers, composers, directors, choreographers, lighting, sound and set designers, and of course performers, who were responsible for challenging the status quo and allowing theatre and musical theatre to become the powerhouse industry it is today.
- Study Skills: You are taught how to properly construct your arguments, using the appropriate academic rigour required of a degree level student. You will also learn how to properly cite your sources, and create proper referencing in a bibliography, and how to use these sources and your experience to engage in proper reflective practice. All students will be supported throughout their study needs, with extra help and time given to those students who might struggle in this area.
- Music Theory: This class will introduce you to the language of music and musical grammar. You will learn to study and understand rhythm, time signatures, harmony, phrasing, style, dynamics, and essential music theory. You will also learn the art of cutting songs, presenting sheet music in a professional manner, how to communicate with their musical director and how to deconstruct a song musically.
Year 1 - Term 3 & Year 2 - Term 1 (FHEQ Level 5)
Through Level 5 you will build on the various skills classes you have completed in Level 4. With your understanding of the fundamentals, you will start work on projects that will allow you to put these skills into practice. You will practice applying your skills in a variety of contexts, allowing you deeper understanding of the work you are doing, with a greater emphasis on the critical thinking and creative problem solving you will require as a performer.
Areas of work include:
Acting
- Acting Technique and Integration: You will continue to collect tools for your actors toolkit. You will develop your understanding of human behaviour and how you can utilise your observations to create bold and assertive acting choices. You will also continue to look at a variety of techniques and approaches to acting from eminent practitioners, to help build your language and style within your own work.
- Improvisation: Using improvision as a framework you will develop your actors instincts, and learn to develop your ability to work individually and collaboratively in creative and interesting ways.
- Spoken Voice: You will work on understanding vocal function for spoken voice actors, and learn how to utilise it effectively throughout all of your acting projects. Using a variety of establish vocal techniques, you will look at areas such as: Support, Articulation, Resonance, Release, and Accents.
- Sight-Reading: You will practice the art of sight reading for actors. Using a variety of texts you will learn how to quickly gather the important information you need to deliver text clearly, accurately and effectively. This skill will help you be more effective in a rehearsal room, and give you an edge in auditions where you may be asked to read scripts you've previously never seen.
Singing
- Vocal Technique: You will continue to build the vocal, physical and mental strength, flexibility and stamina. You will apply these techniques to more difficult songs and work on finding consistency with your technique while acting through song.
- 1-to-1 Singing Technique: You will continue to work individually with a singing teacher on a regular basis throughout your training.
- Repertoire: These classes will encourage you to focus your repertoire on what you will be needing to use in professional auditions, with a focus on modern musical theatre styles, various styles of pop and rock music, and work from complex composers such as Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown, and Adam Guettel.
- Vocal Performance and Acting Through Song: Work with Musical, Movement and Acting Directors to develop your individual performance by acting through song, with a focus on professional audition technique for modern musical theatre shows.
- Audition Technique: Continuing to work with Musical Directors, Agents and Casting Directors you will gain greater understanding of the techniques behind successful singing auditions, including how to cut for 32-bar auditions. Audition etiquette will be discussed and practiced.
Dance
- Dance Technique: You will work to consolidate your technique in all areas of dance, with special attention paid to the techniques and skills you will require in specific styles throughout the musical theatre world, and in musical theatre auditions.
- Musical Theatre Routine: You will focus on a wider variety of choreographic styles and genres than previously looked at. There is a focus on accuracy and stylistic integrity through each piece and you will work towards being able to hold your own in a professional audition context with each style.
- Movement Practice/Body Conditioning: You will build your strength, flexibility and stamina by using body conditioning practices which may include: Cardio, Pilates, Yoga and Alexander Technique.
- Swing Project: This project will you how to integrate your Dance Technique with your Singing and Acting skills acquired so far. This project will allow you to build your integrated skills by working with a creative team (Director/Choreographer and Musical Director) who will lead the group in developing approximately 20 minutes of a known musical theatre piece.
Year 2 - Terms 2 & 3 (FHEQ Level 6)
In your second year of training we will continue to consolidate your technique and continue to build on the work completed in Year 1. Your focus will be on developing as a ‘connected’ performer. This means being able to integrate the separate disciplines of Singing, Acting and Dance into one seamless practice in performance. You will identify and work on your own areas of weakness as well as building upon your strengths to solidify your artistry. You will also continue to build on your entrepreneurship and your audition technique and portfolio, you take part in public productions with a view to gaining more exposure to industry professionals such as: Agents, Casting Directors and Artistic Directors, who can further facilitate your development into a career in the industry.
Acting
You will focus on using the techniques you have practiced from Levels 4 and 5 and putting them into various different dramatic situations and contexts required of the modern actor. Using texts from different periods you will look at how to apply your technique efficiently and methodically. You will also learn the connection between the actor and the director in the rehearsal room and how to get the most out of that relationship.
In Year 2, Term 2 - you will perform a whole play or large sections of a play in a performance space with an invited audience.
Throughout the year there will be an expectation of growing independence and autonomy. This will require you to create your own daily practice routines to warm up, exercise, learn and analyse your acting work.
Singing
The focus in Level 6 moves firmly into consistency within the application of technique. You will explore the various styles within Musical Theatre, Pop/Rock and other CCM genres. Using this material you will explore how to use your technique to create accurate, detailed, truthful journeys through the year.You will be required to use all of the acquired skills and knowledge to inform your artistic choices and develop yourself as a rounded and integrated Musical Theatre artist. You will look at your acting techniques and how to best integrate them into your singing at all times and, how to use the approaches you learn in acting to influence the decisions you make regarding resonance, vocal quality, articulation and breath use. Throughout Level 5 there will be an expectation of growing independence and autonomy. This will require you to create your own daily practice routines to warm up, exercise, build on your core technique, improve your sight singing/harmony work and, make creative artistic choices within your own performance and repertoire work.
Dance
Continuing to grow from your development in Levels 4 an 5, the second year is about pushing your personal limits within dance. You will be expected to work faster and more accurately in classes. The details you achieve within various styles of Dance and Movement will be looked at more closely and worked on. You will be required to pick up auditions routines more quickly, allowing you to compete in Musical Theatre auditions on the West End. You will also explore your own body and develop a greater sense of your personal movement identity and what styles suit you and your casting. You will look at how to connect your understanding of Dance to your work in Acting and Singing and how your movement influences your overall performance. Throughout the year there will be an expectation of growing independence and autonomy. This will require you to create your own daily practice routines to warm up, exercise, build on your core technique and understand the wider context of dance within the contexts of their style and application.
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Industry
Industry classes at Associated Studios are given throughout the course of your 2 years study. We are incredibly proud of the strong links we have within the wider theatre industry and through your training you will come into contact with a number of different agents and casting directors, as well as visiting directors, choreographers and musicals directors currently working in the West End and Internationally:
- Casting Workshops: Including sessions with Agents, Casting Directors and Industry experts
- Marketing: Teaching you the skills necessary to become an independent professional performer including: How to write a good industry standard CV, getting your head shots right, writing to agents and understanding theatre terminology.
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Projects
There are many projects throughout the 2 years which aim to build the other tools you will require to succeed in the professional Musical Theatre Industry. Some of these are listed below:
- New Writing: Work with leading contemporary theatre composers on new musicals, as well as work towards writing your own new piece of Musical Theatre.
- Recordings: In your second year you will be given the opportunity to record a professional video voice reel for use for Spotlight, and your own self-promotion.
- Public Production: In your final term you will take part in a full scale musical that will be performed in a professional, central London theatre, after a production period of approximately six weeks. In this time all regular classes will be suspended and replaced by company rehearsals.
- West End Industry Panel Week: Level 6 students culminates in a week of individual student panels for invited Agents and Casting Directors in Central London. Replacing our showcase, this format allows you 1-to-1 time with a large selection of the agents and casting teams who will see you perform solo songs and monologues, with many of our students being offered representation afterwards.
*please note all course content is subject to change.
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