THE ROLE OF A MUSICAL THEATRE

PERFORMERBY ELLA BROWN

WHAT TYPES OF ROLES ARE THERE? There are many roles and responsibilities that musical theatre performers haveFor example:

LEAD ROLES UNDERSTUDYENSEMBLE

WHO DO MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMERS WORK WITH?

Directors Choreographers Stage Managers Voice coachesMake up, Hair and

Costume

ACTING/ DANCE/ SINGING SKILLS

Drama Dance SingingCharacterisation Physical characterisation

and expressioncharacterisation

Memorising lines Use of space articulation

Pace, energy, dynamics Timing timing

Body language Bodily expression Breath control

Facial expression Facial expression Use of pause

gesture Stylistic quality of movement

pitch

projection projection Projection

SKILLS AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR A MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMER

Good stage and vocal presence. projection

Playing a character and engaging with an audience. Memorising lines

Good understanding of dramatic techniques. confidence, energy and commitment.

S elf-discipline and stamina in able to cope with long hours Instructions and criticism

Reliability

Job seeking

and networking

Auditions

Research and activities

A MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMERS CV

Awards: WINNER - ‘BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL’ OLIVIER AWARD 2015 FOR ‘BEAUTIFUL - THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL’

NOMINATED FOR WHAT’S ON STAGE AWARD – BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Musical Theatre Performances she has been in:- BEAUTIFUL - THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL- MAMMA MIA! - [West End]- MAMMA MIA! - [International Tour]- COMPANY MUSICAL-

CV can include: • Skills • Where he/she trained• What he/she has been in • Any awards?

Katie Brayben- Skills she developed to become a professional musical theatre performer. - Learned: Piano, guitar, celo and

percussion. - Improved singing skills- mezzo

soprano singer. - Actors techniques: got involved in

workshops

EMPLOYMENT Typical career routes • Start their careers in theatre Acting roles on stage – director-producer-writer-choreographer etc.…

• After performing for musical theatre performances you could start a career as a director/choreographer for musicals.

ADVANTAGE:they tend to have a bigger cast so it makes it slightly easier to get a part in a performance and contracts may last longer than a normal performance.  

DISADVANTAGE:No guarantees of work or work progression for Actors.

Equity minimum for an actor is usually £380 per week

Performing in big theatres such as The Royal National Theatre -£1000 per week.

Performers can earn up to £50,000 a year.

LIFE FOR A PERFORMER There are many questions you may want to ask a musical theatre performer about their lifestyle such as…

How do they keep a healthy lifestyle?FOR A HEALTHY VOICE

• Vocal Warm ups.

WHILST SINGING YOU SHOULD: • Stand tall to increase breath support and in able to project your voice

 TO PREVENT PROBLEMS YOU SHOULD AVOID • Smoking• Excessive consumption of alcohol, caffeinated tea, coffee, fizzy drinks • Talking above background noise or yelling in excitement  WHAT CAN YOU DO IF THERE IS A PROBEM?• Voice rest • Body rest • Hydrate

 

LONG HOURS

TRAINING ROUTES PROFESSIONAL PERFORMERS HAVE HAD TRAINING EITHER AT COLLEGE, DRAMA OR DANCE SCHOOLS OR AT UNIVERSITY. 

TRAINING ROUTE 1• Midlands Academy Of Dance & Drama is based in Nottingham, England.

Audition Requirements- Applicants for the 3 year Musical Theatre Diploma• A Musical Theatre Song • A Monologue – From a published Play or an Audition Monologue Book• A Dance solo of any style, maximum 2 minutes

The audition requirements are the same for the one year foundation course and the one year Post graduate course.

Minimum age: 16

-One year post graduate musical theatre diploma course-One Year Foundation Musical Theatre Diploma course-Three Year Professional Musical Theatre Diploma Course

3 courses

TRAINING ROUTE 2MOUNTVIEW ACADEMY OF THEATRE ARTS

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS - UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

• Five GCSE passes, including two at A-Level

• BTEC National or Higher National Certificate or

Diploma with merit grades

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS - POSTGRADUATE COURSES

• Two contrasting songs from musical theatre.

• One Shakespeare monologue• One monologue from a modern

play.

COMPARISON OF TRAINING ROUTES

Dance Based Drama Based

Fees: One Year Post Graduate Musical Theatre Diploma Course- £9200.00

One Year Foundation Musical Theatre Diploma Course- £4000.00

Three Year Professional Musical Theatre Diploma Course-£9200.00 per year

Fees:Musical Theatre courses- £9,750-£19,500

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING Are you ready to become a musical theatre performer?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• HTTPS://WWW.PROSPECTS.AC.UK/JOB-PROFILES/ACTOR