Musical theater 와 Acting, 둘 중에 어떤 전공을 선택할 지는 학생들이 연기와 노래, 그리고 춤 등에서 어떤 종목을 가장 배우고 싶은 욕망이 강한지, 어떤 학교들의 어떤 프로그램들이 연기를, 노래를, 춤을 강조한 프로그램인가를 먼저 알아야 합니다. 이것은 절대 간단한 문제가 아닙니다.

결과적으로 BA, BM, 또는 BFA 학위가 있다고 하더라도 모든 성공의 결과가 오디션에 달려 있는 업종이며 전공이고, 프로가 되기 위한 경쟁력이 정말로 치열한 만큼, 가능한 어떤 종류의 performance가 됐건 공연의 기회를 많이 가질 수 있는 프로그램을 선택하고 두 전공간의 “gap”을 어떻게 메울 수 있는가가 중요하다고 할 수 있습니다.

Carnegie Mellon drama website 처럼 “Musical Theater 전공은 Acting 전공과 같은 track이지만 music과 dance에 더욱 치중한 수업을 한다” 라고 명시되어 있으면 좋겠지만, 각 학교들의 MT 프로그램은 acting과 voice, 그리고 dance간의 balance가 제법 다양합니다. 그러므로 어떤 학교의 프로그램을 살펴볼 때 특정 curriculum을 정말로 자세히 살펴 보아야만 그 프로그램이 나에게 적합한 프로그램인지를 알 수가 있습니다.

참고로, 가장 일반적인 MT 전공 class와 Acting 전공 class을 비교해 보겠습니다.

FRESHMAN YEAR:

MT - Alexander Technique, Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Private Voice Lesson, Piano, Music Theory, Voice for Musical Theater (Acting the song)
ACTING - Linklater Technique, Stage Combat, Movement, Masque
CROSSOVER - Costume & Property Technology, Survey of Theater Arts, Script Analysis, Acting Studio (Preliminary studio to break habits, introduce you to objectives, opening up, etc.), Scene & Lighting Technology

SOPHOMORE YEAR:

MT - Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Music Theory, Piano, Musical Theater History, Foundations of Singing-Acting (SAVI Technique), Private Voice Lesson
ACTING - Voice Lab, Movement, Theater History, Advanced Combat (an elective most acting majors take)
CROSSOVER - Meisner Technique, Voice and Speech (Learning General American Dialect and the International Phonetic Alphabet)

JUNIOR YEAR:

MT - Jazz, Ballet, Partnering, Musical Theater Repertory (The scene study of songs/scenes), Musical Theater Dance Repertory (Dancing while singing), Junior Voice for Musical Theater (Song Styles), Private Voice Lesson
ACTING - Dialects (now just a semester), Voice and Speech (the class that has replaced the second semester of Dialects that will be new this coming semester), Laban Technique, Audition Techniques (this is currently in the position for senior year acting majors, but will move into this position next year for juniors, switching place with Acting on Camera, so juniors and seniors will take it simultaneously)
CROSSOVER - Junior Studio (Introduction to Actions and Scoring a script), Viewpoints Technique

SENIOR YEAR:

MT - Cabaret/Audition (Voice for Musical Theater), Movement Credit (take whichever dance classes you want, as long as they equal one credit), Private Voice Lesson
ACTING - Movement (not sure what the subtitle of this class is), Acting on Camera (currently in position of junior year, but will be in the senior year position next year)
CROSSOVER - Greek Drama, Shakespearean Drama, Business of Theater

학부에서 (이 전공은 당근, 학부가 절대적으로 우선합니다) Musical Theater 전공으로 유명한 학교들입니다.

Boston Conservatory (MA)

This conservatory program offers students the chance to earn a BFA, which requires 38 credit hours of music and musical theater in addition to dance, acting and general education. After the second year of study, students are required to be evaluated by the faculty on artistic development and are either promoted to advance study or face dismissal from the program. This helps to ensure the best experience for the serious student as well as to demonstrate a focus on artistic preparedness. The Boston Conservatory also offers a Masters of Music in Musical Theatre, a two-year program focusing on musical theater performance.

http://www.bostonconservatory.edu/  

Carnegie Mellon University (PA)

Undergraduates are rigorously trained in the vital areas need for musical theater performance. Opportunities exist to study cabaret, musical comedy and the classic musical. Individual singing lessons are offered to students, providing one-on-one attention that is crucial for vocal development. This school offers graduating seniors the opportunity to perform in front of New York and Los Angeles casting agents and directors.

http://www.drama.cmu.edu/13

Elon University (NC)

Numerous musical theater classes are offered at this university in North Carolina, with 68 credit hours in musical theater/theater, in addition to general classes, required to graduate. The school boasts several successful graduates and a professional faculty.

http://www.elon.edu/e-web/academics/elon_college/performing_arts/music_maj.xhtml

NYU, Tisch School of the Arts (NY)

NYU offers a unique program. Upon acceptance into the drama school, students are placed by the drama department into a particular studio. These top-notch studios include the Stella Adler School of acting, the Meisner studio and the New Studio on Broadway: Music Theatre and Acting. As the choice of studio lies within the faculty and not the student, those students who are not willing to risk placement in an alternative acting studio may not find this school suitable for them. However, your primary placement is into one studio, and after two years, you are able to choose to remain in your primary studio or to pursue training in another studio. The Tisch school offers over 200 performance opportunities, has produced countless professional actors and thoroughly prepares the student studying classical training as well as giving opportunities for experimental work. Besides these undergraduate degrees, the school also offers a graduate program in Musical Theatre Writing.

http://drama.tisch.nyu.edu/object/dr_newstudio_musictheatre.html

Penn State School of Theatre (PA)

Offering a BFA in Musical Theatre as well as an MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) in Musical Theatre Directing, Penn State's School of the Arts train undergrads in acting, dance, music, musical theater and general education and allows undergraduate and graduates to work collaboratively with one another. Two full-length musicals are created each year, plus opportunities for musical revues, cabaret and new works readings and productions. Penn State offers generous talent-based scholarships for musical theater students and the chance, in advanced years, to audition for professional theaters. The MFA program, a three-year study, combines the art of directing with the art of musical theater in this unique opportunity. Students work on no less than five productions, including fully mounting their thesis production.

http://theatre.psu.edu/programs/mt

University of Arizona (AZ)

While many main stage productions are reserved upper class students, the University of Arizona offers a musical revue production specifically for incoming freshmen. Graduating seniors have an opportunity to perform for industry casting directors and other professionals. This university offers training through the Arizona Repertory Theatre and three touring ensembles, and reaches an audience of approximately 28,000 annually.

http://tftv.arizona.edu/students/areas_of_study/acting_musical_theatre/bfa_musical_theatre

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (OH)

This university's musical theater program has been in existence since the 1970s. Many successful alumni have graduated from this program and have had starring roles in major Broadway productions. The program is rigorous, preparing the theater student for the life of a true professional. Four performance spaces are available to the students. Class sizes are small and individualized attention is a priority.

http://ccm.uc.edu/theatre/musical_theatre.html

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (MI)

U of M performing arts are combined under their School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, creating an environment that helps the musical theater artist become a triple threat. Courses are offered not only in these three separate area but the disciplines are combined in Musical Theatre classes such as Musical Theatre Performance and History of the American Musical Theatre. The program offers a Bachelors of Fine Arts, the degree that many masters programs, conservatories and hiring theaters want a candidate to have. The school has several performance spaces, and there are opportunities to do classical work as well as contemporary and experimental works. Many alumni of this school have gone on to be working actors on Broadway and throughout the U.S.

http://www.music.umich.edu/departments/mustheatre/index.php

University of Oklahoma's Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre (OK)

OU caps their musical theater enrollment to only 50 students to ensure that the professional faculty can give students personal attention and help them to achieve their individual goals. Students will be trained in acting, music, dance and musical theater. The curriculum offers an intense challenge to serious students, requiring at least 10 hours of degree focused study each semester. OU provides eight performance spaces to offer the experience of performing in different environments.

http://musicaltheatre.ou.edu/

University of Texas at Austin (TX)

This school environment is perfect for the contemporary students who wish to pursue experimental works and embark on new creative and artistic discoveries. Situated in the city of Austin, well known for its artistic edge, UT's already well-rounded theater program offers a Musical Theatre Initiative. Students, who are pursuing a range of concentrations, including acting, playwriting, directing and stage managing, all collaborate on the development of musical theater productions. Classes are tailored to each individual student's focus, giving them a unique perspective on the creation of a musical show that best suits his or her interests.