MASTERS IN Musical Theatre
Master in Creative Performance Practice
(Music Theatre)
Overview
Programme Name
Master of Arts in Creative Performance Practice (Music Theatre)
Duration
1 Academic year
Language
English
Programme Leader
Validated by UK University
A new and exciting programme that synergises traditional musical theatre training with entrepreneurship, artistic research and innovation
Programme availability
- Applications open
Start date
Monday 15 September, 2025
The Masters in Creative Performance Practice: Music Theatre specialisation is designed for those who want to further develop their skills as musical theatre performers, but also who are creative and want to develop their own individual artistic voice.
It offers a unique programme that combines academic study with practical training in all areas of performing arts practice.
Quick links:
- Programme Specification
- Download Audition guide
- Current academic calendar
- Academic Calendar 2025/2026
A new and exciting programme that synergises traditional musical theatre training with entrepreneurship, artistic research and innovation
- Applications open
This Performing Arts Master’s degree enables you to develop your creative practice, deepening skills, knowledge and expertise to become an independent creative practitioner.
It offers a unique programme that combines academic study with practical training in all areas of performing arts practice.
Master Name
Master of Arts in Creative Performance Practice (Music Theatre)
Duration
1 academic year
Validated by
Liverpool John Moores University, UK
Start Date
16 September, 2024
Language
English
Programme Leader
Programme Specification
Access through here
Request information about our programme
Our master in musical theatre is part of one of the two specialised pathways that form part of the Master in Creative Performance Practice. The other specialism is Acting. The masters is made up of 120 core credits which are the shared modules. The specialism musical theatre credits are an additional 60 credits and are made up of Creative Lab and Specialists Skills modules.
Skill based and exploratory workshops and lectures centre around devising and creation of solo and group performance projects that reflect the studies of Anthropology and Ethnography; Structuralism and Semiotics; Modernism and Postmodernism; Cultural Studies; Literary Studies; Psychoanalysis; Feminism and Queer Theory; and Post-colonial studies.
This creative and expressive element of study is supported by a series of technical classes that focus on the integration of creativity, spontaneity and interpretation to deliver an embodied, physical performance.
This programme will not only challenge and enhance the individual but develop culturally engaged and refined approaches to practical performance.
Creative performance practiceÂ
Research skills
Performance theory
Arts entrepreneurship
Final project
- Specialist skills: Voice
- Specialist skills: Acting
- Specialist skills: Dance
- Creative lab
This module seeks to develop and refine techniques in Dance, Voice and Acting that underpin all aspects of musical theatre performance. Central to the module is a series of taught technique/in context classes delivered in a Masterclass style with each focused on a particular aspect to enhance the quality of performance within that discipline for example:
- Voice – will focus on the integration of spoken and singing techniques, accent diversity, diction, voice maintenance with individual technical corrections.
- Acting – will focus on engaging with the dynamics and relationships within an ensemble and advanced integration of text, voice, and physicality.
- Dance – will focus on application of stylistic detail and the ability to analyse, interpret, and pick up choreographic ideas from multiple practitioners.
All sessions will have a focus on the integration of creativity, spontaneity, technique, and interpretation to deliver an embodied, physical performance.
The telling of a personal narrative or simple story will be used as material to deconstruct meaning/intention and explore the opportunities to translate different moments in time from spoken description into lyrics, a cast of characters, a dance interlude and to then reconstruct the material as a piece of fully formed musical theatre. The creative decisions will be aligned and referenced to theoretical frameworks/practitioners.
Creative collaborative practice and critical analysis of how research is used in the development of new work and professional standards of performance will form a backdrop to all the learning activities.
How to apply
- 1. Submit your application
- 2. Attend the audition
- 3. Wait for the result
1. Submit your application
To apply for our MA in Creative Performance Practice, you must submit an application and select which audition you would like to attend.
2. Attend the audtition
What does the audition consist of?
Video Submission
Part 1: Depends on specialisation:
- Acting: One monologue + optional monologue in your own language
- Music Theatre: One monologue + one song + 60-second jazz dance piece
Part 2: Creative response to stimuli:
A creative response of about 2 minutes to one of the stimuli listed in the audition guide.
One-to-One Interview
Online interview and discussion with yourself and members of the MA teaching team.
3. Wait for the result
The audition results can take up to 4 weeks to process.
Entry criteria
Successful audition, IELTS 6.5 or equivalent and, a BA (Hons) at 2.2 or above or an equivalent academic award, or, a long-term sustained professional career as a performer or creative practitioner.Â
Find out more about our entry requirements.
The first step would be to submit an application.Â
Note: You don’t need your videos until after you have submitted your application form.
Video Submission
Part 1: Depends on specialisation:
- Acting: One monologue + optional monologue in your own language
- Music Theatre: One monologue + one song + 60-second jazz dance piece
Part 2: Creative response to stimuli:
A creative response about 2 minutes to one of the stimuli listed in the audition guide.
One-to-One Interview
Online interview and discussion with yourself and members of the MA teaching team.
After you have submitted your application and video audition, we will arrange your online interview at a mutually convenient time.Â
Successful audition, IELTS 6.5 or equivalent and, a BA (Hons) at 2.2 or above or an equivalent academic award, or, a long-term sustained professional career as a performer or creative practitioner.Â
Find out more about our entry requirements.
€11,900 tuition fee
With an additional €500 registration fee and €80 health clinic membership.
€16,900 tuition fee
With an additional €500 registration fee and €80 health clinic membership.
Check out our Fees and Scholarship page to find out about everything about our fees, funding and scholarship opportunities.
The Award Certificate and Transcript of Studies are issued by Liverpool John Moores University.
The BA (Hons) Musical Theatre programme is a three-year degree with a focus on training you to become a musical theatre performer.
The Masters programme is a one-year programme with a focus on training performers to develop their own work, as well as further develop their technique in dance, voice and acting. Our expectation is that those applying for the Masters have an interest in the creative aspects of Musical Theatre as well as an artistic will and openness.
The focus on triple threat training means students will enhance their understanding of the creative aspects of the art; learn how to devise, create and produce their own works; and gain experience from multiple productions and stage performances.
The MA is suitable for those seeking a career as a musical theatre performer or creative in the arts.
Yes, at least one a week (except during production weeks and research periods).
75% of the programme will be practical-based teaching.
Yes, but applicants should have a strong interest experience in Musical Theatre or performing arts related field.
It would be helpful for applicants to have an understanding of the techniques in Jazz, specifically.
Students studying Masters are graduates and usually aged in the mid 20s to early 30s.
Given the intensity of the programme, whilst this is possible to work at the weekends, most students will instead choose to find work during the holiday periods instead.
A three-year musical theatre degree is designed for performers who aspire to work internationally.
It’s a two-term (September-March) intensive programme to get you up to speed with the technical elements of musical theatre (dance, singing and acting)
