The Arden School of Theatre

Musical Theatre

BA (Hons)
Leaflet Code: HA0045


Overview

Are you looking for the ideal creative environment to develop your full potential as a musical theatre professional?
The Arden School of Theatre offers tuition from an international faculty of industry professionals. Develop your potential for excellence as a triple threat over our three year musical theatre degree, targeting the needs of the industry and mastering the three main skills: acting, singing and dancing.
As a part of Manchester College, The Arden enjoys the benefits and reputation of an established HE institution of learning and student support structure.

Manchester enjoys an impressive international theatre scene with an ever-increasing amount of northern-based theatre and TV agents with Media City on the doorstep. There are also many museums and libraries, an impressive Manchester shopping experience and a diverse, multicultural nightlife. Your new life adventure begins at The Arden!

  • City Campus Manchester
  • Full Time
  • 3 years
  • September 2024

Awarding Partner:

Sheffield Hallam University

Robert Purvis: MD: Robert has worked as a Musical Director on many West End shows and is an internationally renowned conductor and composer.
Marie Mair: Acting Tutor – Marie’s TV credits include Line of Duty, Moving On, In The Flesh, The Casual Vacancy, South Riding, The Street, Ripper Street, Wallander, and Coronation Street. Film credits include The Last Hangman.
Leonie Alcock: Dance Tutor – Leonie is a well-respected dance teacher who also regularly teaches at Northern Ballet, Centre Pointe and other dance schools across the North West.
Will Nelson: Context Lecturer/Director- Will is a researcher and lecturer in historical and contemporary performance practices and professionally has worked extensively with the International Theatre Institute and The Other National Theatre.
Gavin Bailey: Singing Tutor/MD –Gavin has sung regularly for many UK opera companies including Opera North, Welsh National Opera, English Touring Opera. Recent roles include Husband/Doctor in the world premiere of Room of Worlds and Pontius Pilate for Streetwise Opera (BBC4).
Graham Lappin: singing Tutor- As well as a successful acting career in the performing arts (Elf, Legally Blonde, Jesus Christ Superstar) Graham now writes musicals alongside his teaching career.
Pippa Goss : Singing Tutor- Pippa is a classical soprano (opera, choral, recording work for film & radio). Pippa is an Accredited Vocal Process singing teacher.
Natalie Maloney: Dance tutor: Natalie trained at The Hammond School, Chester, where she was awarded a Trinity Professional Diploma and the award for outstanding choreography. After graduating, she was immediately offered a positions as a professional dancer for Princesscruise-lines, who she collaborated with over the next five years. Alongside returning back home to Manchester and working as a freelance dancer, Natalie knew her heart belonged within teaching.


• 96 UCAS tariff points

• We strongly recommend that all applicants have GCSE English Language and Mathematics grades A*-C or level 9-4.

• Full level 3 qualification.

• If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent.

In order to assess your potential as a performer all applicants at The Arden are required to audition. Each course has its own unique way of auditioning in order to ensure we see your full potential. For a more detailed overview of our audition processes on our programmes please click here. <a href='https://thearden.ucenmanchester.ac.uk/about/auditioning/'>Click Here</a>

UCEN Manchester is unable to consider international applications due to UKVI regulations.


Year 1: Acting Methodologies (20 credits)
Acting Methodologies (20 credits) This module is intended to introduce techniques and skills for the development of an acting process. Students will largely work through the methodology of Stanislavsky but they will also be introduced to other practitioners such as Laban and Meisner.&#x0D;
Voice and Movement will be explored in order to foster a holistic approach that promotes attention to the psychological and physical demands of acting.&#x0D;
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Year 1: Acting Through Song (20 credits)
Acting Through Song (20 credits)&#x0D;
The modules aims to further develop and strengthen subject knowledge and provide a process for revealing the dramatic shape of a song. Intensify the characters needs and establishing character relationships and develop and use objectives as part of the through line of the narrative.&#x0D;

Year 1: Dance Techniques into Performance (20 credits)
Dance Techniques into Performance (20 credits)&#x0D;
The module aims to introduce and develop a range of dance techniques and skills that students will need in order to work in musical theatre. Develop their fundamental skills including; posture, alignment, core stability, musicality and movement memory.&#x0D;

Year 1: Ensemble and Solo Singing Techniques (20 credits)
Ensemble and Solo Singing Techniques (20 credits)&#x0D;
The module aims to introduce students to the key components that underpin vocal technique. Develop an appreciation of vocal and instrumental composition individually and as part of an ensemble&#x0D;
Introduce the principals of general musicianship through music theory and sight singing.&#x0D;
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Year 1: Musical Theatre: Context &amp; Guidance (20 credits)
Musical Theatre: Context &amp; Guidance (20 credits)&#x0D;
The module aims to further develop and strengthen subject knowledge and encourage students to identify and examine their own practice in the wider context of the history of musical theatre.&#x0D;

Year 1: The Epic and Heightened Form (20 credits)
The Epic and Heightened Form (20 credits)&#x0D;
This module aims to provide a process for revealing the dramatic shape of a song, intensifying the characters needs and establishing character relationships and objectives as part of the through line of the narrative.

The course is practical with the typical module broken down into 80% practical and 20% written. This may include:
• Written evaluations
• Professional discussions
• WordPress Blogs
Alongside the practical work, you will study context and guidance which prepares you academically for a final research project at Level 6.

There are two main costs you will have whilst studying and if you are a home student studying on a full-time course, you can apply for student finance to cover both of these:
• Your tuition fees for each year of your course.
• Help with your living costs e.g. rent, food, clothing, course materials, entertainment.
You can find more details, including the actual tuition fee charged on our Fees, Funding and Finance Page.

Learn more

All of the books required for the course are available from the library. However, many students choose to buy some of the core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop. Students may also need to print their assignments and other documents. Campus printing costs start from 5p per page.
Estimated costs are £300 for a laptop up to £100 each year for books and printing.
Dancewear (depending on existing kit) approx. £120
Travel/Accommodation contribution for 3rd Year London Showcase: Approx £75

All students are subject to UCEN Manchester’s Terms and Conditions from the date they accept an offer to study here, full details of which can be found here. The UCEN Manchester Admissions Policy and Procedure can be found here.