ACTING & FILM SCHOOL

The New York Film Academy's One-Year Musical Theatre Program has been designed with the same focus and intensity of our world-renowned Acting for Film Program. Students interested in performing musical theatre will be able to study the various aspects of musical theatre craft to hone and perfect their skills with a seasoned Broadway level faculty. The program is designed for individuals with singing and movement abilities who may or may not have prior experience on a musical theatre stage. The first semester will lay the foundation for more advanced and complicated work in the second semester.

Musical theatre actors must be able to effectively interpret scripts and songs while also being well versed in a variety of dance styles. Additionally, they must be able to present themselves professionally in auditions. The following courses allow students to explore the integral skills required for success in this field, to understand professional ethics and to prepare themselves for the rigorous physical and emotional demands of a musical theatre career.

MUSICAL THEATRE CLASSES

SEMESTER ONE CLASSES:
• Acting Technique
• Scene Study
• Theatre Dance (Ballet)
• Theatre Dance (Jazz)
• Music Theory & Sight Singing
• History of Musical Theatre
• Vocal Production
• Song Interpretation
• Private Voice Instruction
• Performance Lab & Showcase

SEMESTER TWO CLASSES:
• Acting Technique
• Scene Study
• Theatre Dance (Ballet & Modern)
• Theatre Dance (Jazz & Tap)
• Text Analysis
• Shakespeare
• Technical Production
• Improvisation
• Private Voice Instruction
• Performance Lab & Showcase

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

All applicants must prepare a 2-minute monologue and 32-bar song. Please bring your own sheet music, in your key, marked with your 32 bars. When choosing audition materials, it is important to choose roles that are age and type appropriate. It is also important to read the entire play or screenplay prior to your audition. Applications should be turned in prior to your audition in order to schedule your audition. Admissions Representatives will contact you shortly after your audition with an admissions decision. Please click here to see our audition dates and locations. However, applicants may also make an appointment for a specific audition time at our New York or Los Angeles campus.

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

ACTING TECHNIQUE
Students will learn The Meisner Technique, an actor training technique developed by Sanford Meisner, one of the founding members of the instrumental Group Theater, is geared towards honing the actor in on listening and responding truthfully to themselves and scene partners. The first semester begins with improvisational exercises, where the actor's attention is engaged entirely with his or her partner's simple, real behavior, as opposed to character interpretation, script analysis, or direction. Once this foundation has been laid, the students apply this technique to scripted text. The second semester is devoted to developing each student's ability to act and react truthfully in an imaginary circumstance, in both scene work and advanced improvisation. A presentation of scene work is presented for an invited audience.

SCENE STUDY
Working on scenes from published musical scripts, plays, and screenplays allows actors to learn all of the basic concepts of approaching a scene: defining objectives; breaking the scene down into beats; understanding the arc; pursuing your objective; playing actions; and working to overcome obstacles. Once the foundation is in place, longer dramatic or comedic scenes are explored. In both semesters, this class culminates in a live showcase performance of scene work.

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