Multifaceted Training in a Professional Setting
Building upon a foundation in music, theatre, and dance performance, our Musical Theatre students are also trained in various areas of production and design. They work alongside Broadway professionals to gain not only comprehensive training, but also points toward membership in Actors’ Equity Association.
Shadow Lawn Stage and the Equity Membership Candidate Program
We have the only program of its kind that teaches its students all aspects of Equity production, including in depth study of multiple Actors’ Equity Association contracts. In addition to our unique Equity classes, the Monmouth University campus is also home to Shadow Lawn Stage, an Equity regional theatre which over the years has featured such talent as Bryan Cranston, Reagan Richards, Bill Timoney, and David Hedison.
Our Shadow Lawn Stage productions provide students not only the opportunity to work alongside theatrical professionals, but also the ability to join the Equity Membership Candidate program, an opportunity that is rare at the undergraduate level. In recent years, our students have used their EMC cards to secure auditions for the Broadway productions of Next to Normal and Aladdin.
Student Produced Theatre
MU Players is Monmouth’s student run theatre organization. Winner of both Organization of the Year and Event of the Year, MU Players allows students to gain experience in every level of production, including their own fully-staged musicals. Students assume all leadership responsibilities, from securing of rights and budgeting to performance, direction, musical direction, design, and choreography. They produce several events each year, including Cabaret For A Cause, which raises thousands of dollars annually for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Taught by Broadway Professionals
Students are taught by, and work alongside, seasoned professionals. Our theatre faculty and Shadow Lawn Stage staff have decades of experience on- and off-Broadway, in addition to multiple regional and touring productions. We have lived what we teach, so we understand the reality of being a working artist, and what it truly takes to succeed in this industry.
Real-World, Hands-On Experience
Because the University is only an hour from New York City and Philadelphia, and in the heart of the Jersey Shore arts scene, students can pursue a variety of experiential opportunities, ranging from participation in the Broadway Flea Market to the Two River Theatre Ambassador Program.
As part of Monmouth’s commitment to experiential education, students also participate in 3-credit internships (TH389) that provide them with valuable experience in the theatre industry.