About the Program
Building upon a foundation in music, theatre, and dance performance, our B.A. in Music with a Concentration in Musical Theatre students are also trained in various areas of production and design. You will be taught by, and work alongside, seasoned professionals who have decades of experience on and off Broadway.
Monmouth is 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.”
Core Courses
- Acting I
- Acting for Television
- Choreography
- Introduction to Theatre Production and Design
Student Outcomes
Led by experienced faculty members and industry professionals, students in this department are well trained to become accomplished musicians, actors, managers, producers, agents, promoters, and entertainment executives.
Undergraduate Research & Internships
Theatre students can hone their performance abilities by participating in MU Players (link: https://www.monmouth.edu/mca/mu-players/), Monmouth’s student-run theatre organization. MU Players allows students to gain experience in every level of production, including their own fully-staged musicals. Students assume all leadership responsibilities, from the securing of rights and budgeting to performance, direction, musical direction, design, and choreography. The organization produces several events each year, including Cabaret For A Cause, which raises thousands of dollars annually for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Additionally, you will participate in 3-credit internships (TH389) that provide valuable real-world experience in the theatre industry. 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.
Joe Rapolla
Chair;
Specialist Professor