Musical Theatre - The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland · and musical directing experience in musical theatre ... successful Masters in Musical Theatre (Performance and Musical Directing)

Musical TheatreBeginners | Intermediate | Advanced

Summer Schools 2012COURSE INFORMATION

The possibilities for developing your musical theatre skills and techniques as well as your identity as a contemporary musical theatre performer are wide and various at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The one thing that unites every element of our musical theatre work is the highest quality learning and teaching provided by renowned industry-connected practitioners. The training pathway is clearly articulated and paved along the way with intensive and challenging short courses that are accessible to and designed for performers at beginners, intermediate or advanced stages by the teaching artists and guest teachers at the Royal Conservatoire.

Our Learning and Teaching The musical theatre staff who design, support and deliver the three musical theatre summer schools offer a wealth of professional experience and in all areas of the creative education and performing arts. This breadth of experience in performance includes in London’s West End, in regional theatre as well as in film and TV. In addition, the team has directing and musical directing experience in musical theatre settings right across the UK, Europe and in the US.

This constant connection within an ever-changing and growing national and international industry is a significant attribute in maintaining the contemporary relevance of our learning and teaching at the Royal Conservatoire. The team demonstrates a specific commitment to developing and nurturing excellence within a Conservatoire environment and provides a platform for student growth and enhancement at the highest level. Their special interest in developing new writing work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, alongside Scotland’s leading regional theatres as well as the National Theatre of Scotland makes our musical theatre relationships current and strong. The department continually strives to provide a collaborative training experience for all levels of creative expression and offers an array of training possibilities throughout the year. They invest in opportunities through summer school training, professional development activity, specialist short study classes for adults as well as the highly successful Masters in Musical Theatre (Performance and Musical Directing) programme and the brand new BA in Musical Theatre programme.

Summer School Characteristics Beginner The beginners summer school is entirely skills-based. It is open access in format, fun, sociable though challenging. The week concludes with an open rehearsal that takes the form of an acting through song integration class. Every student has the opportunity to perform in front of their peer group and then as part of a presentation for an invited audience of family and friends. The students will also present one ensemble number developed throughout the week. This will be fully staged and act as the culmination of the summer school week. Intermediate The intermediate summer school is almost identical in structure to the advanced summer school with skills-based classes every morning and project work each afternoon. The intensive short course will culminate with a short musical theatre revue, allowing the students the opportunity to share a variety of songs, dance numbers and scenes loosely linked together within a basic framework. The revue will be devised by the students in collaboration with the teaching team. Advanced The advanced summer school culminates in a musical theatre showcase. This will be almost identical in ethos to the intermediate summer school revue however it is expected to be more cohesive as a piece, developed at a higher level in collaboration with the student performers, more polished as a result of the additional week of participation and demonstrating a greater variety of style and material.

Venue, Date and CostRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland 100 Renfrew StreetGlasgow G2 3DB

Beginner 16 - 21 July (6 days)£495

Intermediate 16 - 27 July (10 days)£850

Advanced Due to run in summer 2013. Please contact us to express interest in this course for next year.

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Beginners

Course AimsThis six-day course has been specifically designed for anyone with a basic interest in musical theatre and who wishes to engage with the style of learning and teaching available at the Royal Conservatoire. This intensive short course is suitable for you if you have an interest in enhancing your existing skills while developing new ones in a supportive yet challenging way. This is an open access opportunity, where students will be aged 17 and above and committed to exploring this multi-disciplinary genre and demonstrating a willingness to engage in a creative learning process that will be both an individual and ensemble journey. By the end of this intensive short course students should have:

• engaged with and contributed to the creative process through a range of practical workshops designed to develop core skills in acting, singing and dance• begun to develop a range of specific technical skills required for successful musical theatre performance• engaged with a wide range of musical theatre material and developed personal interpretation skills• had the opportunity to work with industry specialists who have experience in the field of professional musical theatre

Course ContentThis intensive short course is dedicated to the development of foundation skills in a fun yet practical way. The beginners summer school is designed for those with little or no experience in musical theatre but looking to gain technical skills in all aspects of performance. Students will be introduced to the basics of musicality, singing, dancing and acting technique. As the week progresses students will be encouraged to integrate these core disciplines through workshops in acting through song, character development, dance and movement, singing and stylistic choice. The week will culminate in an informal sharing of work created during the summer to an invited audience of friends and family. This will give students the opportunity to put into performance practice the developmental work that has taken place within the classroom during the summer school week.

Course Structure Intensive full-day sessions will be focussed through skills-based workshops covering all core musical theatre disciplines; singing, acting and dance.

Classes will focus on the following areas and subject specific strands: 1. SINGING• Ensemble Singing - basic harmony work and the development of the performer and musical director relationship.• Singing Technique – foundation work with complex vocal models exploring the practical application of these techniques and how they enhance vocal performance.• Repertoire Class – Looking beyond the West End and exploring the stylistically diverse world of contemporary musical theatre and relevant material. 2. CHOREOGRAPHY• Movement – the development of basic dance and movement skills within a musical theatre context. 3. ACTING• Improvisation – the development of imagination, flexibility and collaborative skills.• Introduction to realistic acting for stage.• Monologues – analysis of text and character.• Scene work – working with ensemble partners and exploring relationships. 4. INTEGRATION• Acting through Song – exploring new and existing repertoire in a performance context.

Student Selection The beginners summer school is open access in format and therefore we welcome all-comers to work with us on this learning and teaching programme.

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Student PreparationBefore you attend: In preparation for the beginners summer schools students are be required to bring: • One musical theatre song to develop during the week. Please ensure that you are familiar with the material both musically and lyrically• An audio recording device• Notepad and pencil

While you are here: Please note that students should also ensure that they are dressed appropriately in loose clothing and comfortable shoes (trainers or jazz shoes). It is further advised that all students should bring water as activities move at an energetic and physical pace and therefore staying hydrated is vital.

Beginners continued

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Intermediate

Course AimsThis two-week intensive summer school has been specifically designed for people with an interest in developing their existing skills in musical theatre. To get the most from this experience prior experience in performing is desirable and students are expected to have some knowledge of basic stagecraft and feel that further skills training is necessary to perform at the next level or pursue a pathway to further education. Applicants must be 17 and above, committed to the exploration of this multi-disciplinary genre while demonstrating a willingness to engage in this demanding creative learning environment. By the end of this course students should have: • engaged and contributed to the creative process in a range of workshops designed to further develop existing core skills in acting, singing and dance• further developed a range of specific technical skills as required for musical theatre performance• engaged with a wide range of musical theatre material and further developed the integration skills required for progression into further training• had the opportunity to work with industry specialists who have experience in the field of professional musical theatre

Course ContentThis intensive short course is dedicated to the further development of skills in a practical learning environment. The intermediate summer school is designed for those with some experience in musical theatre but looking to gain and further their technical skills in all aspects of performance. Intermediate level summer school will encourage you to develop your integration of performance skills through a series of practical workshops including acting through song and choreography. Specialist tutors will assist you in the development of a range of technical skills including character development, singing technique and choreography. The intensive two-week course will culminate in an informal sharing in the style of a musical theatre revue. This performance event will include ensemble as well as solo singing, scene work and appropriate choreography as has been devised and developed throughout the summer school experience.

Course StructureWeek One

Intensive full-day sessions will be focussed through skills-based workshops, covering all core musical theatre disciplines; singing, acting and dance.

Classes will focus on the following areas and subject specific strands:

1. SINGING• Ensemble Singing – the complexities of harmony, the singer/musical director relationship and technique integration. • Singing Technique – the development of solo singing and the exploration of complex vocal models and the practical application of these techniques and how they enhance vocal performance. • Repertoire Class – engaging with a variety of musical theatre styles and genres and reflecting on voice quality shifts to meet emotional and stylistic demands. 2. CHOREOGRAPHY • Jazz Class – the development and enhancement of existing dance skills. 3. ACTING • Monologues – analysis of text and character definition. • Scene work – working with ensemble partners and character/relationship expression. • Improvisation Class – the development of imagination, flexibility and the practical understanding of circumstances through the pursuit of objectives. 4. INTEGRATION• Acting through Song – exploring existing and new repertoire in a performance context.• Scene into Song• Full Ensemble – music, text and character integration. Week Two

Morning sessions will continue to focus on skills-based training as indicated previously with a stronger focus on the integration of core disciplines. Each afternoon students will focus on project development culminating in a sharing of work in the form of a musical theatre revue.

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Student Selection

In order for us to assess whether this course is at the appropriate level of training for each applicant, we ask that you submit a DVD/You Tube link which contains a performance of one song (from musical theatre repertoire only) and one contemporary monologue along with your application form.

Shortly after receiving your application form and recording, we will contact you to confirm whether our Musical Theatre faculty staff feel the course is appropriate for your level of experience.

Intermediate continued

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Student Preparation

In preparation for the commencement of the intermediate summer school students will be required to bring • Two musical theatre songs to develop during the weeks. Please ensure that you are familiar with the material both musically and lyrically• An audio recording device• Notepad and pencil

Please note that students should also ensure that they are dressed appropriately in loose clothing and comfortable shoes (trainers or jazz shoes). It is further advised that all students should bring water as activities move at an energetic and physical pace therefore staying hydrated is vital.

Advanced

Course AimsThis three week intensive course has been specifically designed for people with an existing knowledge of musical theatre training and who are looking to enhance skills in the core disciplines of singing acting and dance in line with the learning and teaching offered by the Royal Conservatoire. Prior experience in performing is essential to benefit most for this intensive summer school. Students should have an advanced knowledge in at least two of the skill strands required for work in this multi-disciplinary environment. Prospective students must be aged 17 or above. Participants must further demonstrate a discipline and desire to engage at a high level within a demanding creative learning environment. This advanced summer school will be useful for anyone wishing to perform at the next level and/or pursue a pathway to further training. It may also be useful to existing professionals wishing to hone specific skills or explore new ways of working as a professional development activity. By the end of this course students should have: • extended and enhanced a range of specific technical skills as required for musical theatre performance• discovered and developed appropriate repertoire specific to their current skill base• engaged and contributed to the creative process in a range of workshops designed to further develop core skills in acting, singing and dance• engaged with a wide range of musical theatre material and further developed the ability to integrate both technique and imagination in performance• had the opportunity to work with industry specialists and Royal Conservatoire teachers and guest artist who have significant experience in the field of professional musical theatre• developed a short showcase of material, rehearsed to a high standard in preparation for an informal sharing of work

Course ContentThis intensive short course is dedicated to developing and extending the performers skills in preparation for the rigors and demands of further musical theatre training. Potential students must demonstrate the desire and discipline to develop their performance skills while retaining an openness and willingness to engage in this collaborative and challenging learning environment.

The advanced level summer school will encourage you to critically examine your integration of performance skills through a series of practical workshops including acting through song and choreography. You will explore how to best select appropriate songs and acting monologues that are suited to your strengths and individuality as a performer while developing these alongside specialist tutors in a supportive and collaborative environment. With input from Royal Conservatoire teaching team and industry professionals you will have the opportunity to develop and explore your acting, singing and dance techniques, the culmination of which will be in a devised showcase of material including scene work, solo and ensemble singing and choreography. Skills-based classes will occur each morning with project work and showcase rehearsal every afternoon. Please note that although tutors provide specialist tuition and advice there is a significant element of self-directed study and autonomous learning expected as part of the summer school. Prospective students must therefore demonstrate a high level of consistent commitment to the process and needs of the group.

Course Structure

Week One and Two Morning sessions will focus on skills-based workshops, covering all core musical theatre disciplines including singing class, choreography class, acting class and integration class. Each afternoon students will focus on project development i.e. intermediate students their revue and advanced students their showcase. The four core morning classes will be attended as subject strands: 1. SINGING• Ensemble Singing – the complexities of harmony, singer/musical director relationship and technique integration - these classes will also feed into afternoon project work. • Singing Technique – this will include vocal anatomy workshop and the practical application of sound production in groups.• Repertoire Class – engaging with a variety of musical theatre styles and genres and reflecting on voice quality shifts – this would also link in with integration class.

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Advanced continued

2. CHOREOGRAPHY• Jazz Class • Ensemble Production - developments to feed into project work. 3. ACTING• Monologues – analysis of text and character definition. • Scene work – working with ensemble partners and character/relationship expression. • Improvisation Class – the development of imagination, flexibility and the practical understanding of circumstances through the pursuit of objectives. 4. INTEGRATION• Acting through Song • Scene into Song • Full Ensemble - work linking into ensemble singing and project developments. Week Three Monday of the final week of summer school will be dedicated to mock auditions. This will be an open session, providing the opportunity to explore and examine performance through tutor-led peer assessment.

From Tuesday through to the Saturday performance, full-time rehearsals will commence with a focus on devising and developing a suitable showcase of material.

Student Selection

Entry to this advanced summer school is by audition only. Prospective students will be required to attend a Skills Workshop Day prior to the commencement of the course. Students will have the opportunity to work with leading practitioners focussing on the disciplines of acting, singing and movement. On completion students will be advised on appropriate course level suitable for their current training needs, this advice will take one of the following two forms: • You will be invited to attend the advanced summer school• You will be offered a place on the intermediate summer school

Please note that in advance of this Skills Workshop Day, students should also make themselves familiar with the course outline for intermediate summer school.

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Your Teaching Team

Course Leader

Andrew PantonAssociate Head of Performance, Musical Theatre

Andrew has held directing residencies at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Royal and Derngate Theatres, Northampton, Perth Theatre and Stage Door, New York. He is a previous winner of the Bruce Millar Award for directing. Andrew has worked with Sir Alan Ayckbourn on many occasions and directed the premiere of a new season of his work for children. Recent theatre credits include: Jack and the Beanstalk (Director, Perth Rep); Spring Awakening (Edinburgh Fringe); Sweeney Todd (Movement Director, Dundee Rep); Honk! (Director/Choreographer, Royal and Derngate, Northampton); Black Watch (Assistant Director, National Theatre of Scotland); The Magnets Gobsmacked (Director/Choreographer, Roundhouse, London); Sunset Song (Movement Director, Scottish Tour); A Drop in the Ocean (Director, Oran Mor); The Wizard of Oz (Director, Citizens Theatre); A Sheep called Skye (Director, NTS); Sundowe (Movement Director, Eden Court Theatre/Cameron Mackintosh); Hamlet (Composer, Citizens’ Theatre); The Wonderful World of Dissocia (Vocal/Movement Coach, NTS); Gorgeous Avatar (Movement Director, Traverse Theatre); The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Musical Director, Visible Fictions); Follies (Associate Director, Northampton Theatres); The Yellow on the Broom (Director, Perth Theatre); Annie Get Your Gun (Resident Director, National Tour); Snake in the Grass (Resident Director, National Tour). Commercial TV adverts include: choreography for the S1 Jobs Haka, dancing bottles in the recent Grolsch campaign and Irn Bru’s tribute to High School Musical.

Work in the music industry has included writing and production work, international touring and concert work with Backstreet Boys, N Sync and Britney Spears. Most recently Andrew was performance coach for the BBC’s new season of Tonight’s the Night with John Barrowman and as Scottish choir master for the nationwide BBCs Children in Need appeal with Gareth Malone.

Guest Artist and Teachers

Michael Howell

Michael trained in musical theatre at the Royal Academy of Music, London graduating in 1999. He has worked extensively in commercial musical theatre, regional theatre, film and television before joining the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as a Lecturer in Musical Theatre in 2009.

Credits as a performer include Elliot Hendry in the award winning film Fast Romance (Scottish BAFTA Winner for Cineworld People’s Choice) , Nick Piazza in ‘Fame the Musical (UK National Tour), Parking Lot in Pittsburgh, A Christmas Carol and the Scottish Premier of Into The Woods (Byre Theatre, St Andrews), One Touch of Venus (Covent Garden) and a variety of concerts and new work at the Bridewell Theatre, London.

Pantomime credits include the role of Dandini in Cinderella at both the Belfast Opera House and the Theatre Royal Nottingham, Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk (His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen), the title role in Aladdin (McRobert, Stirling), Prince Michael in Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming in Cinderella (King’s Theatre, Glasgow).

Michael has also appeared in numerous radio plays and television commercials and provided voice overs for many more.

The three musical theatre summer schools have been designed and developed by the teaching team involved in the undergraduate and postgraduate musical theatre degree programmes at the Royal Conservatoire.

Both individually and collectively the team has a significant and enviable reputation for industry-experience, connectedness and highest quality vocational training.

At some point throughout your summer school experience with the Royal Conservatoire you will meet and work with some or all of the following in class, workshop or masterclass-type sessions. You will also experience working alongside musical theatre guest artists and teachers:

David Higham

David Higham is a Lecturer in Musical Theatre at the Royal Conservatoire working as a Musical Director across the MA and BA Musical Theatre programmes. His Musical Directing credits include Spring Awakening, In Touch, Jerry Springer The Opera, Zanna Don’t, Far from the Madding Crowd, Iron Curtain, Confessions of Julian Po, The Jonah Boy and 3hree (One Academy Productions, Edinburgh Fringe), The Fabulist, Like You Like It and About Face (International Musical Theatre Festival, Cardiff ), Once on this Island, Flight, Jeremy deBerjerac and Happy Never After (Goldsmith’s University, London). He was Musical Director/Orchestrator for The Wizard of Oz (Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow) and Musical Supervisor for First Lady Suite, Rocket Science and Sunday in the Park with George (One Academy Productions, Edinburgh Fringe). He was Musical Director for several workshops including Jonah Boy, Spitfire Grill, e-bay the Musical and Tiger Tamer and played keys for Mamma Mia! (Prince Edward Theatre, London), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK/International Tour) and West Side Story (UK tour). David has just finished as Musical Directing the first BA Musical Theatre production of Into the Woods. Susie Dumbreck Susie trained in postgraduate vocal studies at the Royal Academy of Music and also gained the LRAM. Her work as a performer has included West End and regional theatre. She joined the Royal Conservatoire as a Lecturer in Musical Theatre in 2009 and combines this with freelance directing and vocal consultancy. Theatre: Olga/Sarrighina Nine (Donmar Theatre, London); u/s Madame Thenardier Les Miserables(National Tour); Ellen and u/s Aunt Eller in Oklahoma! (Royal National Theatre), Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (Perth Theatre, Perth); Mrs Pembridge in Whistle Down the Wind, Alysonin Grand Night for Singing, Queenie/Maureen in Honk, Sharon Graham in Master Class and Trudiin Comic Potential (Byre Theatre, St Andrews); Woman 2 in Agent Provocateur (Bridewell Theatre, London) and Session Singer in Fame (Swedish Stadium Tour). Film/TV: Les Miserables 25th Anniversary O2 Concert, Oklahoma! starring Hugh Jackman and Maureen Lipman, Harry Bailey Show starring David Soul, The Royal Variety Performance, 1998. Radio: Soloist - BBC Voice of Musical Theatre 2000 Casting: MacGregor (Bridewell), Going Once (Old Vic), Sweeney Todd (the Royal Festival Hall)

Your Teaching Team continued

Jean Sangster Jean studied piano and singing at the Royal Conservatoire (then RSAMD) and taught singing in the School of Drama for many years before studying spoken voice with Nadine George. She took up her current post in the Centre for Voice in Performance as a full-time Lecturer in Voice and Musical Theatre in 2006. Jean has particular responsibility for singing, technical spoken voice, production and performance support as well as Scots language. She teaches across all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes with particular responsibilities for musical theatre. Jean has been voice consultant for a number theatre companies, most recently Act Productions ‘Backbeat’, National Theatre of Scotland’s The House of Bernarda Alba, Ankur Productions’ HeerRanja and Neil Laidlaw Productions’ The Steamie. Jean is currently investigating the integration of Nadine George technique and musical theatre singing styles. Ali de Souza Ali studied Psychology at the University of Dundee (MA Hons), and trained as an actor at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He also gained an MFA in Screen Practice and Directing at Queen Margaret University (2002). He has worked extensively as an actor and director in film and theatre for over twenty-five years with many companies including theatre babel, Brunton Theatre, Byre Theatre, Dundee Rep, Manchester Library, Perth Rep, TAG, Traverse and Visible Fictions. He has a particular interest in Shakespeare, comedy, the Greeks, and acting for screen and radio. He taught acting and directing at QMU for six years, where he was Programme Leader for the BA Acting and Performance course. He joined the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2009.

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Further Study

BA Musical TheatreThree years full-time This course offers training in all elements of musical theatre, including one-to-one singing lessons, acting, ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance. Uniquely, all of our students receive one-to-one instrumental lessons. There is extensive industry input and projects include specially commissioned new works, Big Band concerts plus a full third year season of productions, and industry showcases in Glasgow and London. There are also regular on-screen opportunities and our students have appeared in Musicville on the set of River City, on John Barrowman’s Tonight’s the Night and in the show choir on BBC’s Children in Need. www.rcs.ac.uk/musicaltheatreug MA Musical Theatre(Performance) or(Musical Directing)One year full-time This one year MA is aimed at graduates or artists who already have acting, singing, or musical theatre experience. The course offers training in all elements of musical theatre, including one-to-one singing lessons, acting, ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance. Musical Directing focuses on keyboard skills, conducting techniques, scoring and arranging plus knowledge of the voice. Projects include a Big Band concert series, self-devised solo cabarets, new musical development, a season at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and industry showcases in Glasgow and at a West End theatre. Our MA graduates are currently working across the West End, Broadway, and in television and film around the world.

www.rcs.ac.uk/musicaltheatrepg Please note that throughout 2012/13 we will also run musical theatre specialist study courses and also an audition and interview preparation short course that is designed specifically to support students auditioning for any specialist vocational training.

Further Questions If you have any further questions about the content of this summer school then please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Short Courses team at the Royal Conservatoire on +44 (0)141 332 4101 or via [email protected]

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100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G2 3DBTelephone 0141 270 8213 Email [email protected]

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a company limited by guarantee Reg. No. 4703 (Scotland) and a charity registered in Scotland, No. SCO15855.

Additional Information

Formerly known as the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland provides vocational education at the highest professional level in dance, drama, music, production and screen. We are one of very few internationally, and the only one in the UK, offering this breadth of artistic disciplines. We have almost 800 students from around the world studying our specialist undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes including Acting, Modern Ballet, Music, Opera, Jazz, Contemporary Performance Practice, Technical and Production Arts, Digital Film and Television, Musical Theatre and Classical and Contemporary Text. The Royal Conservatoire offers students an extraordinary blend of: intensive tuition; all round support and care to each individual; a rigorous performance schedule; and the space to collaborate with others across the disciplines if they wish. Both students and staff are prolific in creating truly innovative work. Alongside our undergraduate and postgraduate provision we offer an inspiring programme of evening and weekend classes, short courses, summer schools and a comprehensive programme of Professional Development.

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Royal Conservatoire of Scotland100 Renfrew Street Glasgow G2 3DB