Musical Theatre – Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
Bring joy, truth and power to every note.
Musical theatre students pursue integrated training in voice, acting and dance, supported by individualized coaching and performance opportunities – and launch careers as performers, music directors, choreographers, casting professionals and more.
Paths of Study
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
- Major
- Minor
Explore:
What You’ll Study
From Sondheim to Pasek & Paul, classics to cutting‑edge new works, students build the versatility required to succeed across the full spectrum of musical theatre.
Sample course topics include:
- THEA 335 Musical Theatre Performance
- MUTH 191 Diatonic Music Theory
- DANC 300 Broadway Jazz
- THEA 362 Theatre History and Literature
For a full list of courses in acting, visit the Academic Catalog.
Why Musical Theatre Matters at UMW
Ours is a strong community of theatre practitioners — faculty, staff and students — who create plays and musicals that encourage conversations with our audience.
Through classes, rehearsals, work calls, meetings, practical experiences and strong faculty mentoring, our students graduate from UMW as emerging theatre professionals fully prepared to pursue a career in the professional theatre.
The program’s reputation speaks for itself – UMW has frequently been ranked one of the “Best Schools for Theater” in the country by The Princeton Review.
Program Highlights
Hands-on Learning
UMW offers professional training coupled with a strong foundation in the liberal arts. Through UMW Theatre, academic, classroom and studio work come to life in fully staged productions that build technical skills in the area of specialty, as well as in collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, organization and management.
Professional Facilities
Students work in a facility with a proscenium theatre and a studio theatre supported by cutting edge audio, lighting, communications and rigging systems. Production spaces include a scene shop, costume shop, rehearsal studios, dance studios, wig room, dressing rooms, wardrobe, CAD studio, vocal studios, reading room and offices for faculty, staff, production, arts administration and stage management.
Mainstage Production Experience
UMW Theatre has produced many plays and musicals with impressive production values. Recent shows include Julius Caesar, Matilda, Men on Boats, Nunsense, Pride and Prejudice, The Play That Goes Wrong and The Rocky Horror Show.
Career Outcomes
UMW musical theatre graduates go on to work as professional performers, music directors and choreographers in major venues like the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Broadway, and on hit shows streaming on Hulu, HBO and more.