The following represents a selection of the musical theatre courses available. A brief explanation first – until November last year there were two organisations providing forms of accreditation or approval. The Conference of Drama Schools was a 22-strong member organisation that includes many (but not all) of the best-known drama schools.
The National Council for Drama Training was the body that provides accreditation for individual courses, the vast majority of which were taught at CDS schools. However, it is important to note that a large proportion of CDS courses and almost all others taught elsewhere are not accredited, yet there are many respected programmes among them.
In late 2012, CDS and NCDT merged to form a new organisation – Theatre UK. It has taken over accreditation but no longer accredits one-year courses (some of which previously had NCDT accreditation). Take the time to search for details on its site at www.dramauk.co.uk/courses.
As the system is still in its early days, we have listed those schools which formerly had CDS affiliation and and those courses with previous NCDT accreditation for background information.
The Council for Dance Education and Training accredits and represents dance schools.
NCDT-accredited musical theatre courses (also CDS members):
Guildford School of Acting
Stag Hill Campus,
Guildford,
Surrey GU2 7XH
01483 684040
• Musical theatre foundation
• BA (hons)/national diploma in musical theatre
• MA in musical theatre
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Ralph Richardson Memorial Studios,
Clarendon Road,
Wood Green,
London N22 6XF
020 8881 2201
• Foundation in musical theatre
• BA (hons)/national diploma in musical theatre
• MA/PG diploma in musical theatre
CDS schools offering musical theatre courses:
Arts Educational Schools London
Cone Ripman House,
14 Bath Road,
Chiswick,
London W4 1LY
020 8987 6666
• BA (hons) in musical theatre
Central School of Speech and Drama
Embassy Theatre,
Eton Avenue,
London NW3 3HY
020 7722 8183
• MA in music theatre
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
Mount Street,
Liverpool L1 9HF
0151 330 3000
• Foundation in acting and musical theatre
• BA (hons) in music
• BA (hons) in acting
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Ralph Richardson Memorial Studios,
Clarendon Road,
Wood Green,
London N22 6XF
020 8881 2201
• Foundation in musical theatre
• BA (hons)/national diploma in musical theatre
• MA/PG diploma in musical theatre
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Castle Grounds,
Cathays Park,
Cardiff CF10 3ER
029 2034 2854
• MA in musical theatre
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street,
Glasgow G2 3DB
0141 332 4101
• BA in musical theatre
• MA in musical theatre (performance or musical directing)
CDS schools offering musical theatre training as part of
acting/performance options:
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
155 Talgarth Road,
London W14 9DA
020 8834 0500
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Silk Street,
Barbican,
London EC2Y 8DT
020 7628 2571
Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
Italia Conti House,
23 Goswell Road,
London EC1M 7AJ
020 7608 0044
CDET schools offering musical theatre dance training:
Arts Educational Schools London
Cone Ripman House,
14 Bath Road,
Chiswick,
London W4 1LY
020 8987 6666
• BTEC extended diploma in performing arts (musical theatre option)
• BA (hons)/diploma in musical theatre
• MA in musical theatre creative practice
Bird College
The Centre,
27 Station Road,
Sidcup,
Kent DA15 7EB
020 8300 6004
• National diploma in professional musical theatre
• BA(Hons) in professional dance and musical theatre
Bodywork Company Dance Studios
25-29 Glisson Road,
Cambridge CB1 2HA
01223 314461
• Foundation in musical theatre
• National diploma in musical theatre
CPA Studios
The Studios,
219b North Street,
Romford,
Essex RM1 4QA
01708 766 007
Expressions Academy of Performing Arts
3 Newgate Lane,
Mansfield,
Notts NG18 2LB
01623 424334
www.expressionsperformingarts.co.uk
• Three-year musical theatre course
Laine Theatre Arts
The Studios
East Street,
Epsom,
Surrey KT17 1HH
01372 724648
Liverpool Theatre School and College
19 Aigburth Road,
Liverpool L17 4JR
0151 728 7800
www.liverpooltheatreschoolandcollege.co.uk
• Musical theatre foundation (one year)
• National diploma in professional musical theatre (three years)
Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama
Century House,
Building B,
428 Carlton Hill,
Nottingham NG4 1QA
0115 911 0401
• Three-year professional musical theatre
Millennium Dance 2000
Millennium Performing Arts,
29 Thomas Street,
Woolwich,
London SE18 6HU
020 8301 8744
• National diploma in professional musical theatre
• Foundation in professional musical theatre
Performers College
Southend Road,
Corringham,
Essex SS17 8JT
01375 672053
• National diploma in professional musical theatre
Stella Mann College
10 Linden Road,
Bedford MK40 2DA
01234 213331
• Course incorporating the national diploma in professional dance/musical theatre
Urdang Academy
The Old Finsbury Town Hall,
Rosebery Avenue,
London EC1R 4RP
020 7713 7710
• Foundation course in dance and musical theatre
• BA (hons) in professional dance and musical theatre
• National diploma in professional musical theatre
Some other musical theatre courses:
American Musical Theatre Academy
Europa House,
13-17 Ironmonger Row,
London EC1V 3QG
020 7253 3118
• One and two-year musical theatre programmes
Amersham and Wycombe College
Amersham Campus
Stanley Hill,
Amersham,
Buckinghamshire HP7 9HN
01494 585555
• BTec level 2 diploma in performing arts (one year)
• BTec level 3 extended diploma in musical theatre (two years)
• Musical theatre foundation degree
• BA (hons) in musical theatre (top up)
The Associated Studios
The Riverside Studios,
Crisp Road,
Hammersmith,
London W6 9RL
020 8237 1080
• Diploma in musical theatre (one year)
Blackpool and the Fylde College
Ashfield Road,
Bispham,
Blackpool FY2 0HB
01253 504343
• BA (hons) in musical theatre
Bournemouth and Poole College
Customer Enquiry Centre,
North Road,
Poole,
Dorset BH14 OLS
01202 205205
• Foundation in music theatre (two years)
City Lit
Keeley Street,
Covent Garden,
London WC2B 4BA
020 7492 2600
D&B School of Performing Arts
Central Studios,
470 Bromley Road,
Bromley,
Kent BR1 4PQ
020 8698 8880
• Three year, full-time musical theatre course
Glasgow Academy Musical Theatre Arts
The Brickhouse,
19-23 Farnell Street,
Glasgow G4 9SE
0844 247 4566
• HND in musical theatre
KSA Academy of Performing Arts
Beckenham Halls,
4 Bromley Road,
Beckenham,
Kent BR3 5JE
020 8090 5801
• One-year musical theatre diploma course
• Two-year musical theatre diploma course, with opportunity to convert into a BA (hons) in professional practice
London Theatre School
141 Wardour Street,
London W1F 0UT
020 7118 1185
• One-year musical theatre course
London School of Musical Theatre
83 Borough Road,
London SE1 1DN
020 7407 4455
• One-year course in musical theatre
The MGA Academy of Performing Arts
207 Balgreen Road,
Edinburgh EH11 2RZ
0131 466 9392
• One-year pre-vocational (foundation) course
• Three-year professional diploma course
• One-year advance course
The Musical Theatre Academy
89 Holloway Road,
London N7 8LT
020 8882 8181
• MTA diploma in musical theatre
Music Theatre Scotland
Moss Road,
Newcastleton,
Roxburghshire TD9 0RU
0800 814 5442
www.musictheatrescotland.co.uk
• One-year professional musical theatre diploma
The Oxford School of Drama
Sansomes Farm Studios,
Woodstock OX20 1ER
01993 812883
• Six Month Acting in Musical Theatre Course
Performance Preparation Academy
Bellerby Theatre and Studios,
College Road,
Guildford GU1 4QG
01483 503373
• PPA three-year musical theatre and diploma course, with opportunity to convert into BA (hons) in professional practice
• One-year musical theatre intensive course
• Two-year musical theatre preparation course
Read Dance and Theatre College
Myra McCulloch Building,
Bulmershe Court,
Reading RG6 1HY
08451 307 408
• One-year musical theatre foundation course
Reynolds Performing Arts Academy
Orchard House,
Kent Road,
Dartford,
Kent DA1 2AJ
01322 275807
www.reynoldsgroup.co.uk/training
• Diploma in musical theatre
Royal Academy of Music
Marylebone Road,
London NW1 5HT
020 7873 7373
• Postgraduate diploma in performance (musical theatre)
SLP College Leeds
5 Chapel Lane,
Garforth,
Leeds LS25 1AG
0113 286 8136
• Foundation pre-vocational course (one year)
• Three-year diploma in professional musical theatre
WAC Performing Arts and Media College
Hampstead Town Hall Centre,
213 Haverstock Hill,
London NW3 4QP
020 7692 5800
• Professional diploma in musical theatre
• BA (hons) in musical theatre
Schools and courses for children interested in musical theatre:
Parents should think hard before deciding whether their child is ready for full-time arts training or whether part-time/summer school courses, etc, are a better place to start. The schools mentioned below are highly professional and will insist on youngsters maintaining academic standards. In many cases, it may be better to wait for an opportunity to seek out a mainstream school specialising in performance or a specific performing arts course that accepts applicants from the age of 16.
These performance-based schools don’t necessarily specialise in musical theatre, but the genre often features prominently in the training offered.
Schools offering full-time training for children:
Arabesque School for Performing Arts
Quarry Lane,
Chichester,
West Sussex PO19 8NY
01243 531144
Barbara Speake Stage School
East Acton Lane,
London W3 7EG
020 8743 1306
Brit School for Performing Arts and Technology
60 The Crescent,
Croydon,
Kent CR0 2HN
020 8665 5242
Note: Unlike other entries this is a state school (City Tech College)
Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
Italia Conti House,
23 Goswell Road,
London EC1M 7AJ
020 7608 0044
Redroofs Theatre School
26 Bath Road,
Maidenhead,
Berks SL6 4JT
01628 674092
Susi Earnshaw Theatre School
The Bull Theatre,
68 High Street,
Barnet,
Herts EN5 5SJ
020 8441 5010
Sylvia Young Theatre School
1 Nutford Place,
London W1H 5YZ
020 7258 2330
www.sylviayoungtheatreschool.co.uk
Other schools, colleges and franchises offering young people
drama training (including musical theatre):
Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts
Paul Nicholas School of Acting and Performing Arts
Performance Preparation Academy