Musical Theatre

Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole. Although musical theatre overlaps with other theatrical forms like opera and dance, it may be distinguished by the equal importance given to the music as compared with the dialogue, movement and other elements. Since the early 20th century, musical theatre stage works have generally been called, simply, musicals.

Although music has been a part of dramatic presentations since ancient times, modern Western musical theatre emerged during the 19th century, with many structural elements established by the works of Gilbert and Sullivan in Britain and those of Harrigan and Hart in America. These were followed by the numerous Edwardian musical comedies and the musical theatre works of American creators like George M. Cohan at the turn of the 20th century. The Princess Theatre musicals (1915–1918) and other smart shows like Of Thee I Sing (1931) were artistic steps forward beyond revues and other frothy entertainments of the early 20th century and led to such groundbreaking works as Show Boat (1927) and Oklahoma! (1943). Some of the most famous musicals through the decades that followed include West Side Story (1957), The Fantasticks (1960), Hair (1967), A Chorus Line (1975), Les Misérables (1985), The Phantom of the Opera (1986), Rent (1996), The Producers (2001), Wicked (2003) and Hamilton (2015).

Musicals are performed around the world. They may be presented in large venues, such as big-budget Broadway or West End productions in New York City or London. Alternatively, musicals may be staged in smaller venues, such as fringe theatre, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, regional theatre, or community theatre productions, or on tour. Musicals are often presented by amateur and school groups in churches, schools and other performance spaces. In addition to the United States and Britain, there are vibrant musical theatre scenes in continental Europe, Asia, Australasia, Canada and Latin America.

* Description and images provided by Wikipedia under CC-BY-SA 3.0 license .

Matching Musical Theatre Colleges

Berklee College of Music

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $41,530 average out-state tuition; $41,530 average in-state tuition

Roosevelt University

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $28,963 average out-state tuition; $28,963 average in-state tuition

The New School

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $46,251 average out-state tuition; $46,251 average in-state tuition

Columbia College Chicago

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $25,580 average out-state tuition; $25,580 average in-state tuition

Ithaca College

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $42,884 average out-state tuition; $42,884 average in-state tuition

SUNY at Purchase College

Four or more years; Public; $16,320 average out-state tuition; $6,670 average in-state tuition

Syracuse University

Four or more years; Private not for profit; $45,150 average out-state tuition; $45,150 average in-state tuition

Scholarships for Musical Theatre Majors

Bullet name award deadline Link
 

Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award

From the Top

Up to $10,000 April 15, 2023 See Details
 

Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award

From the Top

award

Up to $10,000

deadline

April 15, 2023
See Details
 

STEAM Scholarship

Louis Hernandez Jr. For A Bright Future Foundation

Up to $10,000 May 31, 2023 See Details
 

STEAM Scholarship

Louis Hernandez Jr. For A Bright Future Foundation

award

Up to $10,000

deadline

May 31, 2023
See Details
 

Musical Arts Scholarship

Wilshire Quinn Capital, Inc.

$10,000 June 15, 2023 See Details
 

Musical Arts Scholarship

Wilshire Quinn Capital, Inc.

award

$10,000

deadline

June 15, 2023
See Details
 

Theatre Scholarship - Covenant College

Covenant College

$5,000 November 30, 2023 See Details
 

Theatre Scholarship - Covenant College

Covenant College

award

$5,000

deadline

November 30, 2023
See Details
 

Lehigh University Performing Arts Scholarships in Theatre

Lehigh University

$5,000 January 10, 2024 See Details
 

Lehigh University Performing Arts Scholarships in Theatre

Lehigh University

award

$5,000

deadline

January 10, 2024
See Details
 

Performing Arts Scholarship - Madonna University

Madonna University

$3,000 May 01, 2023 See Details
 

Performing Arts Scholarship - Madonna University

Madonna University

award

$3,000

deadline

May 01, 2023
See Details
 

Kendra Ann Ward Scholarship

Alamo Community College District

$3,000 May 15, 2023 See Details
 

Kendra Ann Ward Scholarship

Alamo Community College District

award

$3,000

deadline

May 15, 2023
See Details
 

Gai Laing Jones Theatre Education Scholarship

Educational Theatre Association

$2,000 April 01, 2023 See Details
 

Gai Laing Jones Theatre Education Scholarship

Educational Theatre Association

award

$2,000

deadline

April 01, 2023
See Details
 

SEMO Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship

Southeast Missouri State University - College of Liberal Arts

Up to $1,500 July 01, 2023 See Details
 

SEMO Visual and Performing Arts Scholarship

Southeast Missouri State University - College of Liberal Arts

award

Up to $1,500

deadline

July 01, 2023
See Details
 

NSHSS STEAM Scholarship

National Society of High School Scholars

$1,000 March 30, 2023 See Details
 

NSHSS STEAM Scholarship

National Society of High School Scholars

award

$1,000

deadline

March 30, 2023
See Details