Musical Theatre

About
Program overview, career pathways, and student opportunities.
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Application Requirements
Auditions, admissions criteria, and required materials.
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Courses
Curriculum sequence, credit requirements, and course descriptions.
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Faculty
Meet the industry professionals guiding your training.
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FAQ
Answers to common questions about the program.
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About

The Musical Theatre program at The Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts is designed for students who are serious about building careers in performance.

Students train in acting, singing, dance, screen performance and audition technique while working with faculty who are actively engaged in the industry. Unlike many programs that wait until senior year to focus on professional preparation, Senior Showcase begins in the first semester, and auditioning is treated as an essential part of the training process from day one.

Because our faculty continue to work professionally across stage and screen, students benefit from current industry insight, evolving best practices, and a clear understanding of what today's entertainment industry is looking for. By graduation, students leave with the skills, confidence, and professional experience needed to pursue opportunities across stage and screen.

Application Requirements

Admission to the Musical Theatre program is based on both academic readiness and artistic potential.

Applicants are required to submit an application, high school transcript (or equivalent), and complete an audition. The audition process is designed to assess each applicant's current skills, potential for growth, work ethic, and commitment to professional training.

Audition Requirements

  • -Two contrasting vocal selections

  • -One contemporary monologue

  • -Dance assessment (live or recorded)

  • -Interview with faculty

Applicants are evaluated holistically. While prior training is beneficial, NOCO is equally interested in identifying students with strong potential, curiosity, professionalism, and a willingness to grow.

Students accepted into the program should be prepared for an intensive conservatory environment that emphasizes performance, collaboration, discipline, and professional development from the first semester onward.

Courses

Degree
BFA Musical Theatre
Length
3 Years
Credits
120
Minors
Business
Television & Film

  • Semester 1 (18 Credits)

    • Ballet 1 (1)

    • Commercial Hip Hop 1 (1)

    • Tap 1 (1)

    • Jazz 1 (2)

    • MT Acting for the Camera 1 (1)

    • Harmonies & Vocal Styles 1 (1.5)

    • Acting Through Song 1 (3)

    • Elective (1)

    • Voice & Speech 1 (1.5)

    • History of Musical Theater (3)

    • Intro to Life (1)

    • Music Theory 1 (1)

    Semester 2 (18 Credits)

    • Ballet 2 (1)

    • Commercial Hip Hop 2 (1)

    • Jazz Dance 2 (2)

    • Tap 2 (1)

    • Harmonies & Vocal Styles 2 (1)

    • Acting Through Song 2 (3)

    • Improvisation 1 (1)

    • Elective (1)

    • Fundamentals of Repetition 1 (3)

    • Business Administration (3)

    • Music Theory 2 (1)

  • Summer Term (12 Credits)

    • Acting for the Camera 2 (1.5)

    • Voice Over 1 (1.5)

    • Jazz Dance 3 (1)

    • Kicks, Turns & Leaps 1 (1)

    • Digital Performance 1 (2)

    • Gymnastics 1 (1)

    • Art in Culture 1 (1)

    • Marketing (3)

  • Semester 1 (18 Credits)

    • Jazz Dance 4 (2)

    • Commercial Hip Hop 3 (1)

    • MT Dance Ensemble 1 (1)

    • Tap 3 (1)

    • Gymnastics 2 (1)

    • MT Audition Technique (2)

    • Acting for the Camera 3 (2)

    • Elective (1)

    • MT Scene Study (2)

    • Acting for Commercials 1 (1)

    • Fundamentals of Repetition 2 (3)

    • Finance (3)

    Semester 2 (18 Credits)

    • Jazz Dance 5 (2)

    • MT Dance Ensemble 2 (1)

    • Commercial Hip Hop 4 (1)

    • Vocal Styles 1 (2)

    • Elective (1)

    • Economics (3)

    • History TV/Film 1 (3)

  • Semester 1 (18 Credits)

    • Tap (1)

    • MT Dance Ensemble 3 (1)

    • Commercial Hip Hop 5 (1)

    • Showcase 1 (2)

    • MT Audition Technique (2)

    • MT Scene Study (2)

    • Voice Over 2 (1.5)

    • Advanced Callback Techniques (3)

    • Elective (1)

    • Accounting (3)

    Semester 2 (18 Credits)

    • Jazz Dance 6 (2)

    • Jazz Dance 7 (2)

    • MT Dance Ensemble 4 (1)

    • Commercial Hip Hop 6 (1)

    • Acting for the Camera 4 (1.5)

    • Elective (1)

    • MT Audition Technique (2)

    • Entrepreneurship 1 (3)

    • Ethics 1 (3)

    • Statistics 1 (3)

Meet the Faculty

  • Fred Feeney

    MT Department Head

    West End MD/Arranger/Orchestrator

  • Andrew Love

    MT Assistant Department Head

    Les Mis, Broadway

  • Brittany Johnson

    Acting Through Song

    Glinda - Wicked, Broadway

  • Tim Gulan

    Scene Study

    5x Broadway Actor

  • Sami Saltzman

    Audition Tech

    Moulin Rouge (AD), Bodyguard (Director)

  • Lisa Howard

    Vocal Faculty

    Broadway Veteran

  • NOCO accepts 18 students per year, per major.

  • All MT students work one-on-one with a voice teacher weekly, every semester.

  • We accept students with varying ethnicities, religions, gender identities, sexualities, and disabilities into our programs.

  • Of course! Students in any semester are able and encouraged to audition for the MainStage musicals as well as many student directed and led productions. We are proud partners with the A1 Conference, allowing our students to audition for summer theatres across the country, annually.

  • Yes! In fact, we encourage our students to continuously audition for professional work. The Conservatory’s main goal is to train employable artists, we pride ourselves on working with students who are actively auditioning and booking to continue and complete their education.

  • This is something that happens frequently at NOCO, and is encouraged. We have many different approaches, including the possibility to stay in class whilst off campus working. We have students who are at school in the day then performing on broadway in the evening.

  • Absolutely. This major includes training specific to playing principal roles in musical theatre. We strive to nurture and enhance the abilities of students who may be new to dance. All students participate in assessments on the first day of class and will be placed in the appropriate level class.

Frequently Asked Questions