Course
Overview
Our intensive and practical course aims to create highly skilled actors who are accomplished singers and dancers. These multifaceted performers will be equipped to work in classic and contemporary Musical Theatre.
The course is underpinned by our experience of providing world-class actor training. It means you will also be equipped to take advantage of film, TV, radio and digital opportunities. Through practical classes, workshops and performances you develop your technical skills in all three core areas of acting, dance and singing and learn how to adapt these advanced techniques for different performance styles and genres. You also develop self-employment, enterprise and interpersonal skills. As part of a specialist performing arts institute, you collaborate with other students on performances and productions, replicating professional environments.
By your final year you are working at a professional level on public performances, collaborating with industry directors, choreographers and musical directors. You also take part in an industry showcase and curate a portfolio that includes showreel, voicereel and digital material.
Accredited By:
What You Will
Study
The Actor’s Preparation: Musical Theatre Principles I
In this module, you examine vital technical principles and practitioner approaches to develop a framework for analysing and realising text. Technical acting sessions contribute to acting through song, as do presenting scene-into-song episodes to peers. Ballet, Jazz and Tap contribute to dance skills and singing studies underpin this module, with weekly 1-to1 singing technique, an introduction to vocal and physical anatomy and physiology culminating in project work to reinforce these fundamentals.
The Actor’s Preparation: Musical Theatre Principles II
This module advances your technical application when approaching character from a canon of established works in a directed presentation of dramatic musical scenes. Acting through song provides a continuation of scene-into-song studies to reinforce and develop technique. Dance focuses more closely on ballet technique and you start to explore a variety of musical theatre dance styles, such as ballroom. Weekly 1-to1 solo singing and ensemble sessions continue and aim to identify and address technical issues, tone production and resonance. Voice sessions also examine accent, speech, and text.
The Actors Preparation: Musical Theatre Principles III
For this module you strengthen and integrate the technical approaches you’ve learned so far in a directed musical workshop presentation to an internal audience. You test your psychological, physical and vocal techniques, as well as essential components of posture, line and extension, strength, flexibility and spatial awareness in dance and legit vocal qualities, including onsets and stylistic singing qualities. You start to develop an independent and personal approach to research and rehearsal.
Artistic Practice I [Shared Module across all BA Acting courses]
In this module, you will develop the necessary skills to create original work and extend your ability to work as part of a creative ensemble. Narrative and performance sessions include devised, verbatim and site-specific approaches to generating original works. As part of a small group, you create a short staged, digital or audio performance. Alongside creative skills you undertake research and development, understanding cultural perspectives and audience demographics to ensure your work is relevant to a contemporary audience. You are introduced to business and enterprise skills so you are familiar with the practicalities of staging and managing an event.
The Actor’s Process: Musical Theatre Project I
This project provides you with the technical approaches to unearth advanced musical theatre approaches. You adapt and adjust your technical knowledge by working across a variety of performance styles, genres (Vaudeville, Cabaret or Epic Theatre), and platforms (including digital) to expand your abilities. You consolidate practitioner methodologies, singing and dance skills, as you explore hybrid technical approaches so you can forge your own personal acting process for musical theatre. This module includes live workshop presentations to your peers.
The Actor’s Process: Musical Theatre Project II
This project allows you to test your developing process when applied to classic musical works. You take further responsibility for realising the demands of the material and are expected to identify appropriate methods and techniques for approaching classic works. In dance you work with advanced physical maintenance, stamina, strength, and flexibility, connecting dynamic vocal qualities, unforced projection, and an integration of triple-threat energies.
The Actor's Process: Musical Theatre Project III
This project introduces you to boundary-breaking musical works, unearthing a combination of styles and genres. Mirroring professional practice, you receive structured direction, musical direction and choreography in the creation and execution of a fully realised work. You undertake independent research in the development of a unique and integrated musical theatre work to an audience across a number of performances.
Artistic Practice II [Shared Module across all BA Acting courses]
In this module you develop your creativity by researching and originating a personal performance of your choice. This could be a script submission, micro-musical or play reading, short film or screening. You investigate cultural perspectives around your chosen subject area/theme to discover the technical demands of your piece and adapt it to ensure it is original and inventive. You further your business and industry skills, including project planning and target audiences as well as honing your audition technique.
The Actor’s Performance: Professional Musical Theatre Production I
In this module you work with professional theatre-makers, including students from other courses, to realise an original live public production. You reach professional standards and expectations, working independently to research and prepare for rehearsal and meet the vision of your director, musical director, choreographer, and creative team. You exercise your ability to demonstrate technical aptitude, professionalism, organisation and time management skills, an understanding of professional profiling and the repetition and recreation of work via performance technique.
The Actor's Performance: Professional Musical Theatre Production II
In this module you build on previous experience as you test your ability to meet the expectations of a large-scale professional musical production working with a director, musical director and choreographer, designers and creatives, stage managers and technical crew. The module follows a similar structure to Production I, culminating in a production of work for a public audience. Your interpersonal skills, independent methodology, discipline and professionalism is further tested as you take responsibility for your engagement with collaborators.
The Actor's Performance: Professional Musical Theatre Production III
In this module you collate a promotional portfolio, containing work in digital media, voice recording and screen-work as you prepare for your future career. You research and evaluate appropriate industry networks to engage with in preparation for your future career and use your portfolio when contacting industry and employers. You take part in a live industry showcase, generate showreels, voice reels and additional promotional material according to your career plans and employment aspirations. Work produced on this module is public-facing and created to help you secure an agent or present yourself to future employers.
Artistic Practice III [Shared Module across all BA Acting courses]
This module brings together your independent research, creative enterprise skills and professionalism as you advance your ability to develop and create new material. Supervised by a mentor, you adopt both a creative and a production role as you generate a brand-new piece of work for our annual festival of new writing. You may also improve your independent entrepreneurial and project management skills by developing a solo project.
How You Will
Study
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Technical Skills Classes
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Performances
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Seminars
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Workshops
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Independent study
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Group work
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Masterclasses
How You Will Be
Assessed
Your assessment takes place during practical classes and rehearsals, performances and your reflective tasks. Overall, assessment is based on applications of technique in performance situations, either in front of an audience or in workshops.
The coursework element is focussed on your future career, your working environment and critical life skills. In your third year you undertake an optional practical or written research project. Again, career focussed and chosen by you.
Practical/written work ratio
80% practical work / 20% written course work
Our
Facilities
Rehearsal Rooms
LIPA’s spacious rehearsal rooms are predominantly used for workshop-style teaching and as rehearsal spaces in the lead up to performances. Some of these have their own sound and lighting facilities. The biggest rehearsal room is large enough to enable it to be marked up as the stages will be in LIPA’s theatre spaces, which makes the critical final weeks in the rehearsal process period that much easier.
Dance Studios
LIPA has four dance studios. Three of them have rafter high ceilings, including one with equipment specifically used for aerial dance. They all have top of the line Harlequin sprung floors, barres and full wall mirrors and each has a dedicated sound system with iPad access.
The Paul McCartney Auditorium (PMA)
The PMA is the largest of LIPA’s performance spaces and is a traditional proscenium arch theatre. It can seat an audience of around 350 people and has flexible seating arrangements and staging configurations.
Each year over 30 performances take place in the PMA. You may perform in this venue or in the George Harrison Workshop Studio or external theatre spaces. Some of your performances are to a public audience – some are to an invited audience only. We hold the majority of our large-scale masterclasses in the PMA and it is also used for presentations to the whole student body.
The PMA is complemented by a green room lounge area and dressing rooms.
George Harrison Workshop Studio (GHWS)
Seating over 100 people, the GHWS is a fully equipped experimental performance space that offers creatives and performers a ‘blank canvas’ for productions. As well as immersive and promenade performances, it can also host more traditional theatrical productions with a variety of stage and audience configurations. It is also used as an exhibition, rehearsal and teaching space
The Sennheiser TV Studio
The Sennheiser TV Studio is a fully realised TV and broadcast studio. The studio, along with motion capture and editing, sound and grading suites, was completed in 2020. Students have access to state of the art facilities and equipment to replicate a professional environment and support learning.
Costume and Wardrobe Department
LIPA’s wardrobe department has an extensive costume store and well configured spaces for design and making. Our design students plan, design and create costumes for around 15 separate productions throughout the year. You will usually experience this area when taking part in fittings for your performances.
Technical Services
LIPA’s Technical Services team can help with general technical queries and booking out equipment for short-term loan. Loan equipment includes musical instruments, microphones, various recording and playback equipment, digital video and stills cameras and AV equipment.
Term-time opening hours allow you access to Technical Services from 9am until 11pm every weekday and 9am until 5pm on Saturday and 11am until 5pm on Sunday. Outside of term time it is open on weekdays from 9am - 5pm.
Learning Resources Centre
LIPA’s Learning Resources Centre (LRC) is a specialist creative and performing arts library with an extensive collection of books, e-books, scores, CDs, DVDs, e-resources, print and electronic journals. Whether you are looking for individual songs or scripts, background research or creative inspiration, the LRC Team will be able to help. The LRC offer support sessions in ICT and study skills through subject specific lectures, as well as one-to-one and drop-in sessions, ensuring you get the most out of your study.
The LRC website provides the gateway to LIPA’s online catalogue and electronic resources and includes links to a wide selection of help sheets and video guides. In addition, LIPA’s virtual learning provision which includes Moodle, holds a variety of subject-specific learning materials, such as lecture notes, useful web links and module information. The majority of these services are available off-campus.
LIPA’s integrated learning environment has a variety of study spaces, including individual and group work areas, and an open-access computer suite. Facilities include printing, copying and scanning, plus binding and laminating equipment. A range of stationery is available for purchase to support your studies.
Opening hours during term time are Monday and Wednesday 9.00am to 6.00pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9.00am to 8.00pm, Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm. The LRC may be closed for some weeks in June and is also closed during July and August.
ICT Services
LIPA's Information, Communications and Technology Department provides the infrastructure and services framework that enable students to exploit the latest information and communication developments.
Industry-standard computer resources are running the latest productivity software on high specification workstations in dedicated computer suites. LIPA also has a colour A0 plotter, ideal for floor plans.
All PCs are installed with Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office & Project as standard. There is also access to a range of additional specialist software installed on selected workstations. These include AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Cloud applications, EarMaster, Sibelius, MindManager, Vectorworks and WYSIWYG.
All workstations have access to the Internet, email and other electronic resources. There is free Wi-Fi access throughout our buildings for students and staff members via the Eduroam network which provides a world-wide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community.
Specialist ICT staff are available to answer questions, give assistance and advise on ICT issues.
LIPA Bar and Canteen
As well as serving food and drink, the bar and canteen are the hub of social activity within LIPA with both spaces licensed for performances.
The canteen is the venue for LIPA’s weekly gig night, The 2ube. Most Fridays the 2ube features live performances, showcasing musicians from LIPA and Liverpool’s music scene. The event is a collaboration between Management, Music, Sound Technology and Theatre & Performance Technology students.
The canteen also hosts open mic and jukebox shuffle nights, and independent student organised performances and benefit nights. The bar hosts regular quiz nights and Student Event Board parties.
The bar is open Monday, Thursday and Friday from 3pm - 11pm, and Tuesday and Wednesday from 3pm - 10pm, with extended hours for special events.
The canteen is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am – 3pm, serving food and drink at student-friendly prices.
LIPA is also home to a 92 Degrees Coffee shop. The popular Liverpool independent has a number of coffee stores and roasteries across the north west. It serves up barista coffee and cakes in the Art School Atrium during term time.
Andrew Waldron
Head of Musical Theatre
Andrew Waldron (he/him) is an experienced practitioner and educator specialising in Musical Theatre. After training at Italia Conti, Andrew progressed into performing within the Musical Theatre sector with work taking him across the world. His performing credits include Mack & Mabel, 9 to 5, Cabaret, Follies, A Chorus Line, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Happy Days – A New Musical, Annie, and The Sound of Music. Andrew’s performing career introduced him to some of the world’s finest and most innovative creatives.
Alongside his performance career, Andrew delivered masterclasses for drama schools and theatre companies, as well as directing and choreographing many projects and productions. He subsequently continued his studies completing a further degree at Middlesex University and an MA in Theatre at University of Surrey. Andrew is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and a Fellow of Advanced HE (FHEA).
Andrew has taught at several drama schools including Mountview, Performers College, and Urdang. Prior to his role at LIPA, Andrew worked at Italia Conti for eight years where he was Deputy Head of the School of Musical Theatre and Dance. Here he supported the development of their undergraduate provision including validation of various BA (Hons) and Cert HE courses and producing multiple industry facing performances and events.
Shóna Lanigan
Assistant Lecturer / Teaching Fellow
Shóna Lanigan (BA Hons, MA, PGCLTHE, FHEA) is a highly experienced teaching fellow, specialising in singing for musical theatre. Her extensive training includes studies at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Rose Bruford College, and University College Cork, providing her with a strong foundation in both performance and academic disciplines. Over the years, she has collaborated with some of Ireland and the UK’s most celebrated musicians and bands, supporting major acts such as Janelle Monáe, The Overtones, and Fatboy Slim.
Shóna's career spans a wide range of media, including studio recordings, radio broadcasts, and televised performances on RTÉ and BBC. She has captivated audiences at renowned festivals such as Boomtown UK and Electric Picnic Ireland, and has performed at many prestigious venues across the UK and Ireland including The Aviva Stadium in Dublin and The Ulster Hall in Belfast. In addition to her teaching career, Shóna continues to work as a professional session vocalist and vocal arranger for clients all over the world.
Her dedication to teaching and her significant contribution to LIPA's musical theatre courses were recently recognised with LIPA's Teaching and Excellence Award - Principal’s Excellence Award 2024. Shóna remains passionate about both performance and education and plans to commence her doctoral studies in musical theatre in the very near future.
Sophie Elliott
Teaching Fellow
What Our
Graduates Do
This is a new course and we expect our graduates will be fully equipped to gain sustained work in musical theatre, whether in the West End, touring or international musicals. Some of our graduates may also set up their own independent theatre companies. Our graduates will also have a strong skill set in acting to enable them to pursue acting work in film, TV and radio productions.
Educational qualifications are important but limited in what they can tell us about you.
Your natural ability, your fit with what and how we teach, your growth and your potential are also key factors in our admission process. We can’t evaluate these solely on your educational achievements, so no matter which course you are applying for, we look for the following attributes on your application and at the interview stage.
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"When I met LIPA students, I was struck by their commitment to continual improvement to develop their craft. "
Woody Harrelson
Actor, writer, director, producer
Additional Costs
As part of this course, there are likely to be some additional costs that are not included within your tuition fees. Many of these are optional. We’ve also included information about cost of living expenses in Liverpool in this section. After you accept our offer, we'll send you a list of books and equipment that we'd like you to bring. We recommend that you bring specific clothing and footwear for your practical classes. These are standard items of clothing that you will need as a working actor.
Here are the key course-related costs that we'd expect you to pay during your three years with us, in addition to your tuition fees:
Headshots and joining Spotlight
Headshots are vital marketing tools. In your final year, you need to invest in headshots to present yourself as a professional. We encourage you to undertake research into which photographer to work with. Our students typically pay around £80 to £120 for their headshots. Professionally taken headshots can cost over £300 in London. It is compulsory for you to supply a headshot so you can take part in the showcases which are an assessed part of the course.
Being a member of Spotlight is important for finding work in the UK, so you will need to join in your final year. (The Actors Spotlight Membership fee costs just over £150).
Showcases
The majority of the costs for your final year North West and London showcases are included in your tuition fee. We provide you with both a travel allowance and food allowance for your showcases, but we don't pay for overnight accommodation costs. Most of our students stay with friends or alumni. The showcase is an assessed part of the course so taking part in the showcase is compulsory.
Seeing shows
You should go to the theatre as often as you can. This is not compulsory, but it will help your development as an actor. Theatre visits are not covered by your tuition fees, so you'll need to cover these costs yourself. Most theatres offer student discounts and we are occasionally offered a limited number of free or discounted tickets for shows in the city. We also encourage you to see other actors performing in our shows. We offer discounted student tickets to make this as affordable as possible.
Optional stage combat training
During one of the vacations, we usually bring in a stage combat tutor for those of you that want to put yourselves forward for a qualification in this to add to your CV. You have to pay an examination fee and the cost for the training is shared between all of the students who undertake it. This is not a compulsory part of the course.
Cost of living
Wherever you choose to study, you'll have to budget for accommodation and other everyday living expenses, such as food and bills.
Liverpool is one the UK's cheapest student cities. Accommodation costs are relatively low, particularly compared to the south east of England, and the city's shops and entertainment venues also have lots of student discounts.
We’d recommend completing a simple budget plan to predict your income and outgoings. This should include accommodation, bills, insurance, TV licence, food, laundry, clothes, books, travel and socialising. How much you'll want to spend on a lot of these is completely personal.
There is lots of advice available online about budgeting:
- UCAS budget calculator is a great tool to help you balance your in-comings and out-goings.
- SaveTheStudent provides useful information on student money resources, including loans, budgeting, and scholarship sources.
Most UK students will be able to take out a maintenance loan to assist with living costs and there are some grants available. We also offer some bursaries. To find out more, please see Student Finance and bursaries.
Because our courses are intensive and we have a busy season of student performances, options for part-time work during our teaching periods can be limited. However, many of our students gain flexible part-time work, in performance venues, shops, restaurants and bars. We also provide casual work opportunities for our students ranging from stewarding work on our productions to working with young people to help us widen access to our courses. The long summer break is when many of our students choose to work.
Additional Costs
As part of this course, there are likely to be some additional costs that are not included within your tuition fees. Many of these are optional. We’ve also included information about cost of living expenses in Liverpool in this section. After you accept our offer, we'll send you a list of books and equipment that we'd like you to bring. We recommend that you bring specific clothing and footwear for your practical classes. These are standard items of clothing that you will need as a working actor.
Here are the key course-related costs that we'd expect you to pay during your three years with us, in addition to your tuition fees:
Headshots and joining Spotlight
Headshots are vital marketing tools. In your final year, you need to invest in headshots to present yourself as a professional. We encourage you to undertake research into which photographer to work with. Our students typically pay around £80 to £120 for their headshots. Professionally taken headshots can cost over £300 in London. It is compulsory for you to supply a headshot so you can take part in the showcases which are an assessed part of the course.
Being a member of Spotlight is important for finding work in the UK, so you will need to join in your final year. (The Actors Spotlight Membership fee costs just over £150).
Showcases
The majority of the costs for your final year North West and London showcases are included in your tuition fee. We provide you with both a travel allowance and food allowance for your showcases, but we don't pay for overnight accommodation costs. Most of our students stay with friends or alumni. The showcase is an assessed part of the course so taking part in the showcase is compulsory.
Seeing shows
You should go to the theatre as often as you can. This is not compulsory, but it will help your development as an actor. Theatre visits are not covered by your tuition fees, so you'll need to cover these costs yourself. Most theatres offer student discounts and we are occasionally offered a limited number of free or discounted tickets for shows in the city. We also encourage you to see other actors performing in our shows. We offer discounted student tickets to make this as affordable as possible.
Optional stage combat training
During one of the vacations, we usually bring in a stage combat tutor for those of you that want to put yourselves forward for a qualification in this to add to your CV. You have to pay an examination fee and the cost for the training is shared between all of the students who undertake it. This is not a compulsory part of the course.
Cost of living
Wherever you choose to study, you'll have to budget for accommodation and other everyday living expenses, such as food and bills.
Liverpool is one the UK's cheapest student cities. Accommodation costs are relatively low, particularly compared to the south east of England, and the city's shops and entertainment venues also have lots of student discounts.
We’d recommend completing a simple budget plan to predict your income and outgoings. This should include accommodation, bills, insurance, TV licence, food, laundry, clothes, books, travel and socialising. How much you'll want to spend on a lot of these is completely personal.
There is lots of advice available online about budgeting:
- UCAS budget calculator is a great tool to help you balance your in-comings and out-goings.
- SaveTheStudent provides useful information on student money resources, including loans, budgeting, and scholarship sources.
Most UK students will be able to take out a maintenance loan to assist with living costs and there are some grants available. We also offer some bursaries. To find out more, please see Student Finance and bursaries.
Because our courses are intensive and we have a busy season of student performances, options for part-time work during our teaching periods can be limited. However, many of our students gain flexible part-time work, in performance venues, shops, restaurants and bars. We also provide casual work opportunities for our students ranging from stewarding work on our productions to working with young people to help us widen access to our courses. The long summer break is when many of our students choose to work.
View the programme specification on the LJMU course catalogue here