Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre
Our Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (BFA) in Musical Theatre builds on our nationally-recognized BA Theatre Degree and offers professional training in acting, singing and dancing.
Why Study Musical Theatre?
Powerful Allies
Through a partnership with the UAB Department of Music, students in the BFA Program receive highly specialized training in Acting, Voice, and Speech, Movement, Private Voice Lessons, Music Theory, Piano, Ballet, Jazz, and Tap.
Perform while you Study
Theatre UAB produces four main stage productions a year, four touring productions, studio productions and other projects, offering ample performance opportunities each semester.
Career Preparation
Graduates of our BFA are prepared for a professional career by participating in workshops with Guest Artists currently working in the industry and through the intense work of the Musical Theatre Capstone course focusing on all the “business” aspects of “show business.”
Curriculum
A complete list of courses and requirements is available in the UAB Undergraduate Catalog.
Ready to Apply?
Admission to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre consists of an application to UAB, an application through Acceptd, and an audition.
UAB Application
All the information you need to apply can be found on UAB's Undergraduate Admissions Hub.
Acceptd Application
Acceptd is the largest performing and visual arts network in the world.
Auditions
Instructions
Students auditioning for the BFA Musical Theatre program must fill out an online application. Please answer all of the required fields, upload a theatre resume, headshot, and prescreen videos, and select a preferred audition date. Once the application has been submitted, you will be contacted within two weeks to confirm your audition.
Students are required to upload prescreen audition videos as part of the application. UAB participates in the College Musical Theatre Common Prescreen Criteria. For more information, please visit the website.
UAB prefers the following options:
- Song: Option A or B
- OPTION A: One song should be written before 1970. This song can be either the “uptempo” or the “ballad” (student’s choice). One song should be written after 1970 and contrast the style of the first.
- OPTION B: Both songs should be from contemporary musicals (any musical written after 1970) and contrast in style (“ballad” and “uptempo”).
- Monologue: Option A
- OPTION A: 1 contemporary monologue (written after 1950), 60-90 seconds in length. The contemporary monologue should be filmed in a “close-up” shot which means the top of the head to the chest should be visible in the frame.
- Dance: Dance Option
- DANCE OPTION: 30-60 seconds of dance in whatever dance discipline you feel most confident. This may include, but is not limited to jazz, ballet, tap, modern, cultural dance styles, hip hop, lyrical, or contemporary.
- Please do not submit “barre work”. Instead, check to see if the auditioning program offers the optional “Ballet Submission” which is listed below.
- Please use steps, movement, and physical vocabulary that you are familiar with and can execute well.
- Dance media can be “self-choreographed”, but must be a solo video of you. This can include a show, competition, or other performance so long as you are clearly featured on your own.
- All choreography must be performed to music; please no “a cappella” dance media.
- DANCE OPTION: 30-60 seconds of dance in whatever dance discipline you feel most confident. This may include, but is not limited to jazz, ballet, tap, modern, cultural dance styles, hip hop, lyrical, or contemporary.
- Wild Card
- Submissions should be no more than 60 seconds.
- Applicants do not need to slate in any wild card media.
- This media can be ANYTHING you want - a special skill, an interesting story about yourself, a passion speech, an instrument you play, etc. “What do you want us to know about you?” and “What makes you unique?” (See the resources page for ideas on Wild Card submissions).
- Optional Materials: Ballet Option
- BALLET OPTION: Ballet Media should be no more than 60 seconds.
- Execute a brief series of plié, tendu, and grande battement;
- Execute pirouette en déhors (to both sides)
- Execute one or more grand jeté across the floor.
- BALLET OPTION: Ballet Media should be no more than 60 seconds.
If you need any help with preparing prescreen videos, please contact Valerie Accetta at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please be advised that the UAB Department of Theatre is unable to make any offers before a student has been accepted by the university. It is highly recommended that students apply for admission to the university prior to auditioning.
