Musical Theater Intensive

Placement 

Your placement for the program will be based on your submission of one or two video links, a résumé, and a questionnaire during the registration process.

Because the program is so short, faculty may use video auditions to help assign roles in ensembles or make recommendations for master classes with visiting artists. Musical theater repertoire is ideal, but any style is welcome. We prefer a new video of you singing solo, with or without piano accompaniment. Professional video quality is not required, but your performance should demonstrate your personal best.

Preparation

As a student in the Musical Theater Intensive, you are expected to wear appropriate attire, bring necessary supplies, and prepare two musical excerpts. 

• For classes and rehearsal: Please wear dance or active wear with socks. You may be moving in unexpected ways, so wear clothes that will stay in place and give you complete range of motion. Bring tennis shoes, Toms, jazz shoes, or any dance shoes—including character heels—that you already own. If you are choosing a tap elective, you must also bring tap shoes. Pack any hair accessories needed to keep your hair secure and away from your face. Do not wear jeans, jeggings, sandals, flip-flops, or other flimsy footwear.  Consider two sets of clothes for the day, a towel, and deodorant. You will also need a refillable water bottle, notebook, pencil, black sharpie, highlighter, and tape recorder or phone recording app. 
• For performances: Bring a variety of black clothing and black socks, tights, and shoes. If you wear makeup on stage or in life, bring that as well. 
• For a practice audition: Wear something that makes you look your best and feel confident, and shows off your personality. Bring clothes that fit you well without rips, holes, or visible logos. Your shoes should be clean and in good condition. Your outfit could be as dressed down as jeans and a nicely fitting tee-shirt with sneakers or boots, or more dressed up with a button-down shirt, dress shoes, or heels. You may not wear hats but may wear any other accessories that suit your outfit. Your hair should be out of your face. If you wear makeup, don't wear any more than you typically would. Select two pieces of music demonstrating your ability to act and sing. We ask that you have cut and clearly marked sheet music ready to supply an accompanist, typically 16 bars, but no longer than 32 bars in length. You may also bring full-length versions in case there is time in a master class to perform the entire song. If you are inexperienced in preparing vocal selections, we recommend “Happy Birthday” as a great solution in a pinch. Headshots and résumés are welcome, but not required.

You are permitted to bring laptops, computers, tablets, etc., although it is not required. Wireless internet and electrical outlet plugs are provided throughout the campus. Please keep in mind that it is your responsibility to keep your items safe. Berklee is not responsible for the loss of these items.

Please use the Information for Registered Students page as a reference to the 2018 program schedule. 2019 schedule details will become available closer to the start of the program.

Core Classes

• Voice 
• Dance and Movement for the Stage
• Acting Technique
• Audition Technique: Ace your next audition by learning the dos and don’ts of audition etiquette. Bring your own sheet music for two contrasting selections in the correct key, ideally 16–32 bars each. Headshots and résumés are welcome, but not required. 

Elective Workshops

Acting through Song: Practice what William Eastland calls "The Juggling Act": balancing concentration on your character’s objective without getting distracted by vocal challenges in musical theater, opera, and contemporary styles. A discussion will be followed by coaching of several student volunteers. Bring your own sheet music in the correct key if you would like an opportunity to perform and receive feedback. You may also choose to learn through observation. Please see “How to Get the Most out of a Master Class.”

Healthy Belting Workshop: Kevin Wilson, director of vocal pedagogy and voice instructor at the Conservatory, will present a workshop addressing the question, “What is belting, and how do I do it?” Subtopics will include understanding register, mixing, belting, vocal health, and exercises to keep your voice healthy and singing for a lifetime. Wilson’s students have gone on to Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Kinky Boots, Mamma Mia!, and more. 

Contemporary Musical Theater: Khiyon Hursey coaches your interpretations of contemporary repertoire. Please bring your own sheet music for a contemporary theater song in the correct key if you would like an opportunity to perform and receive feedback. You may also choose to learn through observation. Please see “How to Get the Most out of a Master Class.”

Choreography Workshop: Get inside the mind of award-winning director/choreographer and Conservatory faculty member Larry Sousa as he offers insights, inspiration, and tricks of the trade for creating effective musical theater choreography.

A Director Prepares: Coached by Caitlin Gjerdrum, students will direct each other in short scenes performed in class. Materials will be provided in advance to practice preparing ideas ahead of time, and students will then modify them based on collaboration. You may find this class especially inspiring given that one of our visiting artists is 25-year-old director Sammi Cannold, who made the 2019 30 under 30 list in Forbes.

Hamilton, Deconstructed: The brilliant lyrics, score, and storytelling of Hamilton make it a genre-breaking, game-changing musical. All elements will be dissected by Khiyon Hursey, who worked as the show’s music assistant from off-Broadway to Broadway to the recording studio. Hear Lin-Manuel Miranda’s early demos, and trace their development to the final product.  

Performing Hip-Hop in Musical Theater, or How to Survive as an Actor in a Post-Hamilton World: This is an exciting opportunity to get coached on your rap skills by Khiyon Hursey, music assistant for Broadway’s Hamilton. Bring in a rap selection from a musical or even a mainstream rap song. You may also choose to learn through observation. Please see “How to Get the Most out of a Master Class.”

Hip-Hop Dance Foundations: Learn the basics of hip-hop dance (popping, locking, bounce, groove, and footwork) without theatrical context from hip-hop specialist Heather Myers. This is open to all levels, so beginners are welcome.

Beginner Hip-Hop Dance for the Musical Theater Performer: Heather Myers presents some moves to increase your hip-hop dance vocabulary in a theatrical context. This is open to all levels, so beginners are welcome, although it would be ideal to take Hip-Hop Dance Foundations first.

Advanced Hip-Hop Dance for the Musical Theater Performer: Learn how to own your character within hip-hop dance vocabulary from Heather Myers, who will also share advanced performance tips. It may be taken after Beginner Hip-Hop Dance, or you may elect directly into this level if you have two or more years of hip-hop dance training.

Moves and Grooves for the Performer: Do you struggle to find the groove and soul in choreography?  Heather Myers will teach you basic grooves through the decades and create a fun, interactive atmosphere with a funk, soul, and R&B soundtrack from ‘60s (Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors), ‘70s (Motown, Summer) and ‘80s (Get on Your Feet, Head over Heels). Get comfortable adding fluidity and soul to your movement without the stress of learning a combination. Beginners are welcome.

Master Class with Benjamin Simpson: Ben Simpson is the winner of two Tony Awards for coproducing The Band’s Visit and Hello, Dolly. A 2011 graduate of the Conservatory, he will address the entire program to discuss his career journey from performer to producer, and offer feedback to a few selected student performers. Then, in this smaller master class elective, he will continue to coach several more students. An accompanist will be provided, but please bring your own sheet music in the correct key if you would like an opportunity to perform and receive feedback. You may also choose to learn through observation. Please see “How to Get the Most out of a Master Class.”

Master Class with Christy Altomare: The originator and star of Broadway’s Anastasia, Christy Altomare will address the entire program with a career conversation and a master class, offering feedback to a few selected student performers. Then, in this smaller master class elective, she will continue to coach several more students. An accompanist will be provided, but please bring your own sheet music in the correct key if you would like an opportunity to perform and receive feedback. You may also choose to learn through observation. Please see “How to Get the Most out of a Master Class.”

Master Class with Eric Stern: A veteran Broadway conductor, arranger, and music supervisor with 19 Broadway musicals to his credit, (e.g., Shrek, Xanadu, Follies, Parade, and Candide), Eric Stern has worked with artists such as Barbara Cook, Audra McDonald, and Mandy Patinkin. After addressing the entire program and offering feedback to a few selected student performers, he will continue to coach students in this more intimate elective, providing his unique perspective from decades in the pit. An accompanist will be provided, but please bring your own sheet music in the correct key if you would like an opportunity to perform and receive feedback. You may also choose to learn through observation. Please see “How to Get the Most out of a Master Class.”

Monologue Workshop: Whether on stage or at an audition, performing a monologue demands deep character work and text analysis. Bring in a monologue to perform, ideally memorized, and get pointers on your interpretation. For those without prior material or experience, Brandon Green will provide a few options.  

Stage Combat: Learn the fundamentals of an art that dates back centuries, such as how to simulate fights onstage while escaping without a scratch. Brandon Green will get you started on skills that could come in handy for shows from West Side Story to Heathers: The Musical.

Tap Dancing, Level 1: Tap dancing is both a longstanding tradition and a style that continues to thrive on innovation, such as in Savion Glover’s choreography for Broadway’s Shuffle Along. Kristin Holland Bohr will teach you some basics as well as a short routine. Tap shoes are required, so please only choose this elective if you can bring tap shoes. 

Tap Dancing, Level 2: This is an opportunity to develop and finesse a more advanced vocabulary of tap dance, taught by Kristin Holland Bohr. Please only choose this elective if you are already able to execute triple-time steps.

Writing an Original Musical: Have you ever wanted to write a song or a play? Or maybe you've already done so. Led by Caitlin Gjerdrum, this elective will give you the opportunity to gain some theatrical writing tools and a deeper appreciation for the craft. This elective may be taken independently or in addition to the Original Student-Written Musical Ensemble.

Faculty

• Michael Wartofsky, Program Director
• Kevin Bleau, Assistant Director
• Caitlin Gjerdrum, Acting
• Brandon Green, Acting
• Celeste Oliva, Acting
• Kristin Holland Bohr, Dance
• La’Toya Princess Jackson, Dance
• Larry Sousa, Dance
• Ned Rosenblatt, Voice
• Darcel Wilson, Voice
• Kevin Wilson, Voice
• Utsav Bhargava, Music Director
• William Eastland, Voice, Music Director
• Travis Frank, Music Director
• Rina Kohmoto, Music Director
• Heather Myers, Director/Choreographer

Faculty subject to change