"After I saw Anything Goes and Sweeney Todd, I wanted to be the first in line to join. It's amazing theatre along with the best undergraduate professional training I could have ever hoped for."
-Cameron Stevens, Colorado,
UNC Musical Theatre student
"This department means business...No one said it would be easy,
and frankly, I'm glad for the challenge."
-Melinda Cary Dickson, Colorado
UNC Musical Theatre student
"In 28 equity theatres responding to a survey, 1714 of the 2453 performers employed were in musical theatre. Of the 15 longest running productions on Broadway, 83% were musicals. It is clear that training in musical theatre can offer students excellent career opportunities."
-from a recent university survey
The Musical Theatre program in the School of Theatre Arts and Dance at the University of Northern Colorado is designed to provide undergraduate students possessing talents in voice, acting and dance with a professionally structured training program in the art and craft of musical theatre. The program focuses on developing each student's potential through a progressive series of classroom experiences and public performances.
We encourage serious young artists seeking a career in professional musical theatre to refine their talents in this rigorous training program developed, managed and taught by professionals in the areas of Theatre, Music, Dance and Musical Theatre.
Training includes course work in Acting, Voice Training, Act/Sing, Broadway Show Dance, Musical Theatre Auditioning, Directing/Choreography, Scene Study, Individual Performance, and much more.
Audition Information
Performance Opportunities
The quality and quantity of UNC theatre productions is unparalleled in college/university programs in the Rocky Mountain region. UNC theatre students showcase their talents on the stages of the 600-seat Langworthy theatre, the 1700-seat Union Colony Civic Center, and the intimate 100-seat Norton Theatre. Throughout the year performances include 20 one-acts, five musicals, three operas, three dance productions and eight plays. Musical titles from a recent 12 month calendar include Jekyll and Hyde, No, No, Nanette!, Smokey Joe's Café, My Fair Lady and Urinetown. Recently UNC was the site of a preparation workshop for a new musical, Go Go Beach. The shows NYC creators spent several weeks working with UNC students as the cast and crew to polish the show.
Every year the seniors prepare numbers for the Senior Showcase production. They then travel to New York City during spring break to perform the show for an audience of invited theatre professionals including directors, casting agents and actors' representatives. There is now an active population of UNC alumni living and working in New York.
The Little Theatre of the Rockies Summer Company has been cited as a national model for educational stock theatre. Nationally known guest artists join UNC students for this intense professional-level eight-week program. Student performers and technicians receive both academic credit and a stipend for working with this equity-eligible program. The summer season includes both a large and a small scale musical production.
Success of former students
Students trained by UNC faculty are currently working as professionals in productions throughout the United States, including Broadway and touring shows. Their credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Cats, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, How to Succeed in Business, Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys and Dolls, Show Boat, Mama Mia, and many others.
Faculty
UNC Performing Arts faculty are talented practitioners with wide ranging educational and professional backgrounds and a high level of dedication to the development of their students. All have worked professionally on stage and are members of their respective unions, including Equity, AFTRA, AGVA and SAG. In addition, guest artists from on- and off-Broadway, National Tours, and regional theatre, film and television often appear with students in UNC productions.
If you would like to find out more information or to become a part of the Musical Theatre program at the University of Northern Colorado, contact Di Smice, Phone: (970) 351-2930, or email di.smice@unco.edu
