Literature: Musical Theatre training

Is Musical Theatre Your Calling? - by Trish Causey (2017) 

Trish Causey is a musical theatre writer, workshop presenter, and host of two online radio shows.

While conducting research, one of the most highlighted areas that has been brought to my attention, are the factors of the auditioning process that are out of our control. This article discusses a few of the factors that have been brought to my attention, the main points being, where you trained and your look/image.

 As a recent graduate, where I trained has proven to be quite important. When given a relatively blank CV from a new face, I can understand why agents or casting directors would look at your training to give them an idea of the 'quality' of the performer being presented to them, although this doesn't often follow and seems (as everything else is in this industry) a little unfair! 

'She emphasizes the need to be “truly versatile and extremely talented and well-trained in many areas in order to qualify for available roles. Once you are out in the real world, the degree you’ve gotten and where you’ve gotten it from won’t matter as much as how versatile your skills are.'

I agree and disagree with this statement. Yes being a versatile and extremely talented performer is vital but I don't agree that this matters more than where you got your qualifications from - not for a graduate anyway. From my interviews so far as well as discussions with my sig, my original opinion has been backed up. The new graduates have all faced the question 'where did you train?' from prospective agencies, and without an agent you can't really get to the stage of auditioning for anything! However my participants who have been in the industry five or more years have all said that as soon as they had a few jobs on their cv they were no longer asked where they trained, thus where you trained being irrelevant. 

'every performer is a ‘type,'” she continues. “You need to ‘get’ that you are a product at any audition and that you need to be the product that they are looking for.” By understanding your type, she adds, you will save yourself from preparing for auditions that won’t pan out as well as from unnecessary rejection. Causey is blunt about the fact that, “What you look like will also determine the roles you can get.'

This quote endorses opinions of my participants and sig, as well as myself. from the research I have done so far, understanding your look or type is not something that colleges focus on and is something that my fellow graduates feel we should be guided on when in training. Causey states that understanding you type will allow you to save yourself from unnecessary rejection. This is key to my inquiry, as I am researching whether the components of a successful audition taught at college differ to what industry professionals consider vital, your look being the vital component. 

'Choose a school where teachers not only have experience in musical theatre but also keep a hand and a toe in it,” she urges.'

This is another interesting point which has been brought up in my sig discussions on a few occasions, as the members also all felt that this was very important. In order for training to be relevant to the industry, teachers should still be involved in the industry in some way - retiring from Musical theatre and then working purely as a teacher means you are no longer up to date with what is required in the current field. My sig suggested the importance of guest teachers.


Trish Causey (2017). Is Musical theatre your Calling?. Available: http://majoringinmusic.com/is-musical-theatre-your-calling.