Denison’s Music Theatre program is designed to spark the collaboration and innovation that lies at the heart of an interdisciplinary liberal education. We provide engaging creative experiences that will prepare you for postgraduate pursuits in music theatre as well as for lives as active supporters of the arts.

Music Theatre students learn about the fundamental principles of music and theatre arts, and gain the analytical skills, facility in problem-solving, historical perspective, appreciation of aesthetic form, and the tools to question their fundamental assumptions about the relationship between the art forms we call “music” and “theatre.” 

The Music Theatre minor is for students interested in performance as well as dramaturgy, directing, writing, composing, dance, history, criticism, and costume, stage, lighting, and sound design.
 

Requirements

To avoid double-counting, the requirements for the minor differ depending on whether a student is a music major or minor, a theatre major or minor, or neither. All three “tracks” require 26 credit hours, including a new core course, Music Theatre 100, “Creating Music Theatre” (based on the afore-mentioned Denison Seminar). In the (likely rare) case of double major in Theatre and Music wanting to add a Music Theatre minor, a slightly reduced "track" of 22 credit hours would be required (see below).

Music Theatre courses will count toward the Fine Arts GE separately from either Music or Theatre courses. That is, students may fulfill their Fine Arts GE requirement by taking one 4-credit Music Theatre course and either a 4-credit Music course (or the equivalent in 1-credit ensembles) or a 4-credit Theatre course (or the equivalent in 1-credit laboratories).

Each student’s individual course of study will be developed in consultation with and approved by the Music Theatre Committee. Students will be advised to choose electives that deepen their knowledge of music and theatre and meet their primary area(s) of interest (e.g., performance, dramaturgy, directing, composing, dance, history, criticism, and/or costume, stage, lighting, and sound design).

A list of approved electives will be created and updated each semester by the Music Theatre Committee. Elective courses will be selected based on their ability to meet the program’s learning goals. For example, dance courses will help students build artistic skills in movement in ways that will expand their versatility as performers or directors and/or spark new ideas for collaboration. Likewise, courses in creative writing, playwriting, and screenwriting will deepen students’ understanding of the fundamental principles of dramatic narrative, whether designed to be read, staged, or filmed.

The Music Theatre Committee Chair will maintain careful records of student course approvals and keep in close contact with the Registrar to ensure regular updates, as we understand that Banner currently cannot automatically update the Degree Evaluation with requirements that differ depending on a student’s major.