Junior Academy Musical Theatre | Royal Academy of Music

Junior Academy Musical Theatre helps young performers from ages 13 to 18 to develop their skills, confidence and passion for acting, singing and performing

After an outstanding end-of-year showcase, Junior Academy Musical Theatre is now in its fourth year

Each Saturday, students work on acting, voice, singing, musical theatre repertoire and movement, with projects and masterclasses being led by top industry professionals. West End veteran Grainne Renihan is Course Leader, and Deborah Stinton, an established actor-musician, dancer and equality and inclusion advocate, is Deputy Leader.

At Junior Academy Musical Theatre, individuality will be nurtured, diversity embraced, and students empowered to be creative and brave. With opportunities to perform throughout the year, you will learn by doing. Our aim is to create young musical theatre artists who have the necessary skills to go on to further specialist training in musical theatre.

Please email Besheer Abbaro at JAMT@ram.ac.uk if you have any questions or queries.

Discovery Events

On Saturday 22 November 2025 we will be welcoming potential applicants for a Musical Theatre Discovery Day.

This is your chance to step into our world, meet our current students, and get a real feel for the training we offer. You'll get to participate in a typical day of activities alongside our current students.

Who should Attend?

This event is for aspiring performers who will be at least 13 years old by 1 September 2026 and no more than 18 years old by 31 August 31 2026.

Please note that spaces for this event are limited.

We will be holding a separate Discovery Day for 11 and 12-year-olds later in the year. Please contact us on JAMT@ram.ac.uk if your child is 10 – 12 years old and would like to attend an event.

Ensemble Singing

You will work with our Musical Director each week in groups of no more than 10, exploring a variety of musical theatre ensemble repertoire and learning how to blend, harmonise and follow a conductor.

Repertoire

You will work with a musical theatre professional from our core faculty and a piano accompanist. This class will concentrate on solos, duets and trios and is an opportunity to receive individual contact and feedback.

Drama

These classes will cover improvisation, acting through song, building a character, the rehearsal process, audition work, stagecraft and more. You will be encouraged to match your vocal quality and texture to the acting demands of a song, and to develop your individuality as an actor.

Movement

Designed to build confidence and cultivate a sense of physicality, these classes offer a safe environment in which to try things out and stretch boundaries without fear of ‘doing it wrong’. Later in the year, you will start to combine text and song with movement.

Masterclass

Visiting industry professionals will give masterclasses and workshops during which they share their insight into the industry.

Projects

Practical projects are rehearsed and performed throughout the year, allowing you to put everything you have learnt into practice. They are selected according to the individual needs of students and the company as a whole.

Production

This work will all lead towards a staged end-of-year showcase in front of an invited audience.

Students aged 13 and over are admitted to Junior Academy Musical Theatre, and remain until they are 18, under normal circumstances. Students will be divided into two groups according to age and year group.

We are looking primarily for singing and acting potential rather than previous study or experience.

Applicants must be at least 13 years old by 1 September 2026 and no more than 18 years old by 31 August 31 2026.

Academic Year	per term	per annum
2025/26	£670	£2,010
2024/25	£650	£1950

Fees are payable each term on receipt of an invoice.

A full term’s notice in writing is required for withdrawal of a pupil from the course. A term’s fee will be charged in lieu of such notice.

2025 Intake

Applications for September 2025 have now closed.

2026 Intake

The applications portal for taped auditions will open in early January 2026 for the September 2026 intake.

You will need to submit your audition by Saturday 1 March 2026.

Candidates who are shortlisted will be invited to join us at the Academy for a live audition in mid-March 2026. We look forward to seeing your talent shine!

Auditions for entry will be a two part process, with a video submission followed by a live recall for selected applicants.

VIDEO SUBMISSION

Please provide:

Two contrasting songs, preferably with one song from the musical theatre repertoire. Singing to live accompaniment or backing tracks is preferred, but unaccompanied (a cappella) submissions are also allowed. You will not be penalised if you sing unaccompanied.
A piece of text under one minute, preferably memorised, which could be a monologue, poem or paragraph from a story.
A short, videoed explanation of why you’d like to join Junior Academy Musical Theatre. We want to see your personality, so please keep this spontaneous and unscripted.
A headshot photograph (head and shoulders) taken on your phone.

Please see Self Tape Advice for further assistance on how to produce your video.

LIVE AUDITIONS

Live auditions will consist of meeting our course leaders and performing their chosen audition song.

We do not mind if you want to use a backing track, piano accompaniment, or sing unaccompanied. A pianist will be available for applicants with sheet music.

Applications for September 2025 have now closed. Applications for our September 2026 intake will take place in January 2026.

We have left the guidelines below as reference for when we open our September 2026 intake. Please wait until the application dates have been announced before starting an application.

Junior Academy guide to Acceptd >