Musical Theatre | Royal Academy of Music

Hone your skills and prepare for a fulfilling career in musical theatre with our one-year postgraduate course

Rigorous training will give you an in-depth understanding of the profession and equip you with the skills you need to succeed.

'I moved from New York to London to study musical theatre at the Academy and it changed my life – I would do it all again in a heartbeat'

Paige Smallwood, alumna

The Musical Theatre Department functions as a theatre company. Our day-to-day acting, voice, speech and movement tuition is taught by current practitioners, offering a direct link to the industry, with projects and masterclasses being led by top professionals.

We have created an environment in which individuality is nurtured and diversity embraced. Opportunities to perform throughout the year are a priority, enabling students to learn by doing. Our aim is to create artists with a voracious appetite for investigation and ongoing discovery.

Recent graduates have been cast in productions including Hamilton and The Prince of Egypt in the West End, Les Misérables in London and on tour in the UK and USA, and the UK tours of Miss Saigon, Avenue Q and The Phantom of the Opera.

See audition information

Applications 2025/26

Applications for Musical Theatre Performance and for Musical Direction and Coaching are closed for 2025 entry, but applications will open by the end of July this year for September 2026 entry.

Discover more via the following:

Scholarships and Bursaries

Students may be eligible for financial help in the form of a bursary or scholarship. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, and bursaries are given to students based on financial need.

Scholarships for Musical Theatre include the Disney Theatrical Productions Scholarship, which was established to encourage greater ethnic and cultural diversity in the industry, and to enable outstandingly talented artists from underrepresented backgrounds to take advantage of the world-class training and opportunities the Academy has to offer.

For further information on scholarships and bursaries, including the Disney Scholarship, please see the Scholarships and Bursaries page.