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 graduate credits include Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in the West End and on Broadway, Hamilton, Hadestown, Les Misérables, Wicked, The Lion King and Phantom of the Opera. Our alumni have also appeared in productions at the RSC, The National Theatre, the Almeida Theatre, the Donmar Warehouse and in tours across the UK, Europe and Asia.

See audition information

Applications 2026/27

Applications for Musical Theatre Performance and for Musical Direction and Coaching in 2026 are open.

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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.