by Jessica O'Bryan (Author), Scott D. Harrison (Author)
Musical Theatre Education and Training in the 21st Century presents a wide range of viewpoints on the musical theatre profession. It brings together research from the UK, US, Australia, and beyond, providing an essential resource for educators, students, and all those involved in training for musical theatre. The research draws on best practice from creatives, producers, practising artists, and the academy to reveal a multiplicity of approaches and educational pathways for consideration by performers, educators, institutions, and the profession.
The book goes beyond the key elements of performance training in singing, dancing, and acting to explore adjacent creative and business skills, along with some of the more recent and challenging aspects of the profession such as diversity of representation both on and off stage, building safe working environments, and managing mental and physical health and wellbeing. The authors incorporate information from over 100 interviews with everyone from emerging performers to leading professionals, and explore the practicalities of pre-professional training, skills development, and curricular design, alongside the broader attributes required in preparation for the profession. This book offers vital insights into how musical theatre practitioners can best be prepared to make their way in the field now and in the future.
Author Biography
Dr Jessica O'Bryan, PhD has lectured and tutored in music, education and research studies across several universities in South East Queensland, Australia. She trained as a professional opera singer and performed in opera companies, jazz and commercial pop bands throughout her performance career, and has extensive experience teaching music in schools and private practice as well as higher education. She is a published researcher in music, singing pedagogy, and higher education assessment practices and is the co-editor of Teaching Singing in the 21st Century.
Professor Scott Harrison is Pro Vice Chancellor of Arts, Education and Law and Assistant Vice Chancellor of Cultural Curation and Community Partnerships at Griffith University, Australia. He has published widely in music education, particularly on aspects of gender and pedagogy.