Degrees
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Music Dance Theatre
The Musical Dance Theatre (MDT) program at BYU is one of the top-tier university training programs in the United States for students seeking a career in musical theatre. For over 30 years, our graduates have successfully taken their college training directly to Broadway and other prominent regional and national performance venues. This limited enrollment BFA program is unique for many reasons, but chief among them is that students are trained equally in the three essential disciplines of music, dance and theatre in an atmosphere that is spiritually and personally edifying. Here at BYU, teachers who understand the profession as experienced performers and academicians carefully and individually mentor them through their development as performing artists.
The stage is our laboratory. Each year there are significant opportunities to perform work from the existing cannon of musical theatre as well as new and experimental pieces, music videos and reviews. Recent productions include Phantom of the Opera, Light In The Piazza, and Into The Woods.
Though we appear isolated in the Rocky Mountains of Utah, our program has a unique connection to many of the finest Broadway artists of our time. Stars like Sutton Foster, Audra McDonald, Mandy Patinkin and Lea Solanga regularly come to BYU to perform and individually coach our students in special master classes. In a recent master class, Frank Wildhorn, writer of The Scarlet Pimpernel and Bonnie and Clyde, was so impressed with the talent of our MDT students that he chose BYU to stage the USA premier of his new work, Count of Monte Cristo.
The capstone experience for BYU MDT students is the Senior Showcase. The Showcase gives them the opportunity to travel to New York City and perform their chosen audition pieces for current casting directors, agents, choreographers and directors.
How to Apply
The BFA in Music Dance Theatre is a Limited Enrollment program.
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Includes an application and videos submissions. See the MDT webpage for specifics
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If you are invited, following the pre screening, you will attend a live audition on BYU campus.
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Following this you will be notified on how to proceed with registration
Note: if you are a current BYU student and would like to declare Pre-MDT Major status in order to prepare for your audition, see the suggested course requirements here.
For more info, please contact Nathan Balser:
Nathan Balser
Young Ambassadors Artistic Director, Associate Professor
Contemporary, Music Dance Theatre (MDT)
Nathan_balser@byu.edu
(801) 422-2563