Musical Dance Theatre
The Music 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 Department of Dance supports the MDT Program Learning Outcomes by offering Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Tap and Urban courses. These courses are taught by expert fulltime and adjunct faculty. The MDT Majors are also given access to the Department Facilities including the training room.
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.
Auditions
Performance Groups
Young Ambassadors
“The ideas we have in common, which you have so beautifully expressed, in such a melodious way, have helped to build bridges with India. My hope is that we may all walk that path of goodwill and brotherhood, both young and old, with hands stretched across the ocean and the continents.”
Since entering the world stage at Japan’s Expo ’70, the Young Ambassadors have performed their vibrant blend of song and dance in 67 nations of the world. Their audiences have included the prime minister of India, the queen of Thailand, and the king and queen of Jordan. Most recently the group has toured in Brazil, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nauvoo, Illinois, China, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Young Ambassadors are selected through an extensive audition process. The Young Ambassador team consists of 20 singer/dancers, 10 live band members and a 9-person technical crew. Throughout the school year, the Young Ambassadors offer local and regional performances, workshops with middle school and high school students, service projects and outreach performances.
The Young Ambassadors combine contemporary music and dance for a fast-paced showcase of American musical theatre. These talented performers offer a fresh view of America’s culture and ways of life.
For more information please visit https://youngambassadors.byu.edu/