LTA BA(Hons) Musical Theatre

Production in Musical Theatre Practice

 Guidance

• Refer to the Production in Musical Theatre Practice Unit Descriptor,

Appendix 4, p28 of the Handbook whenever you plan or participate in
rehearsals or make an entry in your Production analysis (Notebook);
• Ensure your work is addressing the Unit Content, the Unit Aims and
the Assessment Criteria;
• Ensure you are addressing them in full in both your practical work and
your Notebook.
 In what will I be assessed?
• You will be assessed in one of three specialisms, as a performer, a director
or choreographer. You must decide which by CSD8 on 7th April.
• If you are assessed as a Performer your performance must be in musical
theatre. You cannot be assessed as a singer, an actor or a dancer alone but
must show your understanding of at least two of the disciplines e.g. singing
and acting (with dialogue) or dancing and singing or dancing and acting
(with dialogue) etc. (Acting must always include significant dialogue.)
• If you are assessed as a director or choreographer, your work may include
elements of the other discipline but you will be assessed on the single
specialism you have chosen.
 Specialism criteria (1)
Performer
Performers will be assessed on
• the demonstration of an understanding of their character;
• an ability to sustain their character and interact credibly with other
characters;
• an appropriate command of dialogue (monologue) and a controlled
and appropriate use of voice;
• their contribution to the rehearsal process as reflected upon and
analysed in the Notebook;
• their controlled and appropriate physical movement.
 Specialism criteria (2)
Choreographer
Choreographers will be assessed on
• their creation of appropriate dance and movement to reveal the integrity
and potential of the music within the production;
• their creation of spatial relationships (animate and inanimate) appropriate
to, and consistent with, the characters and narrative of the production;
• their creation of choreographic structures appropriate to and consistent
with the characters and narrative of the production;
• their leadership of the choreographic process as reflected upon and
analysed in the Notebook;
• their selection of appropriate music, sound and costume.
 Specialism criteria (3)
Director
Directors will be assessed on
• their creation of a production script;
• their scheduling, planning and target setting of the rehearsal process;
• their ability to assess and best utilise the abilities of their performers;
• their leadership of the rehearsal process as reflected upon and
analysed in the Notebook;
• their ability to stage a short piece of musical theatre to a professional
standard.
 The Notebook
Notebooks must be in hardcopy.
The Notebook (2000 words) should contain
• A dated, meeting by meeting record (note form) and analysis of the rehearsal process with a
focus on
o an analysis of the general directorial/choreographic strategy;
o an analysis of the progress achieved within individual rehearsals;
o an analysis of your leadership of and/or contribution to the rehearsal/choreographic process.
• An analysis of the most recent, observed, dress rehearsal ‘performance’ from
o the perspective of the performer OR
o the perspective of the choreographer OR
o the perspective of the director.
o A bibliography identifying the theoretical influences that have informed your personal work on,
and your analysis of, the rehearsal process and the dress rehearsal ‘performance’.
 The Notebook (cont)
Notebooks should have an Appendix
The Appendix should contain
• a record and analysis of research undertaken to inform the
production
• a copy of the performance script annotated from the perspective of
the performer, choreographer or director
• any additional, relevant, supportive material to the analysis in the
Notebook
 Vivas
• Vivas of up to fifteen minutes each will take place from 10am on
Sunday 5th May and will be with Sean, Kate and Andrew, the External
Examiner and representatives of UCA.
• They will be individual, not group vivas.
• You will be asked questions on your choice of material, the rehearsal
process and for your assessment of the final performance.

Grab this opportunity with both hands, you will be centre stage - take
fullest advantage of it!
 NB

• This Unit has a credit value of 60. Units 1 and 2 have a unit value of 30
credits each. This means that this unit is equal to half your overall
assessment and that effectively you receive the mark for this unit twice!
• The importance of this unit is reflected in the number of independent
activity hours devoted to it – 510. This figure reflects all the work you will
give to it, research, reading, meeting, focused discussion, viewing other
performances, rehearsal, Notebook analysis etc. etc. It is important your
achievement reflects the effort you put into it.
• We strongly suggest you use the Independent Study (GLH) record template
in Appendix 6, p33 of the Handbook to record your study hours.