Musical Theatre

David Henson is currently Head of Studies in Performance, Composition and Performing Arts at London College of Music, University of West London, UK. Throughout his career, in addition to his performing and directing career, he has been at the cutting edge of the development of the performing arts in education and has been responsible for the assessment of performance holding the post of Chief Examiner in Music, Theatre Studies and Drama with leading vocational and academic examination boards. Kenneth Pickering is founder/director of the Institute for the Arts in Therapy and Education in London, UK and is Honorary Professor of Drama and Theatre at the University of Kent, UK. He was Chief Examiner for Musical Theatre for 3 major examining bodies and is the author of Studying Modern Drama, Theatre Studies and Key Concepts in Drama and Performance.

'Full of exercises and self-prompts for the beginner, this is an excellent and highly accessible orientation to the world of studying Musical Theatre' - Joe Deer, Distinguished Professor of Musical Theatre, Wright State University, USA 'This comprehensive and entertaining book provides a springboard into practical work and study. Many books tell you what to do, but this one helps you understand why.' - Kim Ismay, Chair of the New Era Academy, UK 'This book makes the learning process so much easier to grasp, while maintaining a structural rigor that is required for our art.' - Kevin Landis, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Theatre Program Director, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, USA 'Full of useful advice and information, at its core Musical Theatre: A Workbook provides a well-structured approach to achieving mastery of essential skills for the discipline and art-form of musical theatre. It includes creating a warm-up, developing a method of acting through song, and selecting appropriate portfolio material. Recommended for all students of the performing arts.' - David Carey, Voice Tutor, Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, UK 'This is the only book of its kind out there. It is equally valuable as a starting point for students entering Musical Theatre training and an invaluable resource for teachers of Musical Theatre. Musical Theatre: A Workbook provides a theoretical overview and practical hands-on tools for daily practice and development. Henson and Pickering touch on just about every aspect that the singer must consider, from choosing material and building a portfolio, to daily exercises, to caring for the voice and body, all the way to developing an understanding of Musical Theatre in a broader context. This book investigates it all, and does so in a clear and accessible way. But above all, the strength of this unique workbook and training system is that it allows the fluid and flexibility for the student to truly become their own artist. Students will walk away from this training not only with a broader understanding of the Musical Theatre and a strengthened skill set, but the empowerment to make their own creative and artistic choices.' - Laura Wayth, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Actor Training Program, San Francisco State University, USA

• IntroductionPART I: UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF1. The Loneliness of the Actor/Singer in Training2. Caring for the 'Self'PART II: UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE3. Beginning the Process4. Words, Words, Words...and MusicPART III: UNDERSTANDING THE MUSICAL5. The Anatomy of the Musical6. The Origins and Development of Musical TheatreGlossary of Studio TermsGeographical Tour of a Vocal ScoreBibliographyIndex.