Musical Theatre
The Future Is Centerstage
The show starts at Central — and musical theatre majors are the stars of the show!
Musical theatre is a collaborative process — both on stage and behind the curtain. The Central College musical theatre program exposes students to artistic development through a broad and comprehensive curriculum, including courses in acting, dance, directing, history, literature, music, theatre management, stagecraft, design, and technical production. Musical theatre majors combine a rich, liberal arts experience with a variety of research, performance and technical opportunities while working alongside talented professors. Independent study is encouraged, and students can hone their craft in close mentorship with faculty and staff.
The college produces three main-stage productions every year in addition to student-directed productions. Students also have a chance to attend theatrical conferences like the United States Institute for Theatre Technology and the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival to see the latest performance technologies and make connections with professional theatre practitioners for advanced study, internships, and future careers.
No matter their career path, when the curtain goes up, students must be ready. A musical theatre degree at Central ensures proper preparation for the professional world.
The Central Difference
Take the Stage
Grow as an artist in Central’s musical theatre program. In addition to rigorous academic courses, Central students have the opportunity to showcase their talents in performance and design/technical tracks in multiple high-quality productions every academic year. In addition to acting, students have the chance to direct, design, stage manage and more.
The college is known for producing award-winning shows. For example, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival has recognized these recent Central productions:
- A Christmas Carol, Stage Management and Scenic Design
- A Body of Water, Ensemble Student Production
- The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Direction, Scenic Design, Lighting Design, Costume Design, Stage Management & Run Crew and Makeup/Hair Design
- The Last Five Years, Lighting Design, Sound Design, Integration of Choreography, Spotlight Operation, Storytelling, Costume Construction and Stage Management
A Well-Rounded Performer
From growing up in the theatre to working for Walt Disney World Company, Ron Rybkowski, Central College technical director and lecturer of theatre, has nearly done it all. And now, Central students get the benefit of learning from him! Rybkowski “lights up” as he shares his passion on the screen and every day in the Kruidenier Center.
Facilities
The Kruidenier Center houses two flexible theaters with up-to-date computer-controlled lighting and sound systems. The main stage is a black box theater that seats up to 266 audience members. The Mr. B studio theater, which seats 75, is an experimental stage used for productions and classes such as acting, dance, and directing. Large, well-equipped scene and costume shops, design lab, recording studio, makeup alley, dressing rooms and green room complete the support facilities.
The VPA computer lab shared with the art, music and musical theatre programs is equipped with industry-standard programs used in theatre including VectorWorks, Qlab, Lightwright and Adobe Creative Suite.
Off-Campus Experiences
Central students can study off-campus — both internationally or domestically in the United States. These opportunities give students the chance to prepare to be global citizens, equipped to compete in the global job market. Students can check out experiences led by Central faculty or attend select academic programs across the world that provide opportunities for study, service, internships and other types of experiential learning. Options include experiences in Washington, D.C., Central America, Ghana, England, the Scottish Highlands and more.
Beyond Central
Putting the “Hire” in Higher Education
Central College theatre majors are employed in many fields — from teachers, arts administrators and lawyers to finance, publishing and health care.
- Kyran Moss Chavez ’19, Stage Manager, Coal Creek Theatre, Louisville, Colorado
- Alexis Lotspeich ’18, Costume Designer, Spotlight Theatre, Moline, Illinois
- Griffin Hammel ’14, Theatre Professor, Tarrant County College District, Fort Worth, Texas
- Emily Hutchinson ’14, Assistant Drama Director, Waukee Community Schools, Waukee, Iowa
- Shawn Jensen ’08, Technology and Exhibition Manager, Science Center of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa
- Minnihan Heerema ’04, Costume Shop Manager, Sacramento Theatre Company, Sacramento, California
- Rob Lindley ’95, Actor, The Phantom of the Opera National Tour, Chicago, Illinois
- Michael Frohling ’94, Assistant Professor of Light and Sound, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky
Central College Launches New Multimedia Design Major
Central offers a new major and minor for the digital-first world of students today.
Internships
Students are encouraged to find internships or employment in theatre through sources such as ArtSearch. The theatre department also partners with the Union Street Players in Pella to provide summer experience in acting, directing and stagecraft.
- Maine State Musical Theatre, Brunswick, Maine
- PRG Worldwide Entertainment Technology Solutions
- Stagecraft Institute of Las Vegas, George Daly Theater
- Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Twin Lake, Michigan
- Des Moines Civic Center
- Des Moines Playhouse
- Little Angel Theatre, London, U.K.
- Gate Theatre, London, U.K.
- Polka Dot Theatre, London, U.K.
- The Golden Hinde Trust, Living History Museum, London, U.K.
- The Rose Theatre, London, U.K.
- Iowa Science Museum
- Union Street Players
- Des Moines Metro Opera
- Walt Disney World Resort
- Pella Opera House
Graduate Placement
- Middlesex University, London, England
- Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois
- University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
- Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
- University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
- New York Film Academy, New York City, New York
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
- University of Houston, Houston, Texas
- Drake University Law School, Des Moines, Iowa
Other Opportunities
No matter what your interests are, Central has a student group for you!
- Alpha Psi Omega – The Largest National Honorary Theatrics Society in the World
Courses & Faculty
Theatre students study acting, directing, design, stagecraft, and theatre history/literature, any of which can become the starting place for further exploration and study. Students also have the opportunity to earn course credit through acting, designing or stage management and pursue independent study projects in any of these areas. Participation in co-curricular theatre programs is expected of students seeking a major or minor in musical theatre.
Learn more about this discipline in the course catalog.
Meet the Faculty
- Charles Adamson, B.F.A., M.A., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Theatre
- Kate Smith, B.S., M.F.A., Assistant Professor of Theatre
- Mathew Kelly, B.A., M.F.A., Professor of Art
- Ronald Rybkowski, B.A., M.F.A., Technical Director of Theatre and Lecturer
Sample Coursework
First Year
- Intro to Theatrical Design
- Acting
- Theatre Practice
- Stagecraft
- Dance Lessons
Sophomore Year
- Musical Theatre History
- Digital Media and Design
- Theory and Aural Skills I
- 2D Problem Solving
- History of Western Music: Pre-Classical to 1940
- Piano for Proficiency
- Dance Lessons
Junior Year
- Advanced Theatre Practice
- Entertainment Management
- Script Analysis and Dramatic Literature
- Theatrical Design I
- Discovering Shakespeare
- Philosophy of Art
- Dance Lessons
Senior Year
- Directing
- Senior Project
- Dance Lessons
Learn More
Want to find out more about Musical Theatre at Central? Contact us to learn more about this discipline and our other strong academic programs.
Visit campus to observe classes and experience The Central Difference firsthand.
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