Theater, Film & Television Department

TFT 440 (2): Musical Theater Workshop, 3 units

Dance Studio (TBD), T/R 2:35-4:00, canvas.apu.edu, Fall 2021

Prerequisites: There are no University prerequisites for this class.

Instructor Information:
Jennifer Wilcove, MA
Phone: (626) 815-6000 Cell: (626) 731-3261 E-mail: jwannie@juno.com, jwilcove@apu.edu
Office Hours: by Zoom appointment, Tech. Support: 626-815-5050, Support@apu.edu



Mission Statement of Azusa Pacific University: APU is an evangelical Christian community of disciples and
scholars who seek to advance the work of God in the world through academic excellence in liberal arts and
professional programs of higher education that encourage students to develop a Christian perspective of truth and
life.

Department of Theater, Film and Television Mission Statement:

The Department of Theater Film and Television is an artistic community of Christian scholars dedicated to the training
and development of students intellectually, physically, spiritually, and emotionally through the study and integration of
theory and practice because visual and performing arts are vital to the health and growth of individuals and their
culture.

Course Objectives: This class focuses on developing the student’s abilities in singing and acting, character
development and text analysis through musical theater solos in the form of self tapes. Observation and performance
critique skills are developed through in class performance and written critical evaluations of submitted audition/
performance.

Course Overview:
Musical Theater is designed for the serious vocal and drama student, expanding their skill set in the areas of vocal
interpretation, acting, and overall musical theater production. Course content includes exercises in voice, acting and
movements, the development of vocal and physical skills used on stage, song and scene study, script analysis, and
characterization. Time will also be spent discussing how to prepare for a musical theater audition, including choice of
repertoire, how to make a 16 or 32 bar cut, and how to showcase your skills while using the medium of film. The final
consists of a digital folder of each student's selected songs, using all the elements explored throughout the term, as
well as 5 recorded excerpts that may be used for future audition submissions.

Course Goals:
· Assemble a collection of personal audition pieces with accompaniment.
· Gain a strong understanding of musical theater and roles you might play.
· Gain a strong self-awareness of personal performance and vocal strengths.
· Heighten audition skills and lessen performance anxiety.
· Set goals for improvements in performance and vocal technique.
· Begin to understand the performance and technical challenges associated with a successful self-tape.
· Assembling usable material for future self-tapes in a professional atmosphere.

Required Materials: 1 three-ring binder, notebook and recording device. Students are strongly suggested to record
their own weekly participation for future objective analysis. A large selection of music books are available for you to
use (please inquire for suggestions). Students continuing on in theater may wish to acquire their own book of
Broadway songs. I have not selected a book for you to purchase through the APU bookstore so you can buy a book
that best suits your voice. Music is also available for download at online sites such as musicnotes.com,
sheetmusicdirect.com, newmusicaltheater.com, or scribd.com. You will also be expected to download and utilize Kast
for the first several week of class. You also will need to utilize tracks from i-tunes, Spotify, youtube or other
resources.

Please have common courtesy and respect for the learning environment by following these steps:
· Wearing appropriate apparel to online and/or in-person classes
· As much eye contact and in person participation as is possible
· Preparation that seeks to circumvent traditional technical challenges
· Not wearing caps or hats in class.
· Staying attentive, and not being distracted by technology or other deterrents.
· Not working on other schoolwork.
· Don’t be late
Two Written Papers:
Provide a two page, double spaced summary of one musical audition submitted to an organization outside of APU
and an observation of one professional production, both during the course of the semester. Auditions can be
attended in the following areas: community theater audition, professional non-equity audition, open call equity
audition, all via video submission. The paper should be written in the first person by elaborating primarily on your
perceived effectiveness and final conclusions. This should be achieved by critiquing yourself in the ten areas
discussed in the audition worksheet. You should also include your submitted self-tape, show auditioned for, and
creatives involved. Audition listings can be found through Backstage West, Actor’s Equity Association or teacher
consultation.

Audition Songs (16-32 bars):

Songs workshopped will be subdivided into the followings categories: Comedic Character, Dramatic Ballad, Classical/
Legit Musical Theater, Upbeat Belt, 50’s/60’s Rock, Non-Musical Theater, Jazz/Standard, Disney, Sondheim and
Contemporary Musical Theater (within last 5 years). At each audition, worksheets much be filled out and emailed to
instructor before class or handed in person.

Assessment:
· All late work has the possibility to earn the maximum of 80% credit for the points possible.
· The last class before finals week is the last day to turn in any work.

Attendance and Participation: Your final grade will be lowered by 20 of the total possible class points for every
absence. As this is a participatory class please drop if consistently unable to attend.

Participation/Attendance 50%
Final Folder 20%
Complete Audition Repertoire 10%
2 Written Papers 20%

Grade Tabulation:
Audition Paper 50 points _____
Performance Paper 50 points _____
Professional Interview Paper 50 points _____
Workshop Song 1 50 points _____
Workshop Song 2 50 points _____
Workshop Song 3 50 points _____
Workshop Song 4 50 points _____
Workshop Song 5 50 points _____
Workshop Song 6 50 points _____
Workshop Song 7 50 points _____
Workshop Song 8 50 points _____
Workshop Song 9 50 points _____
Workshop Song 10 50 points _____
The Callback 50 points _____
Complete Recording 100 points _____
Folder Final 200 points _____
*I subtract 10 points for every tardy and 20 points for every absence.

1000-930 = A 769-730 = C
929-900 = A- 729-700 = C-
899-870 = B+ 699-670 = D+
869-830 = B 669-630 = D
829-800 = B- 629-600 = D-
799-770 = C+ 599 or below = F
Course Schedule: (*subject to change without notice), at least 5 of the ten pieces must be pre-recorded
If your last name is in the first half of the alphabet, you will workshop every Tuesday.
Week 1 Tuesday 8/31 Fall Classes Begin (Syllabus/Vocal Technique)
Week 2 Tuesday 9/7; Musical Theater History (last week to add/drop classes)
Week 3 Tuesday 9/14 Musical Theater History
Week 4 Tuesday 9/21 Disney (in-person)
Week 5 Tuesday 9/28 Non-Musical Theater (self-tape)
Week 6 Tuesday 10/5 Dramatic Ballad
Week 7 Tuesday 10/12 Jazz Standard
Week 8 Tuesday 10/19 Professional Interview (TBD)/Advising
Week 9 Tuesday 10/26 Contemporary Musical Theater; First Paper Due
Week 10 Tuesday 11/02 Period Piece; Last Week to Withdraw from Classes
Week 11 Tuesday 11/9 Upbeat Belt
Week 12 Tuesday 11/16 Film/TV; 2nd Paper Due
Week 13 Tuesday 11/22 Thanksgiving Break
Week 14 Tuesday 11/30 Comedic Character
Week 15 Tuesday 12/7 Sondheim
Week 16 Tuesday TBD Finals; Teacher’s Choice (Callback); Folder Due/Final Paper Due
Recommended Reading:
Broadway the American Musical
by Michael Kantor, Laurence Maslon
Publisher: Applause Theatre and Cinema Books; Upd Rev edition (May 15, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1423491033

Auditioning for the Musical Theatre

by Fred Silver, Charles Strouse
Publisher: Penguin USA (Paper); Reprint edition (January 1988)
ISBN: 0140104992

The Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology

by Richard Walters (Compiler), A. L. David
Publisher: Hal Leonard; (December 2000)
ISBN: 0634028812
(The Singer’s Musical Theater Anthology comes in every voice range. Purchase the one that best fits your
voice. These also often contain CD’s which is a good place to start if you are completely stumped)

University Policies
Plagiarism:
“The mission of Azusa Pacific University includes cultivating in each student not only the academic skills that are
required for a university degree, but also the characteristics of academic integrity that are integral to a sound
Christian education. It is therefore part of the mission of the university to nurture in each student a sense of moral
responsibility consistent with the biblical teachings of honesty and accountability. Furthermore, a breach of academic
integrity is viewed not merely as a private matter between the student and an instructor, but rather as an act, which is
fundamentally inconsistent with the purpose and mission of the entire university. A complete copy of the Academic
Integrity Policy is available in the Office of Student Life, the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs,
and online.”(Excerpt from APU Academic Integrity Policy)

Disability:
Students in this course who have a disability that might prevent them from fully demonstrating their abilities should
meet with an advisor in the Learning Enrichment Center as soon as possible to initiate disability verification and
discuss reasonable accommodations that will allow the opportunity for full participation and for successful completion
of course requirements. For more information, please visit www.apu.edu/lec, or contact the LEC by phone at
626-815-3849, or email at lec@apu.edu.

Diversity:
Affirming that diversity is an expression of God’s image, love, and boundless creativity, it is the University’s aim to
collectively nurture an environment that respects each individual’s uniqueness while celebrating our collective
commonalities. It is in this spirit that we collectively strive to create an inclusive environment in which all students,
staff, faculty, and administrators thrive.

Academic Integrity Policy:

The mission of Azusa Pacific University includes cultivating in each student not only the academic skills that are
required for a university degree, but also the characteristics of academic integrity that are integral to a sound
Christian education. It is therefore part of the mission of the university to nurture in each student a sense of moral
responsibility consistent with the biblical teachings of honesty and accountability. Furthermore, a breach of academic
integrity is viewed not merely as a private matter between the student and an instructor but rather as an act which is
fundamentally inconsistent with the purpose and mission of the entire university. A complete copy of the Academic
Integrity Policy is available in the Office of Student Life, the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Programs,
and online. Expectations regarding academic integrity in this class: Expectations are consistent with those outlined in
the academic integrity policy.

Information Literacy:
Information literacy is defined as “a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and
have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information” (American Library Association, 1989).
In this course, teaching and learning processes will employ the following information literacy standards, as endorsed
by the American Association for Higher Education (1999), the Association of College and Research Libraries (2000),
and the Council of Independent Colleges (2004). The students in this course will:
• determine the nature and extent of the information needed.
• access needed information effectively and efficiently.
• evaluate information and its sources critically and incorporate selected information into their knowledge base
and value system.
• individually or as a member of a group, use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
This course requires students to do outside research.

Emergency Policy:
“It is highly recommended that you leave the class title, room and building location, and the APU campus phone
number (626) 969-3434 with family and/or other contacts if you wish to be notified in case of an emergency.”
 Audition Workshop Page
(to be filled out by student)

My name: __________________________________________________________________________

Song/Show: ________________________________________________________________________

Composers: _________________________________________________________________________

Type of song: _______________________________________________________________________

Who:_______________________________________________________________________________

What:_______________________________________________________________________________

When:______________________________________________________________________________

Where:______________________________________________________________________________

Why:_______________________________________________________________________________

Vocal Performance: (1 is low – 5 is high)

(to be filled out by instructor)
Posture & Breathing ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
______________________________________________________________________________
Tonal Quality & Vowels ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
_____________________________________________________________________________
Range ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
_____________________________________________________________________________
Note & Rhythmic Accuracy ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
_____________________________________________________________________________
Phrasing ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
______________________________________________________________________________
Communication & Expression ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
______________________________________________________________________________
Diction ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
______________________________________________________________________________
Memorization ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
______________________________________________________________________________
Stage Presence ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
______________________________________________________________________________
Tension & Space ( 1 2 3 4 5 )
______________________________________________________________________________

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