Performing Arts: Musical Theatre and Acting Pathway Level 3 Full-time (FPFA)

This Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing Arts provides you with opportunities to develop and showcase your musical theatre skills or your technical skills in the creative industries.

Whether you are a triple-threat musical theatre performer, with equal skills in acting, dance and singing, want to perform in the singing and dancing ensemble of the next touring hit musical or dream of storming the West End as a leading role with your phenomenal voice and acting skills, this is the course for you!

You will specialise in musical theatre and will explore skills in acting, singing and dance by performing in our versatile venue, The Electric Theatre, as well as our more intimate studio performance space.

You will work on specialist projects, as well as large scale public performances each year, in The Electric Theatre. Our Performing Arts and Production Arts students work closely with each other so you will develop transferable skills such as communication skills and self-confidence, becoming an excellent team player and problem solver, as well as developing your specialist skills.

The course provides the opportunity to develop your specialist technique and creativity through a variety of group projects, public performances and solo audition preparation.

You will get the chance to perform in a dedicated theatre space and our intimate studio performance space.

You will be assessed through your coursework and practical demonstrations such as performances in several public shows, as well as private class assessments throughout the year. Public performances will take place in the evenings.

• Five GCSEs at grade 4 including GCSE English and maths
• Relevant experience and a successful audition
• Successful interview

On completion of the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing and Production Arts, you will gain the knowledge, skills and understanding to progress to degree level study or employment in the performing arts industry. The qualification attracts 72, 120 and 168 UCAS tariff points for Pass, Merit and Distinction grades respectively, which is equivalent to three A Levels.

Previous students have progressed to some of the most prestigious specialist training in the country at centres such as Urdang Academy, Italia Conti, Guildhall, Mountview, Arden, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, East 15, as well as to universities such as Manchester Metropolitan, Central Lancashire, Cumbria, Lincoln, Salford, Edge Hill, Sheffield Hallam, and the Foundation Degree in Acting for Touring Theatre at University Campus Barnsley (UCB).

You may want to progress to Higher Education courses with postgraduate study in a range of specialist areas such as teaching, directing, choreography, opera, events management, drama and dance therapy.

This course could form the successful foundations of a career in acting, musical theatre or dance. You could work as:

• An actor in a range of entertainment industries
• In touring/production theatre companies
• A performer in theatre, film, TV, video, radio or street entertainments theatre
• In education
• Within a musical theatre company as a ‘triple threat’ performer
• A director
• A teacher
• A choreographer
• Voice and/or movement coach
• In stage combat or drama therapy
• A backing singer
• A holiday or cruise ship entertainer
• A dance captain
• A dancer in a theatre company
• In a related entertainment industry such as pop videos, circus, burlesque, featured/backing dancer, Dance Repetiteur or movement therapist
• In Theatre Administration in roles such as administrator, producer, agent, casting director, or in related fields such as marketing, personal representation or events management