Music Theatre • Carthage College

At A Glance

At Carthage, music theatre students receive premier music theatre training grounded in the liberal arts tradition. Core skill-building courses in voice, acting, and dance are integrated with our interdisciplinary music theatre courses to prepare students to give a “triple-threat” performance.

Majors & Minors Offered

Students interested in Music Theatre at Carthage can earn a B.A. in music, with an emphasis in music theatre.

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The music theatre curriculum at Carthage features comprehensive vocal training and musicianship, intense acting experiences, and a variety of dance technique and choreography classes.

Students have many opportunities to perform. In addition to a main stage musical production every year, the Music Theatre Workshop explores different genres in scene recitals and full productions every term. Regular visits by New York and Chicago music theatre professionals complement the curriculum.

Work with Professional Directors & Artists

Carthage is uniquely situated in the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor, a prime geographic location for music theatre students to work with guest directors, vocal coaches, and choreographers. Students have interned at prestigious theatres in the Chicago and Milwaukee theatre districts. Guest artists come to campus to lead masterclasses. Carthage students also develop relationships with New York directors and choreographers through the summer Open Jar Institute and perform all over the world on music- or theatre-focused study tours.

Read more about performance opportunities

<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,374,375/436_Zhu_22.rev.1638389814.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,374,375/436_Zhu_22.rev.1638389814.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,374,375/436_Zhu_22.rev.1638389814.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,374,375/436_Zhu_22.rev.1638389814.jpg" alt="" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,374,375/436_Zhu_22.rev.1638389814.jpg 2x" data-max-w="374" data-max-h="375" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “Carthage offers lots of opportunities for students who major in musical theater. We learn a lot from all those wonderful professors and our fellows. We not only learn knowledge, but we also learn how to be a professional actor and how to be a good person.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/451-ruiqing-zhu">Ruiqing Zhu</a> ’22</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,55,300,355/399_Tyler_Meyer_22.rev.1645635937.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,55,300,355/399_Tyler_Meyer_22.rev.1645635937.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,55,300,355/399_Tyler_Meyer_22.rev.1645635937.jpg" alt="" width="183" height="183" data-max-w="300" data-max-h="300" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “Carthage has offered me the opportunity to perform every single semester since I arrived here. I have participated in music theater workshops, main stage musicals and plays, dance shows, staged readings, and directed scenes.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/507-tyler-meyer">Tyler Meyer</a> ’22</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1440,1440/33088_Nicky_Caldwell_23.rev.1644338353.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1440,1440/33088_Nicky_Caldwell_23.rev.1644338353.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1440,1440/33088_Nicky_Caldwell_23.rev.1644338353.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1440,1440/33088_Nicky_Caldwell_23.rev.1644338353.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1440,1440/33088_Nicky_Caldwell_23.rev.1644338353.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1440,1440/33088_Nicky_Caldwell_23.rev.1644338353.jpg" alt="Nicky Caldwell ?23" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1440,1440/33088_Nicky_Caldwell_23.rev.1644338353.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1440,1440/33088_Nicky_Caldwell_23.rev.1644338353.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1440" data-max-h="1440" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> Carthage is a great place to come for the arts. The programs are spectacular, and the faculty are wonderful. Most importantly, though, the community has your back. They want you to succeed. It’s truly a wonderful environment.</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/1513-nicky-caldwell">Nicky Caldwell</a> ’23</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,638,637/851_Headshot.rev.1638389806.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,638,637/851_Headshot.rev.1638389806.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,638,637/851_Headshot.rev.1638389806.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,638,637/851_Headshot.rev.1638389806.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,638,637/851_Headshot.rev.1638389806.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,638,637/851_Headshot.rev.1638389806.jpg" alt="Lane Breimhorst ?23" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,638,637/851_Headshot.rev.1638389806.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,638,637/851_Headshot.rev.1638389806.jpg 3x" data-max-w="638" data-max-h="637" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “Music theatre has always been my passion, and thanks to the professors and students here, I have only grown to love it more.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/1212-lane-breimhorst">Lane Breimhorst</a> ’23</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,76,300,376/414_Caitlin_Preuss_23.rev.1645636279.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,76,300,376/414_Caitlin_Preuss_23.rev.1645636279.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,76,300,376/414_Caitlin_Preuss_23.rev.1645636279.jpg" alt="" width="183" height="183" data-max-w="300" data-max-h="300" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “My biggest piece of advice is to try everything! The minute you dive in head first, you will have more opportunities than you know what to do with.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/510-caitlin-preuss">Caitlin Preuss</a> ’23</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,330,420/33089_Hannah_Czaplicki_23.rev.1644342797.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,330,420/33089_Hannah_Czaplicki_23.rev.1644342797.png 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,330,420/33089_Hannah_Czaplicki_23.rev.1644342797.png" alt="Hannah Czaplicki ?23" width="183" height="183" data-max-w="330" data-max-h="420" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> I’ve had an opportunity to perform every semester I’ve been at Carthage — be it singing in choir, acting in a scene directed by a classmate, or performing in a full-blown musical. Each performance opportunity adds a new layer to who I am as an artist and gives me a new challenge to conquer.</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/1514-hannah-czaplicki">Hannah Czaplicki</a> ’23</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>

Receive Exceptional Academic Training

Students in the Music Theatre Program are expected to balance academic discipline with practical pre-professional experience. The Bachelor of Arts with an Emphasis in Music Theatre is designed for the student who has a strong proficiency in voice and basic proficiency in both acting and dance. The curriculum consists of “core” courses in voice and musicianship supported by studies in performance, dance, design, and music theatre history and criticism.

See what’s required for the music theatre emphasis

Scholarships Available

Each year, Carthage offers more than $300,000 in renewable music and music theatre scholarships to incoming freshmen and transfer students who demonstrate outstanding potential. Individual scholarships range from $1,000 to $13,000 and may be offered to music majors and minors, as well as students in the music theatre emphasis. Scholarship auditions take place in the spring of each year.