Miami students performing in last year’s production of ‘The Wiz’.’ The university will hold auditions for a new musical theater minor in fall 2012, with classes set to begin in spring 2013. (ANDREW BRAY | The Miami Student)
Miami University is offering a new musical theater minor that will be available for auditions in fall 2012.
Dean of Fine Arts James Lentini said this new educational opportunity will connect the dots between singing, dancing and acting for music and theaters majors at Miami.
In the past, Miami hasn't had the course work that educates and trains students for musical theater. The idea for the new musical theater minor started when there was enough interest from the music and theater department to start collaborating and setting up course work to satisfy both areas with one minor. Other institutions that have a musical theater program have done well with it and the talent at Miami has enough interest to develop this program as well, according to Lentini.
Co-director for the minor Laura Alison Acord said the minor was created to fill student desires.
"It was really born of student interest," she said.
Lentini said that by picking up this minor, students are able develop the skills needed to be a "triple threat" in the theater industry and prepare themselves for auditions that require them to sing, dance, and act.
"A lot of students are really thrilled," Acord said.
Lentini said the creation of this minor allows for a versatile educational experience. He said the minor will "raise visibility for what we're doing in both music and theater and meet student interest and demand."
To start off, the minor will only be available for current music or theater majors, but with enough demand, the minor could open up for other students in other majors to take advantage of.
"It's important to take a first step," Lentini said. "But it could expand with student interest and overall capacity."
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The auditions for students to be admitted into the program are planned for next fall with classes beginning in spring 2013. The program plans on accepting 12 students for the first year. The minor will consist of 20 credit hours in classes like acting, movement and voice training, Lentini said.
Junior Julia Trapp is a vocal music education major who is interested in seeing the success of the new musical theater minor program.
"[The program will] really expand the opportunities not only in the theater department but in the school of fine arts as well," Trapp said.
She said this minor will catch the eye on high school seniors looking for a college to satisfy their theater needs.
"I wish I was a freshman when this came around," Trapp said.
The minor is not being considered as a major at the moment, but could have the potential to be.
"We're taking a crawl, walk, run approach," Lentini said.
But he's guessing the student interest to be tremendous.
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