The Experience of Authenticity for the Musical Theatre performer: Considerations, Challenges and Opportunities
Tuesday 15th October 2024, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM (London Time)
This short course explores the role that authenticity plays in the training of the musical theatre performer by looking at its history, its influence on actor training and its impact on speaking and singing voice pedagogies. Challenges related to the use of this fascinating and elusive ideal are explored, as well as opportunities for a revised practical approach geared towards musical theatre vocal work.
The course is structured in three parts: the first will explore the concept of authenticity by placing it in an historical context that will help us identify its privileged relationship with theatre and actor training. The second will outline the results of a research project investigating how young performers experience ideas such as authenticity, individuality and truthfulness in their practical day-to-day studies or professional work. The third will propose exercises and activities aimed at bringing a revised approach to authenticity into the classroom.
At the end of the course, you will have been exposed to ideas and reflections on authenticity ranging from the philosophical to the practical, as assumptions at the heart of actor training that have shaped the dualism between voice and singing pedagogies will be presented and discussed. As a result of these discussions, musical theatre will emerge as an art form needing a specific framework that refuses dualistic polarities in favour of difference and complexity existing without a need for conflict or resolution.
🏷️ Price £30 (UK VAT inclusive)
🎥 Recording automatically sent to all who book (even if you cannot attend live)
▶️ Rewatch as many times as you like
📜 Certificate of attendance available
Marco Morbidelli
Marco Morbidelli holds a master’s degree in voice studies from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and works at Mountview as Course Leader for the BA Performance programme (Acting, Actor Musicianship and Musical Theatre pathways) as well as Joint Head of Singing.
Attend this course for as little as £22 as part of the Voice Professional Training CPD Award Scheme.
Learn MoreSorry, this is an archived short course...
We have plenty of upcoming short courses coming soon. See details of some of them below or look at the full list of short courses.
Tuesday 17th February 2026
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
(London Time)
Simultaneous Singing and Dancing in Musical Theatre: A Cross-Disciplinary Evidence Review
Debbie Winter
Dr Claire Thomas
This short course invites participants to critically examine the latest cross-disciplinary evidence on the physical and vocal demands of musical theatre performance. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review conducted by Debbie Winter and Claire Thomas (Voice Study Centre, University of Essex), the course explores research from voice science, dance medicine, sports science, and performance pedagogy.
Thursday 19th February 2026
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
(London Time)
It’s not a virus! Reconceptualizing and De-pathologizing Music Performance Anxiety
Rebecca Herman
Performance Anxiety is one of the most widespread and debilitating challenges facing musicians across all ages, nationalities and musical genres. Despite decades of research and the development of numerous interventions, we do not yet have an established way of supporting performers experiencing performance anxiety. Aimed at performers, teachers, researchers and students, this presentation will first summarise the current state of play in performance anxiety research, before exploring alternative ways to think about performance anxiety, drawing on new research outside of performance psychology...
Thursday 19th February 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Thursday 26th February 2026
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
(London Time)
Performing Pain: Vocal Health in Emotional Roles!
Louisa Morgan
How connected are acted emotions to our real-life emotions? Are they expressed differently? Do they feel different in the body? This 2-part course with Louisa Morgan looks at the potential impact of acted emotion on vocal health, why we should consider it as voice practitioners, and how to care for our performers needing to work with it.