Musical Theatre, B.F.A.
B.F.A. in Musical Theatre
Develop your skills. Discover your process. Dare to find your artistic voice.
Musical Theatre at Penn State is recognized as one of the finest training programs in the nation. Our mission is to train young artists so that they may thrive in the professional musical theatre and enjoy a successful and lifelong artistic journey.
Students are recruited nationally and share a positive, professional, and dedicated attitude as humans and artists that allows them to enter the Industry ready to contribute to the stories they want to tell and the art they want to make.
Earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre at Penn State
The Musical Theatre B.F.A. degree program is an intensive pre-professional training program with alumni working around the country and the world.
Our faculty is made up of artists dedicated to both the profession and the academy. As working actors, dancers, music directors, choreographers, and directors, we bring our students Broadway, national tour, regional theatre, and film and television experience. With a ratio of thirteen faculty to forty-nine students, the training is individualized, specific, and demanding.
Students accepted into the program will receive specialized training in singing, acting, and dance. In addition to this training, Penn State Musical Theatre offers several signature initiatives:
- New Musicals Initiative – which commissions musical theatre writers to write for our students
- Master Class Series
- Musical Theatre Wellness Center – which assists our students in the areas of Mental, Physical, Vocal, and Nutritional Health during their training
Connect with us
Next Steps
Our Alumni
We are so proud of our many alums working around the world. Below are just a few of the exciting projects that involve Penn State Musical Theatre alumni. Check back frequently – we are always updating!
Caroline Bowman – Sunset Boulevard, Broadway (Norma Desmond standby)
MaryRose Brendel – Mean Girls, National Tour (Karen Smith)
Kevin Clay – The Book of Mormon, Broadway (Elder Price)
Ixchel Cuellar – Hamilton, National Tour (Swing)
Allyson Kaye Daniel – The Wiz, Broadway (Ensemble)
Jessie Davidson – Six, Broadway (alternate)
Alex Dorf – Hamilton, National Tour (Samuel Seabury/ Ensemble)
Ryaan Farhadi – My Fair Lady, National Tour (Jamie, u/s Doolittle)
Mathew Fedorek – Funny Girl, National Tour (Ensemble)
Jasmine Forsberg – Six, Broadway (Jane Seymour)
Marc Ginsburg – Beetlejuice, National Tour (swing, u/s Beetlejuice)
Dan Gleason – Wicked, Broadway (Ensemble, Fiyero u/s)
CJ Greer – Company, National Tour (Understudy)
Katie Griffith – Beetlejuice, National Tour (Ensemble)
Darron Hayes – Kimberly Akimbo, National Tour (Martin)
Jim Hogan – Kimberly Akimbo, National Tour (Buddy)
Will Jewett – Back to the Future, National Tour (Ensemble)
Paul Jordan Jansen - & Juliet, National Tour (Lance)
James T. Lane – A Wonderful World, Broadway (Louis Armstrong alternate)
Timmy Lewis – Shrek, National Tour (Lord Farquaad)
Connor McRory – Moulin Rouge, National Tour (Ensemble)
Jimin Moon – Sunset Boulevard, Broadway (Ensemble, u/s Joe)
Dario Natarelli – Illinoise, Broadway (Ensemble)
Keke Nesbitt – The Book of Mormon, National Tour (Nabulungi)
Allsun O’Malley – Wicked, National Tour (Ensemble, Glinda cover)
Jake Pedersen – Wicked, Broadway (Boq)
Julio Rey – Aladdin, Broadway (Ensemble, Aladdin cover)
Noah Silverman – The Book of Mormon, National Tour (Elder Young)
Emma Stratton – Company, National Tour (Jenny)
Brinie Wallace – The Lion King, National Tour (Swing)
Aidan Wharton – Girl from the North Country, National Tour (Elias Burke)
Teddy Wilson – Cats, The Jellicle Ball, NYC PAC (Sillabub)
Considering the B.F.A. in Musical Theatre? Consider this.
With our curriculum, initiatives, and connections–we are defining 21st century Musical Theatre training.
- Tony, Grammy, Obie winning writers work in our New Musicals Initiative
- Master classes taught by Broadway’s elite professionals
- Graduating students leave with professionally filmed material for their websites
- Each year, we spend time in NYC taking classes, seeing shows, and meeting alumni
See it in 360º
Welcome to our studios and spaces! Each of these 360º views is a portal of sorts into the learning and performance spaces in the School of Theatre!
You can click-and-drag to control the view in the frame, and there are embedded ‘links’ within the viewer that enable you to move among physical locations. By clicking the arrow icon at the footer of the viewer window, you can access the tour navigation menu, including the full screen (and you really should check these out full screen).
Alumni Spotlight
alumni spotlight
Andrew Giffin
“Penn State embraced my vision for a cross-disciplinary education that combined electrical engineering with theatre and stage lighting.”
Andrew Giffin – a Schreyer Scholar who earned a inter-college Bachelor of Philosophy incorporating studies in Theatre Design and Technology plus Electrical Engineering – is the associate lighting designer for the rock band, Phish, and is widely considered as the top lighting programmer in the industry. Andrew has designed and programmed light shows for musicians such as Pearl Jam, Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber in addition to his work on music award shows, theatre productions and sporting events.