A Teacher’s Guide to Musical Theatre

About the Author

Professor Kenneth Pickering was lead assessor for the Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre. Former Professor of Theatre at Gonzaga University, USA and Chief Examiner for Speech, Drama and Musical Theatre for the London College of Music and Trinity/Guildhall. Consultant to Rock School and Stagecoach Theatre Schools. Author of 13 published and widely performed plays and musicals and of Studying Modern Drama, Key Concepts in Drama and Performance, Drama Improvised, Drama in the Cathedral and co-author of Theatre Studies, Naturalism in Theatre, Choreographing the Stage Musical and two Workbooks for Musical Theatre (with David Henson). He died in 2021.

Professor David Henson is former Director of London College of Music with skills in directing, acting and musical theatre. Currently researching for a book publication in dialogue in the performance space. Have been responsible for creating postgraduate and undergraduate courses in Acting, Musical Theatre, Voice Studies, Acting & Theatre Making and Actor Musicianship courses in many conservatoires and universities including Royal Central School, London College of Music and Royal Conservatoire, Birmingham. Creator and writer of first Advanced Level Performing Arts and Chief Examiner for Advanced Level Music, Drama and Performing Arts plus vocational qualifications at all levels. Author of 3 publications in musical theatre and recently completed a chapter in Bloomsbury's Perspectives and Practices in popular Music Education.

Product Description

Are you a teacher of musical theatre who struggles to plan and construct lessons? Are you looking for a structured approach to teaching musical theatre to students of all abilities? Do you know your Ivor Novello from your Stephen Sondheim?

Despite being one of the most popular forms of performance study, Musical Theatre is often the most difficult to teach due to its part-practical and part-academic approach. With few books on the market directly aimed at teachers, it can be a challenging and daunting task to devise a course of study that takes in the history of the form as well as considering the wider aspects that come together to make a successful musical.

A Teacher's Guide to Musical Theatreenables teachers to plan and deliver courses in Musical Theatre with confidence and flair. The unique structure of the chapters guides teachers through key facts and concepts in musical theatre history and offers practical in-class activities for students. From topics for class discussion and essay assignments to journal entries and portfolios to sample test questions, this book is full of practical advice from experienced teachers in the field which make it the idea companion for teachers and instructors on diploma and degree-level courses, as well as those devising courses in part-time performing arts schools.

Devised to provide sufficient engaging and inspirational material for an initial term or semester, the book establishes the principles of teaching this relatively new subject and encourages teachers to extend much further into the subject. From The Mikado to Hamilton and everything in between, this book breaks down decades of history into appropriately sized lessons, designed to give students a rounded survey of the subject and an understanding of how musicals work. Offering expert guidance to those with varied fields of expertise and practical experience but limited teaching experience, this book is the only existing guide to structured and stimulating practice.

Review

"David Henson and Kenneth Pickering have encapsulated the key ingredients to producing successful, engaging, enjoyable and beautifully paced lessons that can be adapted to suit any teaching environment ... Whether you are a new or experienced teacher, this superbly written book has plenty of gems and treasures that will add value, broaden your teaching, and engage your students ... A must buy!"
- Ivor Flint, London College of Music, UK