REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module facilitates rehearsal and performance processes for three public Musical Theatre productions. The Module allows students to apply advanced understanding of techniques and sustained personal processes.  In all productions, students will experience the demands, rigours, discipline and professional standards required of the contemporary professional actor in rehearsal and performance.  Students will work with and engage with a wide professional Musical Theatre community. 

 

The module comprises of:

• Full-time rehearsals for three public productions


• Public performances of three public productions

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

NICHOLLS Stewart (GSA)

Number of Credits: 45

ECTS Credits: 22.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Year long

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

n/a

Module content

Rehearsal and Performance

Students will be cast in three Musicals selected by GSA in which they will experience the demands, rigours, discipline and professional standards required of the contemporary professional actor in rehearsal and performance. The Musicals selected will be determined by the range, skills and the dynamics in the student cohort and with an awareness and comprehension of the continually developing Global perspective within the industry.  Every effort is made to provide material which reflects the professional market and which challenges the students artistically, but primarily to showcase students talents.  Each Musical will have full-time rehearsals followed by technical and dress rehearsals and public performances. The Musicals will be staged by a Creative Team, Director/Choreographer/Musical Director, who will give continuous verbal feedback on student progress throughout the course of rehearsals.  The training at GSA Level 6 study requires students to apply advanced understanding of technique and sustained personal process. At Level 6, students are expected to demonstrate a high level of textual understanding, characterisation, vocal technique and delivery, dance technique and delivery, integration of technique, sustained rehearsal work and collaborative company work.  Students will learn to negotiate a process of engagement with full Production staff, comprising of Costume and Make-up supervisors, Set and Lighting Designers and a full professional structure of Stage Management and Technicians. Guidance on appropriate methodologies and the determining of appropriate goals will be given by the creative team and disseminated by the Deputy Stage Manager (DSM). The creative team and production staff are selected from members of the faculty, the production courses and from a pool of professional working creatives and technicians.

 

When undertaking productions, GSA promotes recycling and repurposing, considers existing resources when designing and devising and minimises energy waste. GSA embraces and promotes a circular economy within design and delivery of teaching and productions within everyday life at GSA.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

n/a

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to evidence professional level skills, engagement, discipline, contextual understanding, character analysis, collaboration, and a consistent work ethic required of the contemporary professional actor in their personal approach to the creative rehearsal process and public performances.

 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

 

Process and Performance – For all 3 productions.  Practical Based Assessment

• Integration of skills/disciplines


• Contextual understanding of style/genre


• Character analysis/understanding


• Consistent Rehearsal and Performance discipline as a collaborative company member


• Engagement with professional and personal sustainable methods of rehearsal and performance delivery

These assessments address Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10

 

In addition, Production 2 of 3 also requires:

• Evidence of resourceful and resilient approach to problem solving

Production 2 of 3 assessments address Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 10

 

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is embedded within the learning and teaching for this module.  Mirroring industry practice, students are given detailed constant verbal feedback during classes, which enables students to develop and act upon notes given.  Questioning, dialogue, facilitated peer-to-peer feedback and group discussion is undertaken constantly to enable students develop their critical, and self-reflective skills, to allow them to adjust their work and process in response.

 

Feedback

• Students are given detailed constant formative verbal feedback during classes. 


• Students will receive detailed written summative feedback via SurreyLearn on conclusion of each assessment.

Module aims

• Consolidate skills learned in training by creating and performing characters as cast in professionally delivered public productions
• Incorporate integrated acting, dance/movement, voice and music/singing techniques
• Engage appropriately, creatively and intelligently in ensemble practice within a professional rehearsal environment
• Evidence a responsible consistent awareness and attitude of professional self-management, discipline and presentation
• Manage personal engagement in a working environment which adheres to professional values
• Sustain and develop a working performance technique throughout the demands of a series of public performances

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

 

• Place an emphasis on the practical development of employable skills learnt throughout Levels 4 & 5 required for imminent entry into the profession.


• Provide students with practical experience of rehearsal and performance processes on public productions, providing valuable experience to enable them to enter the industry on the graduation of Level 6 study.

 

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Company rehearsals


• Individual rehearsals and tutorials (where appropriate)


• Group and Individual research sessions (where appropriate)


• Feedback (Notes) sessions with creative teams

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MUT3021

Other information

Guildford School of Acting trains students, within their chosen fields, to have an understanding and appreciation of Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow Musical Theatre students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

 

Digital Capabilities

Throughout the module students will be required to engage with digital technologies to develop their digital literacy, to support their learning journey, and to explore and secure employment opportunities.  Students will use specialist software to create digital and promotional content, and they will use a range of sharing platforms and social media to share this content with industry professionals, the GSA Marketing department, and peers for promotion of all three public productions in this module.  Rehearsal and Performance calls and communication between company and Deputy Stage Manager will be delivered via email for all three public productions in this module.

 

Employability

The focus on employability is embedded in the teaching, learning and assessment activities throughout this module to nurture career ready graduates that will be sought after by employers in the creative industries.  Expert staff with practitioner backgrounds deliver authentic and practical modes of working from the studio, to rehearsal, to public performance mirroring professional practice.   Students develop transferable skills including independent and collaborative working, creative, critical and reflective thinking, and problem solving.  Students will engage with a range of industry stakeholders who are invited to observe classes and attend performances. 

 

Global & Cultural Capabilities

Students will develop their global, social, historical, and cultural awareness, share experiences and knowledge from their own backgrounds and cultures, and appreciate, recognise and interpret diverse perspectives.  Throughout rehearsal for productions, with an open mind and a willingness to engage in discussion, students will develop awareness and appreciate, recognise and interpret diverse perspectives in the characters and communities they will be portraying as actors-in-training.  Students will be able to make informed contributions to the current debates in the creative industries.

 

Resourcefulness & Resilience

In this programme the learning journey is carefully structured so that performance and rehearsal skills can be learned, developed, and integrated resulting in the student acquiring a broad range of resources which they can continue to use throughout the rest of their training and in future employment settings.  The nature of the work throughout rehearsals into performances means students will learn to navigate uncertainty, to deal with risks and challenges, and to take on board personal and professional responsibilities.  The use of formative and summative feedback will enable students to build a thorough overview of their individual process and progress.  The training features independent and collaborative learning, problem solving, communication, perseverance, stamina, critical thinking, self-management, and an understanding of self-value.  Mirroring industry standards students will undertake rehearsals and performance schedules which are in line with expectations for a successful Musical Theatre career.  

 

Sustainability

Throughout the module, students are encouraged to reflect on the social, cultural, ethical, political, economic, and environmental impact of the work they do as individuals and collectively, and to recognise their shared responsibilities.  Students will understand the impact on audiences of the values, perceptions, and actions of their own, of others and of characters they are portraying in rehearsal and performance.  Students will be nurtured as future leaders in sustainability thinking and empowered to take informed decisions and responsible actions that promote the wellbeing of present and future generations.  GSA has a strong commitment to working from the studio, to rehearsal, to public performance in the most sustainable way possible.  All public productions allow the students to work in a sustained safe vocal and physical manner commensurate with rigors of professional delivery.

 

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.