PUBLIC PERFORMANCE - 2025/6

Module Overview

Students will be cast in a Musical selected by GSA. The musical selected will be determined by the skills and the dynamics available in the student cohort. There will be four or five weeks of full-time rehearsals followed by a performance week consisting of tech & dress rehearsals and four/five public performances. The musical will be staged by a Creative Team, Director/Choreographer/Musical Director, who will give continuous feedback on student progress throughout the course of rehearsals. 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 directors and technicians. The production may be streamed or performed live. In parallel, one Professional Development class per week will be undertaken building on previous classes in Module Musical Theatre Practices 2. These classes support new skills required for the Musical being rehearsed, to prepare the student for potential industry interest due to the exposure of this and future public performances and the skills required when interacting with industry professionals.

In the delivery of this module, GSA is guided by the UN's 17 Sustainable Development goals. We aim to promote good health and well-being by keeping to appropriate working hours and maintaining Equity-standard safe spaces. We encourage positive working ethics: collaboration, kindness, support, understanding, listening and integrity. We aim to recycle and repurpose sets, props and other production resources where possible, promoting a circular economy.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

WILLIAMS Frances (GSA)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

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

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Enrolment on: Acting Techniques, Vocal Techniques and Dance Techniques. Completion of Musical Theatre Practice 1 and Musical Theatre Practice 2.

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Intensive rehearsal of a Musical with a creative team, together with consultation of design and marketing departments

• Production week; including technical and dress rehearsals, and at least four public performances

• Professional Development building on parallel themes inherent with the staging of a public performance

All material and content covered will be reflective of the continually developing global perspective within the theatre/music industry, with an understanding and awareness of the history and context from which it is derived. 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate surety in performance and evidence of a credible approach to the creative rehearsal process.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

Performance – 50%. Performance week of Musical in Teaching Block 3

• Vocal technique in performance (3,4,5)

• Dance technique in performance (3,4,5)

• Acting technique in performance (3,4,5)

• Engagement with professional methods of delivery (3,4,5)

Contribution to Creative Process (Continuous Assessment) – 50%. Public performance rehearsals during Teaching Block 3

• Vocal technique in rehearsal (1,2,3,4,5)

• Dance technique in rehearsal (1,2,3,4,5)

• Acting technique in rehearsal (1,2,3,4,5)

• Understanding of systems of development (1,2,3,4,5)

• Creative approach (1,2,3,4,5)

• Stamina and Flexible approaches to objectives (1,2,3,4,5)

• Engagement with professional methods of delivery (1,2,3,4,5)

Formative assessment and Feedback This is a practical formative assessment that provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate and receive formative feedback in preparation for the summative assessments. Students receive verbal throughout rehearsal and written feedback following performance.

Student Activity Link to Learning Outcome(s)

• Vocal technique in performance

• Dance technique in performance

• Acting technique in performance

• Engagement with professional methods of delivery

• Vocal technique in rehearsal

• Dance technique in rehearsal

• Acting technique in rehearsal

• Understanding of systems of development

• Creative approach

• Stamina and Flexible approaches to objectives

• Engagement with professional methods of delivery

Module aims

• • Consolidate the skills learned in training by creating and performing a character as cast in a professional-standard public production, incorporating integrated acting, dance/movement, voice and music/singing techniques.
• • Contribute appropriately to ensemble practice in a professional environment.
• • Manage personal engagement in an environment which, as nearly as possible, follows an industry model with a professional creative team: directors, musical directors, choreographers and designers
• • Sustain and develop a working performance technique throughout the demands of a series of public performances.
• • Allow the student to acquire the requisite skills required when interacting with industry professionals.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Give students the experiences required to rehearse and perform a musical to professional standards, and the knowledge required when working and interacting with members of the industry. The learning and teaching methods include:

• Intensive Rehearsals

• Professional Development classes

The module is delivered over 150 hours study across the Teaching Block including, class and rehearsals. Teaching delivery will be such that it is accessible for all students.

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: MUTM033

Other information

GSA delivers its provision across three teaching blocks, within the University of Surrey’s existing semester structure.

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.