Answer 1

           As a performance artist researching how to structure a Bachelor of Fine Arts for Musical Theatre degree program, I am pleased with the wealth of pedagogical avenues one can find in Musical Theatre University programs around the world. My first task is to pinpoint a pedagogical approach and theme for the course of study that speaks to my own values in education. No one avenue is more correct or better than another, and I highly value variety and the choices presented by having so many overarching themes. When I researched different BFA Musical Theatre programs I enjoyed the breadth of approach strategies spread out before me. Oklahoma City University, a famous University for its Music Theatre program, as well as other degrees in the arts, heavily emphasizes the music component and it's praxis, over any other component in their curriculum. For instance, the fall semester of a student's first year incorporates 6 music courses, including piano, 1 acting course and 1 dance course. Likewise, Shenandoah University also incorporates a wide variety of praxis courses in song and dance, but with little to no theory, history, or ethical analysis. For the 'Fine Arts' much of the bachelors degree is enhancing the skills required to execute one's artistry. For Musical Theatre, these skills are needed at an advanced level in three categories: singing, dancing, and acting. As a practitioner of dance, myself, I highly value the practical application courses in my genre. My hope, however, in forming a BFA that promotes students' further education and research, is to deliver practical courses alongside courses that promote critical thinking, cultural inclusion, Frier's idea for dialogics, relevant application, innovation, and creative collaboration. I want to facilitate studies that lead students on a discovery of the roots of our past, analysis of our present day, and to encourage them and equip them to take an empowered stance as we design and cultivate our future through our medium.

Theme:

A BFA in the musical theatre genre should inspire our students to step out in their talents creatively, seeking a highly collaborative art expression that is constantly changing and evolving along side its audience with avenues of new and relevant innovation.

Values:

Underlying values for the department's over-arching theme of creativity, collaboration, and innovation are respect, initiative  community, and a life-long learning framework.

Respect for one's self and ones own work as well as the personhood, culture, and works of others is important in beginning a collaborative context and allows for a safe space where creativity can flourish.

Initiative is an absolute necessity for leadership and action. Cognitive studies show that when students are given the ability to form their own goals and objectives, learning is greatly enhanced. Encouraging initiative in students and those around us produces other important qualities needed to sustain artistic work such as motivation, focus, and discipline.  Discipline is expected and nurtured as a mode of fortitude and application in one's practice. 

Community is essential in the development of new works and for longevity, support, and encouragement needed for the substantiation of the arts as a whole, and specific art works. Students learn how to problem solve, set goals, and work in healthy relationships with one another.

A life-long learning framework is key to the direction of the program. I want to instill, equip, and empower students to find resources, ask critical questions, and pursue areas of interest on a practical level. Their 4 years in the BFA Musical Theatre Program should be a springboard and wealth of resource for life-long learning in this field. As Musical Theatre is a physically demanding genre, a practical part of life-long learning in the field is longevity both physically and mentally.

Objectives:

Inline with the over-arching theme and these values the BFA Musical Theatre Course Plan is built around a commitment to these five objectives:

1. To enhance performance skills in a well rounded integration of all aspects of Musical Theatre, primarily singing, dancing, and acting.
2. To develop resources and skills to feed creativity.
3. To provide numerous collaborative opportunities.
4. To further develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.
5. To provide knowledge and application for maintaining and increasing both physical and mental health as performers.

Exposition of Objectives 1 and 5 in Application to the Course Plan:

1. I have implemented a 'One Voice, Integrated Studies' Lab to be taken in succession for 6 semesters. The One Voice course is an extrapolation of teachings by Joan Melton who has written such books as Dancing with Voice: A collaborative Journey Across Disciplines. Her teachings are inclusive of breath control techniques and physiological understandings between movement, and the speaking/singing voice. The Institute of American Musical Theatre, New York, NY, is a creative-collaborative based 2 year program that fosters an environment for generating new material. It too, has courses in integrative breathing studies and practices. The labs purposes, as outlined in my BFA plan, are for each incoming class to begin a 3 year journey alongside one another in the discipline of breathing techniques and further technical or creative aspects of their genre.

5. While researching pedagogical themes carried out in highly ranked Musical Theatre programs One school stood out with a substantial initiative in healthy practice. Texas State University, San Marcos, TX. This school's incoming freshman are required to undergo a health examination including a vocal fold, stroboscopy exam. This exam helps the students, professors, and physicians know the student's particular physiological vocal structure, for the purpose of helping them specifically to flourish in their genre as well as inform them of the student's particular eccentricities in their vocal tract. I have taken up their practice for the incoming student exam. They also incorporated a mental health class into their curriculum. I have combined one lab course with studies in mental health for performers as well.

30cr. of Core Requirements covered in BFA Musical Theatre Plan:

(*) per course fulfilled through the BFA Musical Theatre Plan

Foundations Requirement (12cr.):

FQ - Quantitative Reasoning - math (3cr.)

FW- written communications (3cr.)*

FGA, FGB, FGC- Global and Multicultural Perspectives (6cr. from two different groups)**

<9cr. covered in plan>

Diversification Requirements (19cr.):

DA, DH, DL- Arts, Humanities, and Literatures (6cr. from two different groups)**

DS- Social Science (6cr. from two different departments)

DB, DP, DY-lab Biological Science, Physical Science, Lab (7cr. must have one of each)*

<9cr. covered in plan>

Focus Requirements (21cr.):

HAP- Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Issues (1 course)

ETH- Contemporary Ethical Issues (1 course 300-400 level)*

OC- Oral Communication (1 course 300-400 level)*

WI- Writing Intensive (5 courses including at least two at the 300-400 level)**

<12cr. covered in plan>

Second Language Requirement (up to 12cr.):

none offered toward degree

Option of up to 15cr. of Core Requirements covered in BFA Musical Theatre Electives:

(*) per course offered in BFA Musical Theatre Electives

Foundations Requirement:

FQ - Quantitative Reasoning - math (1 course) (3cr.)**

Diversification Requirement:

DS- Social Science (1 course) (3cr.)*

Focus Requirement:

HAP (1 course) (3cr.)*

WI- Writing Intensive (3 courses) (6cr.)***

Core Requirements not offered in the BFA Musical Theatre Plan or Electives:

Diversification Requirement:

DS- Social Science (1 course) (3cr.)

DP, DY- Physical Science plus Lab (1 course plus lab) (4cr.)

Second Language Requirement 

(up to 4 courses, 12cr.)