Integrating voice, acting, and dance, the Carthage Musical Theatre Program prepares collaborative artists for an ever-changing discipline. In addition to multiple performance opportunities, students are enrolled in several performance-based courses taught by musicaltheatre professionals who are actively working in New York, Milwaukee, and Chicago.
Majors
Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre Bachelor of Arts in Music: Musical Theatre
Best School for Drama and Theater Arts in Wisconsin
The musical theatre curriculum at Carthage features comprehensive vocal training and musicianship, intense acting experiences, and a variety of dance technique and choreography classes.
New: Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre!
Carthage is one of only ten colleges in the country that offer a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre degree. The new program gives students a degree where they learn all aspects of musical theatre and train in an intensive curriculum in voice, acting, and dance. Coursework includes voice lessons, dance classes, and performance opportunities in multiple productions.
A Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre degree requires a more intensive study of music with classes in music theory, aural skills, choral ensembles, and piano. These music courses lead to a better understanding of music and a broader set of skills that leads to more self-sufficient performers. The more skills — the more marketable!
Performance Opportunities within the Musical Theatre Program
Students have many opportunities to perform while at Carthage. Beginning in their first year, students are able to audition for multiple productions, including musicals, plays, dance concerts, and Carthage Theatre’s New Play Initiative. Presentations of class work add to the opportunities MT students have to showcase their skills and readiness in the MT industry.
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<img src="/live/image/gid/100/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/511,0,1763,1253/36446_4893_163701665847155.rev.1669861223.jpg" alt="Katherine Taylor Retek" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/100/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/511,0,1763,1253/36446_4893_163701665847155.rev.1669861223.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/100/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/511,0,1763,1253/36446_4893_163701665847155.rev.1669861223.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1252" data-max-h="1253" loading="lazy"/>
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</div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “Getting the chance to perform here at Carthage is a rewarding experience. Not only for yourself but for those who take the time to come and support the show. Every time you perform a story, you act in a way that conveys you. Everyone should be able to have the chance to perform once in their lifetime because you may never know how it might change your individuality once you do try.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2213-">Katherine Taylor Retek</a> ’24</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/46/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,59,910,969/36227_4641_163701665847155.rev.1667436130.jpg" alt="Trevor Milne" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/46/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,59,910,969/36227_4641_163701665847155.rev.1667436130.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/46/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,59,910,969/36227_4641_163701665847155.rev.1667436130.jpg 3x" data-max-w="910" data-max-h="910" loading="lazy"/>
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</div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “Carthage is a college that provided me with a great education in multiple areas of study. While most other schools are known for either their music or STEM programs, Carthage has great programs for both.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2139-">Trevor Milne</a> ’26</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,400,400/36441_Elizabeth-Neybert-25.rev.1669746281.jpg" alt="Elizabeth Neybert ?25" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,400,400/36441_Elizabeth-Neybert-25.rev.1669746281.jpg 2x" data-max-w="400" data-max-h="400" loading="lazy"/>
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</div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “My advisors and professors have encouraged me to take risks and take advantage of opportunities that are presented to me. They have helped me grow as a student and as an artist.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2197-elizabeth-neybert">Elizabeth Neybert</a> ’25</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,20,300,320/36785_IMG_1401.rev.1674770877.JPG" alt="Emily Halfmann" width="183" height="183" data-max-w="300" data-max-h="300" loading="lazy"/>
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</div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “You are not a number at Carthage. The smaller programs allow you to form relationships with your peers, faculty, and staff that help you to learn and grow in a way that works best for you.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2244-emily-halfmann">Emily Halfmann</a> ’25</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
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<source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,710,2133,2841/36422_4849_163701665847155.rev.1669218966.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,710,2133,2841/36422_4849_163701665847155.rev.1669218966.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,710,2133,2841/36422_4849_163701665847155.rev.1669218966.webp 3x"/>
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<img src="/live/image/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,710,2133,2841/36422_4849_163701665847155.rev.1669218966.JPG" alt="Danae Palmer" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,710,2133,2841/36422_4849_163701665847155.rev.1669218966.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/89/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,710,2133,2841/36422_4849_163701665847155.rev.1669218966.JPG 3x" data-max-w="2133" data-max-h="2131" loading="lazy"/>
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</div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “My advice for you is to do what you love. There is always something out there in the real world after college that you can use your degree for. Don’t let caution or fear of the future stop you from doing what you love.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2193-danae-palmer">Danae Palmer</a> ’25</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
Courses You’ll Take as a musical theatre Student
This multidisciplinary program pulls courses from both the Music and Theatre departments:
Scholarships Available for musical theatre Students
Individual scholarships up to $10,000 may be offered to students pursuing the musical theatre major, along with academic scholarships for students demonstrating outstanding potential each year.
Guest Artists: Thanks to our campus location halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee, students develop relationships with directors, casting agents, and fellow artists who provide invaluable learning and professional experience.
Study Abroad: Musical theatre students have performed in Ireland, Scotland, and China, with more opportunities on the horizon.
Student Organizations: Top students can join music honorary Lambda Kappa or national theatre honor society Alpha Psi Omega. For other performance avenues, some join an a cappella group or improv troupe Merely Players.
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