BFA in Musical Theatre

About this program

Columbia College Chicago's BFA in Musical Theatre is a rigorous professional triple-threat training program designed to produce versatile performers equipped for careers on Broadway, in national touring productions, film, television, and beyond. The program provides intensive training in acting, singing, and dance — including ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theatre dance styles — alongside musical theatre history, repertory, audition technique, professionalism workshops (contracts, unions, bookkeeping), and industry navigation skills. Students are encouraged to audition for productions immediately upon arrival. The school produces approximately **40 productions per year**, including full-scale musicals staged by faculty directors and professional guest artists. The **Jim Jacobs Musical Theatre Scholarship** — established in 2013 by *Grease* co-creator Jim Jacobs HDR '14, a Chicago native who launched his career at the Kingston Mines Theatre — has distributed more than $120,000 in financial aid to Musical Theatre students over the past decade. Voice instruction for musical theatre at Columbia includes coaching from faculty with Broadway credentials and deep connections in the Chicago musical theatre community. **Daryl Brooks** (faculty director; winner of the Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago's 2025 Black Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theater; Producing Managing Director of Black Ensemble Theater) directs musical productions including *Grease* and *Rent*. **Jonny Martinez** (Musical Theatre Program alum; choreographer of *Grease*) represents the faculty-to-alumni pipeline.

Audition & application overview

• Requires a prescreen video
• Requires a live or recorded audition
• Requires a monologue
• Requires a dance audition

In Person and Virtual

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