Musical Theatre

IU and the Musical Theatre Common Pre-Screen

IU Theatre & Dance is proud to announce that our B.F.A. Musical Theatre Program has joined the alliance of top tier university musical theatre programs utilizing the Tony Award winning Paper Mill Playhouse + Acceptd universal criteria for video submissions: the Musical Theatre Common Pre-Screen! Make sure to read Option A thoroughly, as we will be following those guidelines for both the songs and the monologue. 

Until now, colleges and universities each created school-specific guidelines.  Stephen Agosto, Senior Manager of Artistic Engagement at Paper Mill Playhouse describes: "these universal criteria are intended to streamline the digital pre-screen process while keeping with current industry standards for auditioning musical theatre performers." 

Read About the Common Pre-Screen Here

Encouragement + expectation

At IU, we encourage you to explore writing, instrumental studies, staging, and choreography. Our B.F.A. students explore all facets of musical theatre production via student stage and film productions, independent studies, backstage crew work, master classes with New York casting directors and agents, as well as opportunities to create new works.

Our faculty of artist-teachers works within the context of a liberal arts education, encouraging the development of intellectually curious, well-rounded artists. While grounded in excellent professional training, our students think beyond the triple-threat, following their own individual artistic paths and inventing new models and cross-pollinations. It is our goal to ground our students in the realities of a competitive industry while encouraging them to act on their dreams.

Our program accepts 12-15 admissions each year, providing focused individual attention throughout your career at Indiana University. The IU Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) and University/Resident Theatre Association (U/RTA). Our Musical Theatre B.F.A. program offers need-based scholarships.

View Musical Theatre B.F.A. requirements in our Student Portal

Opportunity + creativity

Our department produces two musicals and six plays each year in its main season, and two musicals and a play during our IU Summer Theatre season. It is home to the IU Broadway Cabaret, a touring musical theatre ensemble, and the venue for many independent projects.

Our students can audition in and around Bloomington to participate in professional productions at:

  • Constellation Stage and Screen
  • Jewish Theatre of Bloomington
  • IU Summer Theatre's professional summerstock season, including the New Musical Workshop, which promotes the development of new musicals

Our students are routinely cast in summer productions at The St. Louis "MUNY" Opera, Maine State Music Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, Wagon Wheel Theatre, Wichita Musical Theatre, Bigfork Summer Playhouse, as well as Indiana Repertory Theatre and The Phoenix in Indianapolis.

The Jacobs School of Music provides further opportunities for performance, producing at least one light opera or musical a year and the opportunity for performers to be cast as supernumeraries. 

Explore our Productions

2021 Alumni activities

Award-winning Faculty & Leading-edge Facilities

Our faculty-artists are renowned professionals in their areas of expertise. We aim to nurture the unique qualities and aspirations of our students, mentoring them through the program and after graduation.

Located in the Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Center, we provide students the opportunity to work in state-of-the-art performance spaces.

Meet our Faculty  Explore our Facilities

The Sibling Program

To ease the transition from home into the university, we offer the sibling program to help bridge this gap. When entering your freshman year, you are paired with a sophomore or junior musical theatre student. These students are available to answer questions, give advice, share any concerns, or just hang out. Siblings become fast friends and continue their friendships long after graduation. In existence for ten years, sibling families keep in touch and help in the transition from the university into the professional arena.