Rider University proudly offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre designed to strengthen its reputation as one of the country’s top schools of musical theatre training.

The Musical Theatre program at Rider prepares students for a professional career in musical theatre with veteran faculty and regular interface with top industry professionals.  This program is provided in a nurturing liberal arts environment just one hour from New York City at Rider’s Lawrenceville campus.

Lawrenceville, NJ

Liberal Arts

B.F.A. in Musical Theatre

Small (<10k Students)

30K-40K

Yes

Upload Pre-screen

Song

• All selections must be accompanied
• Please use either pre-recorded tracks or a live accompanist.
• Prepare two contrasting songs – one 32-bar cut of a traditional musical theatre, pre-1980 and one 32-bar cut of a contemporary musical theatre song, 1980-present OR pop/rock song

Monologue

• Prepare 2 contrasting, one-minute contemporary monologues
• The selections should not require dialect, costume, or props

 Dance

• Submit a Ballet or a Jazz/Musical Theatre routine.  You may send both, but list them in 2 separate videos (ex: Dance 1, Dance 2)
• The video may also be a clip from a performance
• Videos should be no longer than 1 minute in length
• Jazz/Musical Theatre: recommended movements:  multiple pirouettes, isolations, leaps, jumps, battements and/or turns, show your musicality
• Ballet: recommended movements: pirouettes, jeté, pas de bourrée, waltz, piqué turn, battements, turns in second and/or fouettés
• Tap: If you are an experienced tap dancer, feel free to include an additional video, no longer than 1 minute in length, this would be in addition to your ballet/jazz video

• Please prepare the same monologues and songs from your Pre-Screening Video
• You are required to have sheet music for the accompanist for on-campus auditions
• For Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles auditions, no accompanist will be provided. Please bring your recorded tracks and any cordless player
• There will be a ballet and jazz combination taught
• If you are an experienced tap dancer, please bring your tap shoes and be prepared to demonstrate your skills

On-Campus

December 16, 2017

January 12, 2018 – Musical Theatre only

January 13, 2018

February 10, 2018

New York

January 20-21, 2018

Chicago

February 6-7, 2018

Los Angeles

February 10, 2018

Scholarship Info

Presidential Scholarship

$22,000 – $24,000 per year, up to $96,000 possible over four years

Provost Scholarship

$19,000 – $20,000, up to $80,000 possible over four years

Dean’s Scholarship

$17,000 – $18,000 per year, up to $72,000 possible over four years

Founder’s Award

$13,000- $15,000, up to $60,000 possible over four years

Recognition Award

$9,000, $36,000 possible over four years

Community Scholars/Bonner Leaders

This service-based scholarship program provides education awards based on the amount of hours served on a community service project. Admitted students with significant community service experience during high school are invited to apply.
Applications are available to newly admitted students beginning in January each year.

Legacy Awards 

$2,000 annually ($1,000 per semester)
Awarded to full-time new students who are children, grandchildren or siblings of Rider graduates. Renewable for up to four years of study at Rider University.

Sibling Grants

$2,000 annually ($1,000 per semester)
Available to any new full-time undergraduate student enrolling at Rider University who has a sibling currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate at Rider. Awarded to each additional sibling as long as multiple siblings are enrolled, up to four years. To be eligible, enrolling siblings must contact the Office of Financial Aid prior to the start of the semester.

Senior showcase in NYC

Spring Semester Freshmen may audition

Ivan Fuller

Professor; Associate Dean, School of Fine and Performing Arts; Department Chair

ifiller@rider.edu

609-835-5630

Rider MT Home Page

Common App

Office of Admission at: 800-962-4647 or email: wcaadmissions@rider.edu