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Train where Australia's next stage stars begin - JMC Sydney

JMC Sydney's Music Theatre degree is where talent meets training, and raw potential becomes a professional career. With performances every trimester and connections that open real doors, you won't just study the industry - you'll step straight into it.

Apply online Download COURSE GUIDE

Is a career in music theatre right for you?

Apply online Download COURSE GUIDE

Do you dream of performing professionally?

Do you want to be noticed in a crowded industry?

Are you looking for more than just theory?

Are you looking for global opportunities?

Why study Music Theatre?

Industry

$2.1B

Value of Australia's music and theatre production sector in 2024 and it's still growing

Funding

$54M

Public funding backing Sydney's arts and culture through long-term investment

job growth

+34%

in Australia's creative & performing arts sector (Aug-Nov 2024)

It takes more than talent to own the stage

JMC gives you the discipline, tools and stage time to evolve as a performer — and the connections to launch your career in Australia's most competitive creative industry.

Audition-ready portfolio built throughout the course

Showcase your work to agents, casting directors & producers

Can't guarantee Units in entrepreneurship and professional practice

Don't get overlooked — be industry-ready from day one.

Apply online Download COURSE GUIDE

Work on real productions with real directors — while you study

From black box theatre to film sets and motion capture stages, you'll perform in professional environments with directors, producers, and creatives from across the globe — all before you graduate.

Experience film, TV, voice-over, stage combat and more

Access to live industry events like St Jerome's Laneway Festival

Train with the same tech used by top creatives worldwide

Don't get overlooked — be industry-ready from day one.

Apply online Download COURSE GUIDE

Perform in Australia's best theatres

JMC graduates have taken the stage at the Sydney Opera House and Belvoir St Theatre — performing live in front of agents, directors, and decision-makers.

Where you study matters. Choose the best.

Study in a city that lives and breathes performance. At JMC Sydney, you'll train in world-class facilities, perform in professional theatres, and learn from artists shaping the future of music theatre — all in Australia's creative capital.

Don't get overlooked — be industry-ready from day one.

Apply online Download COURSE GUIDE

Perform every trimester in live showcases and full-scale productions

One-on-one coaching in small classes led by working professionals

Collaborate across disciplines with filmmakers, animators, musicians & more

From JMC Sydney to global streaming screens

JMC Acting alumni are making serious moves — including starring in Amazon Prime's The Prep Room. Proof that what starts in our studios can lead to the world stage.

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Everything you need to know to get started

duration

2 Years

2 years (6 trimesters) acccelerated

fees

fee-help available

locations

Sydney Melbourne

entry requirements

Audition

JMC welcomes from all over the world. CRICOS 104616C

intake dates

february

February - Sydney, Melbourne

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Course structure

Music: Foundations (Trimesters 1 & 2)

The Acting Foundation - ACT201

Introduction to Voice and Movement for Music Theatre Performance - ACT202B

Musicianship for Music Theatre 1 - ACT205

Introduction to Professional Practice - ACT204

Theatre Production 1 (Music Theatre) - ACT211B

Voice and Movement in Music Theatre Performance - ACT212B

Musicianship for Music Theatre 2 - ACT215

Acting Process and Analysis - ACT214

Polish and build (Trimesters 3 & 4)

New Media and Performance - ACT301

Heightened Voice and Movement in Music Theatre Performance - ACT302B

Cabaret - ACT303B

Critical Analysis and Reflection - ACT304

Theatre Company Production 2 - ACT311B

Theatre and Performance Styles (Music Theatre) - ACT314B

Australian Performance History and Culture - ACT313

Showcase and project (Trimesters 5 & 6)

Screen Performance for Showreel - ACT401

The Working Actor - ACT402

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 5

This unit integrates industry knowledge, practice and processes into the workplace context of the actor. Students will acquire in depth knowledge of structure and the operations of the contemporary performing arts industry and how the actor may successfully navigate the sophisticated nuances of this work environment.

The contemporary performing arts industry presents a complex and unique structure. Work opportunities are diverse and the mechanisms to secure employment vary across the range of performance media and contexts. Networking and the building of professional relationships are intrinsic to the performing arts industry. The portfolio career places further demand on the actor's ability to extend the application of their skills and knowledge to work opportunities both in and beyond the performing arts industry.

Students will undertake analysis of industry structure, legislation, compliance and processes. Knowledge and skills will be applied in auditions and screen tests and in the independent analysis of the individual actor's unique strengths and employability in the industry. Students will also develop fluency in written expression, documentation and communication processes relevant to the performing arts industry. Prerequisite: ACT304 (Critical Analysis and Reflection)

Advanced Acting Technique for Music Theatre - ACT403B

The Actor as Creator - ACT405

Credit Points: 6
Trimester 5

This unit integrates the student's knowledge and skills in performance with the principles of creativity and collaboration. With a focus on the entrepreneurial actor and diverse performance platforms, the student works to plan and develop a piece of performance as part of a festival production construct. This unit allows the individual student to develop and articulate their unique voice as intelligent, passionate, and vocal artistic citizens.

The actor's portfolio career demands a fluency in the business side of performance projects. Theatre companies, production houses and funding bodies have unique and specific compliance and policy requirements. It is therefore imperative that the working actor is able to incorporate skills and knowledge in these areas as part of their role as creative arts professionals.

Creativity and collaboration skills are developed through the realisation of the student's artistic vision, while participation in the process of curation, and the meeting of technical and other compliance functions enable the student to refine and adapt their concept to meet production limitations and parameters. Prerequisite: ACT303B (Cabaret)

Industry Theatre Production (Music Theatre) - ACT411B

Credit Points: 12
Trimester 6

This double unit requires the student to integrate their personal acting, singing & dance techniques, and professional practices into the audition, rehearsal, and performances of their Industry Theatre Production.

Theatre productions which form part of mainstage theatre company seasons operate under industry award conditions. Apart from wages and conditions as dictated by these awards, the structure of rehearsals and other production protocols differ from the independent sector. This may include such differences as full-time rehearsal schedules, longer technical and production periods and longer performance runs. The skills and knowledge required of the actor in this work environment therefore carry unique requirements.

Students will work across a full-time schedule of rehearsals, technical and production activities for a performance in a professional theatre venue. This production will involve external theatre directors, creatives and crew. Prerequisites: ACT311B (Theatre Company Production 2), ACT403B (Advanced Acting Technique for Music Theatre), ACT314B (Theatre and Performance Styles (Music Theatre))

The Entrepreneurial Actor - ACT412

Career Sustainability - ACT413

Learn from world-class mentors

Ben Samuel

Melbourne Head of Acting & Music Theatre

A powerhouse performer and educator with global stage credits and academic expertise.

Ben has starred in productions like Cats, Fiddler on the Roof, and The Color Purple. He holds a Master of Music and is completing a PhD focused on performer wellbeing and burnout prevention.

Glen Hamilton

Head of Department, Sydney

A veteran director and educator shaping the next generation of performers.

Glen was Course Director at the Academy of Film Theatre and Television and brings decades of experience as a director, producer, and acting coach across stage and screen.

Laura Lattuada

Acting Lecturer

An award-nominated actor with a rich career across theatre and TV.

Laura has worked with MTC and STC, and appeared in Winners & Losers, Stingers, and Halifax. She's a two-time Green Room Award nominee for Best Actress in a Lead Role.

TAyla muir

Music Theatre Lecturer

Specialist in Contemporary & Classical Voice

Tayla is a Melbourne-based performer and voice teacher with 7+ years of experience. Her credits include Stella in Jack Frost, Martha in Spring Awakening, and Joan in Decoration Day. Tayla specialises in Musical Theatre, Contemporary, and Classical Voice.

Benjamin curé

Music Theatre Lecturer

Dancer & Choreographer

Benjamin Curé is a Melbourne- based dancer & choreographer. He founded Lion Heart Dance Company in 2015 and has performed with Vertical Shadows, Opera Australia, and on So You Think You Can Dance. He choreographed The Scarlet Trace, Table of Eight, Fabricated, ENVISION, and the Inhabit Dance Festival.

Natalie Gamsu

Music Theatre Lecturer

Singer, Actor & Cabaret Artist

Natalie Gamsu is a singer, actor, and cabaret artist with acclaimed performances across New York, Chicago, London, Sydney, and more. Credits include The Big Time, Candide, Mary Poppins, Strictly Ballroom, and Ali's Wedding. She has won a Backstage Bistro Award and MAC Award.

Darren Mapes

Music Theatre Lecturer

Musical Director and Educator

Darren is a versatile performer and vocal coach with 30+ years of experience. He's the Musical Director for the Australian Dolly tribute show and co-creator of the hit cabaret The Carpenters From Kempsey. Darren has coached artists like Casey Donovan and David Campbell, with students starring in Hamilton, Frozen, Wicked, and more.

Studying at JMC was really good...

Studying at JMC was really good... Everyone looks after you, everyone cares about you, everyone can be themselves. Everyone's open, everyone's caring, and everyone's super kind.

ANASTASIA VOKHMYAKOVA

Acting Alumni

The connections I made while studying at JMC were...

The connections I made while studying at JMC were the most important connections I've ever made in my life. As soon as I walked into the building I knew this is exactly where I need to be, this is exactly the path that I need to take the freedom to just kind of be exactly who I am unapologetically.

Saša Ljubović

Acting Alumni

Next stop: the Sydney stage.

This isn't just another course - it's your entry into the professional world of acting and music theatre. If you're ready to turn talent into a career, JMC Sydney is where it begins.

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Questions? We've got answers.

Is JMC Music Theatre a practical course?

Do I get to perform in the Music Theatre course?

Yes. A Lot! Here are some of the main performance projects in the degree.

Tier 1:

Music Theatre Showcase

This project celebrates bravery and vocal proficiency! A presentation of high-stakes character songs (solo & ensemble), with choreography and staging, which challenge Actors to draw upon musical theatre storytelling techniques and voice craft to deliver performances with conviction and confidence. This showcase occurs in WEEK 10.

The Actor and the Text

This is where your acting classes progress from instrumental development to the application of craft, and you learn how to apply acting technique to a scene, which is performed to an audience of fellow students, family, and friends in WEEK 13.

Tier 2:

Theatre Company Production 1

Your first full-length play/musical, performed over THREE nights in our purpose-built Drama Studio in WEEK 9. It is a culmination of the acting, singing and dance training in Trimesters 1 & 2. This is an opportunity to collaborate as an ensemble to build and inhabit the world of the play. Working alongside a director and production team, you'll learn the process of rehearsing and performing in a live theatre production.

Actor as Filmmaker Project

Follow a process similar to that of the famous British film director, Mike Leigh, and work in a small team to create a short film from initial concept to final screening in WEEK 14.

Tier 4:

Theatre Production 2

This is the rehearsal and performance of a complex Musical Production, performed over FOUR nights to a public audience in our 100-seat auditorium space. The focus of this production is to instil an awareness of stylistic devices, theatrical conventions, and stagecraft in our Actors. The production includes heightened voice and movement work, and rigorous training for the development of stamina and consistency in performance.

Actor as Creator Project

This project celebrates your individual creative talents and entrepreneurialism. Students choose a performance project that they create from beginning to end. These projects can be of any form or media and may include, writing a musical theatre scene, physical dance performance, cabaret, contemporary dance, film, and multimedia.

Tier 5:

Showreel

Work with a professional film crew, on location in a showreel scene. This is then professionally edited and circulated to agents and other industry representatives through our Acting Graduate Showcase on our website. The showreel will contain content ranging from audition song cuts to choreographed routines and screen acting scenes.

Tier 6:

Industry Theatre Production

Work with an external director and production crew on theatre production at an external industry venue. This production provides Actors with the opportunity to experience a professional-level process and hone their skills in musical theatre performance.

How much work is there in the Acting and Film industry?

Is JMC Music Theatre full time?

Will the Music Theatre major also teach me to act for stage and screen?

Are JMC courses available to study online?

Is a JMC Academy degree of equal standing to a university degree?

What are the benefits of studying at JMC Academy over a larger university?

Is JMC Academy a recognised institution?

How long does the application process take?

Do you help students find jobs after graduation?