Music at LAMDA
Take a closer look at music at LAMDA
While LAMDA does not have a Musical Theatre degree course, music is an integral part of the training LAMDA provides on its acting courses and is offered as a qualification via LAMDA Exams.
All acting students have music and singing classes as part of the skills training, but these are focused on music skills that may be needed to be an actor, and works in 'harmony' with the rest of the timetable. We include a collaboration with the Screen and Audio department, and much of the first year focuses on singing 'as yourself' and finding the connection between a character's speaking voice and their musical voice.
Meet the LAMDA staff & course leaders and visiting creatives to find out more.
The summer term Musical Theatre production
In the final term, actors from the BA and MFA Professional acting courses perform a musical, supported by the Production and Technical Arts students who work as senior production crew on every production across lighting, sound, stage management and more. In Summer 2022 students will be performing Jesus Christ Superstar, in previous years the students have performed Little Shops of Horrors and other musicals.
The BA and MFA Professional Acting students also learn how to teach LAMDA Exams in their final year. This is a unique to LAMDA courses and we also offer Musical Theatre solo and duo exams for aspiring performers as part of a LAMDA qualification.
Alumni in Musical Theatre and music-based ventures
Gusta Matthews
Production & Technical Arts graduate Gusta is currently working with English Touring Opera on their Spring 2022 programme.
Hugh Coles
Hugh Coles is currently in Back to the Future: The Musical, and was nominated for an Olivier Award [2022] for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical.
Harry Hadden-Paton
Harry Hadden-Paton is in My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum playing the role Henry Higgins, which he also played at Vivian Beaumont Theater in 2018. At the same theatre he also performed in 2021’s production Flying Over Sunset, with the role Aldous Huxley.
Nkeki Obi-Melekwe
Nkeki Obi-Melekwe studied on the Semester course and played the role of Tina, in the broadway musical of The Tina Turner Musical.
Natasha Chivers
Natasha Chivers is a lighting designer who trained at LAMDA and now works in theatre and dance. Natasha won an Olivier Award in 2007 for Best Lighting Design for Sunday in the Park with George at The Wyndhams Theatre.
Gemma Goggin
Gemma Goggin is currently playing Rosie in Mamma Mia! at the Novello Theatre.
Annie May Fletcher
Annie May Fletcher provided sound design for Carousel, which ran at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre from 25 July – 25 September 2021
Image: Johan Persson
Alexandra Faye Braithwaite
Alexandra Faye Braithwaite was the sound designer for Bloody Elle – A Gig Musical at the Royal Exchange Theatre, playing from 23 June - 17 July 2021
Image: Bloody Elle
Rebecca Frecknall
Rebecca Frecknall won Best Director at the 2022 Olivier Awards for Cabaret at Playhouse Theatre.
Mark Smith
Mark Smith, 2020 LAMDA Graduate is an Assistant Stage Manager for Anything Goes directed by Kathleen Marshall which is at the Barbican and on tour in the UK and Ireland.
Image: Barbican Theatre
Robert Emms
Robert Emms is an Actor/Musician he's played Pythagoras in the BBC One series Atlantis and was in HBO's mini series Chernobyl.
Eric Stroud
Eric Stroud who graduated in 2018 will be in 101 Dalmatians, a new musical opening at Regents Park Open Air Theatre running from July to August 2022.
Elinor Peregrin
Elinor Peregrin starred in folk-inspired musical The Red Side of the Moon at the Iris Theatre between 12 – 17 July 2021.
Maria Colette Bukley
Maria Colette Bukley is an Assistant Stage Manager. In 2023 Maria is set to be ASM/ Bookcover on the UK & Ireland tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat and has previously worked on 9 to 5 The Musical, Cinderella, Oklahoma and Barnum.
