This unit applies to singers, dancers and actors who require a sophisticated level of musical theatre skills. Performances could be in commercial or community settings and performers would usually be performing as members of an ensemble, or in cabaret settings that could involve a large component of solo routines.
While some supervision and guidance are provided in practice sessions and rehearsals, performers are expected to be self-directed and display a high level of motivation and sense of responsibility for themselves and others.
Not applicable.
1. Maintain a physical conditioning program | 1.1. Consult with relevant personnel and identify a range of techniques to improve stamina, strength and flexibility 1.2. Set realistic physical conditioning goals aimed at improving musical theatre techniques 1.3. Identify risk factors that may inhibit the achievement of goals and seek professional advice as required 1.4. Take fatigue, personal limitations and boundaries into account when undertaking physical conditioning program 1.5. Perform warm-up and cool-down procedures in conjunction with dance or movement activities 1.6. Perform vocal warm-up procedures in conjunction with vocal activities 1.7. Ensure that clothing and footwear are appropriate for undertaking exercise regime and practising dance and movement techniques |
2. Explore and practise singing techniques for musical theatre | 2.1. Develop listening skills to produce and reproduce sound 2.2. Apply correct posture and breathing techniques to facilitate free and flexible singing 2.3. Ensure maximum vocal range through practising relevant exercises 2.4. Interpret the requirements of songs to be performed 2.5. Practise a range of musical theatre singing styles and genres using relevant vocal techniques 2.6. Practise harmonising and singing in unison with other singers 2.7. Ensure phrasing is appropriate to the music |
3. Explore and conceptualise acting skills | 3.1. Identify dynamics of the human voice and apply to develop own unique voice as well as that of the character role 3.2. Explore techniques to perform dialogue, sung dialogue and dialogue as underscored 3.3. Explore ways to advance and extend improvisations into a number of different stories 3.4. Identify characters’ actions and intent and follow through in performance 3.5. Apply techniques to develop strong, flexible and safe movements 3.6. Experiment with various acting styles and methods as appropriate 3.7. Apply advanced critical skills to inform own technique |
4. Practise performing a complex musical theatre role | 4.1. Apply principles and characteristics of various musical theatre performance techniques 4.2. Integrate acting, singing and dancing or movement effectively to create a strong performance 4.3. Ensure balance in dynamics, style and musical expression with other singers is maintained throughout performances 4.4. Respond promptly to cues and synchronise entries and exits with other performers 4.5. Work towards controlling concentration and focus throughout performances 4.6. Effectively communicate interpretive requirements of other performers as required 4.7. Receive and integrate constructive criticism into performance |
5. Maintain expertise | 5.1. Apply professional work ethic to practice and performance activities 5.2. Incorporate injury-prevention techniques into vocal, dance and movement activities 5.3. Analyse and evaluate feedback and criticism and develop strategies for possible adjustments to future work 5.4. Regularly view performances by industry practitioners as a way of sourcing new ideas and trends, maintaining motivation, and improving own technique |
Required skills
communication skills to:
discuss interpretive requirements with other performers
discuss ideas with others to inform development of own technique
discuss musical theatre performance skills with relevant personnel
respond appropriately to feedback on own skill development
initiative and enterprise skills to:
perform with confidence, style and strong stage presence
communicate the mood or style of performance pieces
use props confidently and effectively
respond to other performers and adjust own performance accordingly
learning skills to:
refine musical theatre performance skills by exploring and evaluating a range of advanced approaches to integrating performance techniques
explore and practise dancing, singing and acting skills
listening skills to sing in harmony and unison with other singers or performers
planning and organising skills to plan practice time
problem-solving skills to respond flexibly and effectively to contingencies
self-management skills to:
arrive punctually at classes and practice sessions
dress appropriately
follow direction
teamwork skills to work collaboratively with others involved in classes and practice sessions.
Required knowledge
general knowledge of:
history and distinguishing characteristics of musical theatre
influential performance theorists, choreographers or musical theatre directors
OHS standards and requirements associated with performance
well-developed knowledge of:
principles underlying body movements and techniques, such as:
relationship with gravity
spatial awareness
successional movement
use of breath
folding
extending
rotating
shifting weight
principles underlying vocal techniques in a musical theatre performance context
characterisation, including moral, social, physical and psychological
stage geography and directions
musical rhythms, including:
time signatures
beat
tempo
syncopation
key components of voice, its effect on the audience and vocal process
kinaesthetic awareness
effective acting, singing and dancing techniques
acting, singing and movement terminology
relationship between acting, singing, dancing and movement
relationship between performers and audiences
stylistic nuances and dramatic elements associated with various performance styles
performance environment.
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: maintain an effective physical conditioning program explore and practise a range of singing and vocal techniques for musical theatre performance in a learning environment, successfully perform a musical theatre role by integrating singing, dancing and acting techniques maintain own expertise in musical theatre performance skills. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure access to: rehearsal and performance spaces with appropriate flooring relevant resources and equipment. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance evaluation of rehearsals and live or recorded performances verbal or written questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit case studies and scenarios as a basis for discussion of issues and challenges that arise in the context of refining musical theatre performance skills direct observation or video recording of the candidate rehearsing and performing complex musical theatre scenes and routines. Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy) and the needs of particular groups (e.g. people with disabilities and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties, such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling). |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: CUADAN505A Refine contemporary dance technique CUADAN507A Refine dance partnering techniques CUAPRF501A Refine performance skills. |
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Relevant personnel may include: | choreographers voice or acting coaches colleagues directors family members medical practitioners mentors musical directors nutrition experts performers representatives of dance societies teachers. |
Risk factors may relate to: | body image and eating disorders consistency of a physical fitness regime expectations of others gender-appropriate performance techniques gender issues poor nutrition incorrectly fitting footwear injury-prevention strategies insufficient hydration own ambition. |
Warm-up and cool-down procedures may include: | aerobic activities anaerobic exercises body conditioning and strength development breathing techniques coordinated breathing activities flexibility exercises floor work isolation and mobility of body parts joint-mobility exercises stretching. |
Vocal warm-up procedures | deep breathing exercises, especially for abdominal breathing exercises to loosen mouth, such as: tongue lips soft palate exercises to loosen face muscles, such as: cheek eye jaw gentle open vowel singing maintaining good throat hydration with gentle gargling tongue twisters whole body relaxation exercises, such as: tai chi yoga vocalising exercises beginning in mid-range, before extending to upper and lower registers. |
Listening skills | active listening to others, including accompanist emulating sound singing in unison identifying harmonies identifying notes, chords and keys. |
Correct posture | chest comfortably raised feet slightly apart flat abdomen head facing straight ahead hips rotated forward knees bent shoulders down and back spine aligned. |
Exercises may include: | articulation exercises humming breathing vocalising exercises beginning in mid-range, before extending to upper and lower registers. |
Requirements of songs may include: | dynamics pitch genre melody tempo solo, duet or chorus. |
Singing styles | a cappella operetta jazz cabaret vaudeville rock opera traditional musical theatre avant garde. |
Vocal techniques may include: | application of different vocal timbres breathing emphasis intonation maintaining vocal range, such as: upper register middle register lower register pace phrasing pitch placement resonance rhythm timing. |
Dynamics of the human voice may include: | range sound tone accent release of the jaw floor of the breath floor of the sound. |
Techniques | breathe support phrasing pronunciation accent. |
Characters’ actions refer to: | actions characters initiate in order to reach their objective, such as: persuading manipulating touching. |
Acting styles and methods may include: | melodrama comedy tragedy Stanislavski method. |
Advanced critical skills may include: | problem solving reflecting synthesising. |
Principles and characteristics may include: | dramatic elements: climax contrast mood rhythm sound space symbol timing tension focus characterisation: moral social physical psychological movement space timing rhythm focus flexibility coordination shape locomotion improvisation: structure plot character dramatic tension climax techniques grafting blocking yielding endowing status. |
Musical theatre performance techniques | control of stage energy and attack articulation improvisation movement mime acting dancing balance and stillness vocal projection musical expression: expressive relationship with the accompanying music interpretation of music and rhythm non-verbal communication techniques, such as: grunts humming body language touch. |
Performances | in a learning environment in rehearsals live before an audience. |
Cues may be: | dialogue lyrics beginning or ending of musical phrases visual. |
Constructive criticism may include: | feedback from tutors, mentors and coaches feedback from peers self-evaluation video documentary. |
Professional work ethic | attentive behaviour in creative practice awareness of: substance abuse addictive behaviours expectations of others eating disorders effective management of personal finances balanced diet energy levels and personal limitations stage and theatre etiquette developing strategies to: cope with performance anxiety maintain motivation effective personal hygiene habits, such as: clean and short nails clean and tied-up hair clean hands ongoing dedication to a physical conditioning exercise program maintaining concentration, focus and physical alertness in performance activities maintaining costumes and other apparel maintaining a work-life balance punctuality and reliability working creatively with individual differences. |
Injury-prevention techniques may include: | warming up and cooling down before and after class and performance wearing appropriate clothing and footwear applying intent and focus while dancing not overstretching wearing appropriate bandaging and bracing where appropriate to support body appropriate diet and rest using appropriate equipment, such as barre, mirror and sprung floors drinking plenty of water good vocal technique not smoking allowing no vocal strain avoiding stress. |
Feedback | director’s notes audience feedback discussion with other performers observations from peers. |
Performing arts - performance
This unit contains employability skills.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.