Music Theater
Oberlin Conservatory is thrilled to announce the launch of our Music Theater program coming in Fall 2025!
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Victoria Bussert
Professor of Music Theater
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Laura Welsh
Assistant Professor of Music Theater
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Matthew Webb
Assistant Professor of Music Theater
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Lauren Marousek
Assistant Professor of Music Theater
Performance Opportunities
New York, New York
Senior showcase offers every graduating senior the once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform together in New York and connect with industry professionals eager to spark your career.
Playhouse Square
Access Cleveland’s Playhouse Square, the largest performing arts center in the U.S. outside of New York City, just 35 minutes from campus.
Sample Courses
Music Theater Workshop I: Solo Songs
Music Theater Workshop I is an introduction to basic acting processes utilizing musical material. We will use the story-telling works of multiple composers to apply fundamental skills of the performance of Music Theater repertoire.
- Taught by
- Victoria Bussert, Matthew Webb
Music Theater Acting VI: Business of the Business
A class that focuses on networking, union membership, taxes for the artist, building a budget, resources for finding auditions in and out of NY, creating their Actor’s Access profile, and building a 5-year business plan post-graduation.
- Taught by
- Laura Welsh
Broadway Hip Hop I
This class provides a dynamic exploration of the foundational elements of Hip Hop dance, focusing on rhythm, style, and expression. Students will immerse themselves in the energetic world of Hip Hop movement, learning essential basic grooves, techniques, and choreography while developing their own unique style.
- Taught by
- Lauren Marousek
Music Theater Workshop VI: Showcase
Music Theater Workshop VI is the creation of the Senior Showcase to be presented in NY. Advanced singing, acting, and overall performance standards will be very high. This is a highly collaborative process where your skill and maturity as actors will be on display. Each individual will be expected to sing, create, design, make clear choices, and collaborate on the highest level to form the complete showcase with your classmates.
- Taught by
- Victoria Bussert, Matthew Webb
Oberlin Alumni in Musical Theater
From John Kander’s captivating compositions in Chicago and Cabaret, to Julie Taymor’s direction in The Lion King, Oberlin graduates have amazed audiences worldwide and made significant contributions to American and global music theater for years.
Julie Taymor ’74 is the reason that The Lion King was adapted to stage, and she received Tony Awards for both her direction and costume design for the production.
Photo credit: Annie Leibovitz, courtesy of Julie Taymor
A Tony Award-winning costume designer, Montana Levi Blanco ’06 has some exciting upcoming projects, including working on the stage adaptation of Purple Rain.
Photo credit: Lauren Mueller
John Kander ’51 is a four-time Tony, two-time Emmy, and Grammy winner most known for writing the scores to Cabaret and Chicago.
Photo credit: Vincent Tullo, courtesy of John Kander
I took religion classes, English literature, a folklore and mythology class. And every single thing that I studied, I realized almost all of my theater pieces and my films have somehow been connected with one of those things that I did here. Sometimes even more directly than you can imagine.”
Julie Taymor ’74
Natasha Katz ’81 has won eight Tony Awards for her lighting design of Broadway plays and musicals—to name a few, Aida, Once, and the revival of Sweeney Todd.
Photo credit: Dominik Bindl/Getty Images
Tony Award-nominated producer Tommy Kriegsmann ’98 is a support system for artists, with his latest success being the Broadway production of Illinoise.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Tommy Kreigsmann
Will Chase ’92 has been all over the stage and screen, featuring in productions such as Rent and the TV show Stranger Things, just to name a couple.
Photo credit: Deborah Lopez, courtesy of Will Chase
There is an Oberlin trait, at least the people who come to New York and who are in the theater, of not just sitting back and being passive but of trying to make something happen.”
John Kander ’51
Photo credit: Søren Malmose