Anyone who has ever attended the theater, especially musical theater, knows the experience can be electrifying. When the curtain opens and the lights go up, you’re transported to an imaginary world where colorful characters hash out complex storylines set to popular show tunes.

Although theater students have always had access to faculty members who specialize in musicals, the department officially launched a concentration in Musical Theater in 2008. Under the direction of Peter Reynolds, who also serves as the assistant chair of the department, the three-year-old program allows students to study under full-time faculty and visiting instructors from the professional musical theater community while participating in musical theater productions throughout the year. Currently, 40 students are enrolled in the program.

Each season, Temple Theater stages at least one musical; previous productions have included Sweet Charity, Damn Yankees, Into the Woods and Ragtime. The fall season opens on Oct. 15 with the musical thriller Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a libretto by Hugh Wheeler, the 22-member ensemble production includes students who are enrolled in the Musical Theater concentration, as well as several students from other theatrical disciplines.

The Musical Theater concentration, which is open to high school seniors, college freshmen and transfer students, includes a rigorous audition process that requires applicants to display their abilities in singing, dancing and acting. Many students are seeking to diversify their resume by developing their talents beyond a singular discipline, said Reynolds.

“Musical Theater allows students to really experiment with all of their talents by challenging them to reach beyond their strengths,” he said.

Driven by television programs such as “Glee” and “So You Think You Can Dance” that have brought the performing arts into the mainstream, musical theater is becoming a popular course of study nationwide. At the same time, Temple’s program is on the rise. A New York Times online article by Mary Anna Dennard, author of I Got In!: The Ultimate College Audition Guide for Acting and Musical Theater, cited Temple’s program as one of the few musical theater programs that combines a balanced combination of academic rigor and performing arts training.

“It’s clear that there is a real
excitement for musical theater,” said
Reynolds. “We have definitely seen
a spike in enrollment — every year
the number of students who audition
doubles.”

For tickets and more information, visit the Department of Theater web site.