As they begin their final year of training, many of our BA (Hons) Musical Theatre students have already taken their first steps into the professional world.
Over the previous year, students engaged in a series of on-site auditions with established pantomime producers, as part of Emil Dale’s embedded industry-facing training.
These sessions brought casting directors, choreographers, and creatives directly into the Academy’s state-of-the-art rehearsal rooms, offering students the opportunity to experience high-intensity professional auditions while still in training.
Working at pace, students were required to learn and perform new choreography on the day, present prepared material, and respond to direction, demonstrating not only performance skill, but adaptability, professionalism, and creative intelligence.
The result was immediate: a significant number of offers were made on the day, with further roles confirmed in the weeks that followed. Many of these contracts will see students make their professional debut this Christmas season, a pivotal moment achieved before even completing their degree.
“This is exactly the kind of opportunity our training is designed to support,” said Victoria Hammond, Principal of Emil Dale Academy. “These students are not simply preparing for the industry - they are already part of it. To witness them step up with such focus and professionalism was a hugely proud moment.”
These on-site auditions are a key part of Emil Dale’s approach to all-round training. By integrating real casting opportunities into the curriculum, the Academy ensures students gain early access to the industry — not just as observers, but as serious contenders.
This most recent round of auditions marked the highest number of successful outcomes the Academy has seen at this stage in the course. As our final-year cohort now moves forward with contracts in hand and with further on-site, industry auditions in the diary. Their early success stands as a testament to the strength of their training, the clarity of their ambition, and the high standards upheld across every department at Emil Dale Academy.As they begin their final year of training, many of our BA (Hons) Musical Theatre students have already taken their first steps into the professional world.
