Music Theatre
Do you love Music Theatre? So do we!
Career opportunities Why choose us? Learn from the best How to apply

Join us
Work in a creative, collaborative and nurturing environment, led by highly accomplished and industry-active instructors who will help tailor your toolkit to your strengths. With over 40 direct teaching hours each week of studio-based and industry-focussed study, you will:
- Be welcomed into a vibrant community as passionate about music theatre as you are.
- Study at the prestigious Elder Conservatorium in the centre of Adelaide’s cultural hub.
- Receive intensive, individual singing coaching and group masterclasses in dance, acting and music.
- Expand your development in related studies including voice-over, dance partnering, vocal anatomy, stage combat and script analysis.
- Contribute to creative processes and develop your stagecraft in performance outcomes and productions.
You’ll also gain valuable experience through partnerships with Adelaide Festival, South Australian Film Corporation, Adelaide Cabaret Festival and Adelaide Fringe.
What you'll study
Career opportunities
Our graduates are equipped with the all the capabilities to meet the demands of the professional performing arts on stage and/or screen.
A graduate might also pursue broader career trajectories including vocalist, voiceover artist, script writer, composer, lyricist, performing arts teacher, casting administrator or stage manager.
Music theatre at the University of Adelaide is more than just a degree - it's a community!
Hear what our students love about studying music theatre at the Elder Conservatorium.
Why choose us?
Our program is delivered by working industry practitioners who provide professional, relevant, innovative and supportive instruction. To ensure you become proficient in singing, acting and dancing, you'll undertake intensive practical training covering:
- acting, improvisation, stage combat, acting for film
- voice, speech, accent & dialect
- singing (solo and ensemble), vocal anatomy, song repertoire
- dance (jazz, ballet, tap and dance partnering)
- audition technique, musicianship, history
- major productions every year
Learn from the best
You'll be learning from world-class performers and educators as they share their knowledge and experience with you.
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Erin James (Head of Department)
A graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (ECU) and University of New England (Grad Dip. Ed.), Erin has worked in theatre, music theatre, television and film for the past two decades. As a performer, she has toured Australia, Southeast Asia and New Zealand in major musicals for Opera Australia, GFO, Really Useful Group and TML.
As a director and creative, Erin has worked on Phantom of The Opera, South Pacific and My Fair Lady for Opera Australia, She Loves Me for Hayes Theatre Co, and various other major productions around the country.
Erin has a passion for working with students to develop their skills in the performing arts. She is also fluent in Auslan and is working to become an intimacy coordinator for stage.
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George Torbay AM
George Torbay AM is in constant demand as a director, musical director, vocal coach, vocal arranger and regularly gives master classes.
His work has taken him around the world working with singers, musicians, as an academic and artistic programme advisor.
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Joseph Simons
Joseph is a director and choreographer working in music theatre, contemporary dance, opera, theatre and ballet. After graduating from Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Joseph was awarded 2009 Outstanding Emerging Artist at Australian Dance Awards and nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Male Dancer.
His choreography has been widely performed in Australia and internationally, and Joseph was the recipient of the 2013 Tanya Liedtke Fellowship - awarded to one Australian choreographer every two years.
From 2015 Joseph has been a contributing creative with Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University and directed and choreographed the sold out and extended production of The Producers in Brisbane, Queensland. He was the Artistic Director of Altitude Theatre before becoming a full-time lecturer in Music Theatre at Elder Conservatorium, University of Adelaide.
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Peter Johns
Peter is an accomplished music theatre repertoire coach, music director, pit orchestra musician, production manager and stage manager with over 25 years of experience across more than 90 productions. He joined the music theatre teaching staff at Elder Conservatorium of Music in 2020.
As one of ECMT’s Music Directors, Peter has led productions of Into the Woods, Alice by Heart, Cabaret, Urinetown, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and first year Songs and Scenes projects.
Peter is passionate about creating opportunities for performers of all levels of experience within the Adelaide community. As Executive Producer of Irregular Productions he is the co-creator of Broadway Sessions, a monthly curated music theatre performance night. He also serves as the conductor for the Adelaide chapter of the Australian Music Theatre Choir and is the music director of Civic Park Carols, one of Australia’s largest candlelight Christmas events, Additionally, Peter tours regularly with That Science Gang as a stage manager.
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Paul Sinkinson
Paul has been with the Bachelor of Music Theatre since inception as repertoire coach and accompanist. Show credits as a resident music director include Shrek, In Pieces, Mamma Mia!, Songs for A New World and Spring Awakening.
Paul brings industry experience as a keyboard deputy from national tours including 9 to 5, Frozen, Mamma Mia!, The Sound of Music and Singin’ In The Rain. He was the Associate Music Director for the national tour of Friends! The Musical Parody and has worked on a plethora of state-based productions as music director (Mary Poppins, Wicked, Kinky Boots, Avenue Q, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang).
Paul holds a Masters of Secondary Education in Media and Music and runs a senior social choir program across the state for the aged care provider ACH Group.
How to apply
Apply for an audition & pay audition fee
Applications for Semester 1, 2024 entry are now open.
Apply for your audition
Submit your audition application
Pay audition fee
When applying, you must pay a non-refundable audition fee via the online shop to be guaranteed an audition (search 'audition').
Bachelor of Music Theatre applicants
There is an audition registration fee of $66, payable prior to your audition.
Apply to SATAC or International Admissions
Domestic students
You will need to lodge an application through the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC).
International students
You will need to lodge an application through our International Admissions Service. You do not need to register for an audition.
Current UofA students
You will need to lodge an internal transfer application.
Prepare for your audition/interview
Please ensure you have followed the audition requirements for your specialisation:
Audition requirements by program
The Conservatorium does not provide accompanists except for the Bachelor of Music Theatre auditions. All other auditions that require an accompanist should contact the Accompanists' Guild of SA.
Applicants should contact accompanists as early as possible as auditions cannot be rescheduled to accommodate accompanist availability.
On the day of your audition, please ensure you arrive 15 minutes prior to your audition or interview. You will receive notification of your audition outcome following your audition.
We look forward to meeting you!