Cerys from Cornwall tells us why she chose to study BA (Hons) Musical Theatre at the University of Portsmouth
As soon as I visited the University of Portsmouth I fell in love with it. Coming from Cornwall, I loved being by the water because it made me feel closer to home. The facilities were amazing and all the lecturers I met at the Open Day were all so lovely.
I attended sixth-form college in Cornwall where I studied Performing Arts, Photography and Food Science. After college I went on a gap year visiting my brother in Canada and toured parts of America. I'm so glad I went travelling before starting my degree as I learnt a lot about myself and it helped prepare me for uni-life.
Coming from Cornwall, I loved being by the water because it made me feel closer to home.
An amazing course
I attended an Open Day at Portsmouth and the course talk was so interesting. It made me even more excited to study Musical Theatre. I was shown round all the amazing facilities which included the six studio spaces and access to the New Theatre Royal where there were opportunities to perform on stage.
I found the course so interesting. In the first year I studied ‘Intensive Drama Workshop’ where we got the opportunity to work with people from the industry for two weeks. By the end of the module, we had created a full piece of theatre.
In the second year, I worked with a singing teacher one-on-one, who helped me work on my performance and confidence. I also had the opportunity to present at the British Conference of Undergraduate Research in 2021 on my research surrounding race and representation in Hamilton: An American Musical.
In my final year, we created a theatre company and produced performances. Studying BA (Hons) Musical Theatre has helped me to learn many of the skills needed to work in the theatre industry.
Studying BA (Hons) Musical Theatre helped me to learn many of the skills needed to work in the theatre industry
Portsmouth is such a wonderful place to live while you're studying. There are so many things to do and so many places to explore. I love being so close to the seaside and at the same time being in a city campus environment.
Building confidence
I’ve been able to take my passion for musical theatre and apply it to academic writing and study. I was always worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep up during assessments but all the feedback I received from lecturers was encouraging and they were always willing to help me to develop my ideas. I’ve now learnt to have confidence in myself and my abilities.
Exciting next steps
In October 2022 I completed my Master’s in Creative Industries and now I’m studying for my PhD. Following my research at undergraduate level, I co-wrote a case study with lecturer Ben Macpherson that was featured in the Routledge textbook Undergraduate Research in Theatre: A Guide for Students (2021, edited by Michelle Hayford).
I’ve also worked as a research administrator for a research project about ‘Original Cast Recordings’, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and through this work I’ve found my own area of research study that interests me.
My undergraduate degree helped me to develop my interests in theatre and research, and it prepared me for postgraduate study. My time spent at the University of Portsmouth has been so amazing and I wouldn’t change any of it.