MUSICAL THEATRE FOR BEGINNERS IN LONDON
For ages 9+ | No previous experience required
Starting musical theatre can feel daunting, especially if you’ve never sung, danced or acted before. At MX Masterclass, beginners are not expected to arrive with experience or confidence already in place.
Our Musical Theatre training is built on strong foundations, focusing on the essential skills that every performer develops over time. Whether this is your first time stepping into a studio or you’re returning after time away, you’ll be welcomed into a supportive environment where learning begins at the basics and confidence is built naturally.
One of the most powerful aspects of MX Masterclass is the group dynamic itself. MX Masterclass operates like a small family, where experienced students naturally help bring out the best in newcomers. This encouragement helps beginners settle quickly, learn faster, and feel part of the group from their very first session.
If you’ve ever wanted to try musical theatre but weren’t sure where to start, this is a place where you’re allowed to begin.
- Singing - Acting - Dancing
- World-class Supportive Teachers
- Performance Opportunities
- The Perfect Introduction to Musical Theatre
Is Musical Theatre Suitable for Beginners?
Starting musical theatre often brings a lot of quiet worries with it. Am I going to keep up? Will everyone else be better than me? What if I get it wrong?
Those thoughts are completely normal, and they’re shared by almost every beginner who walks through the door for the first time.
At MX Masterclass, beginners are not expected to be confident, polished or fearless. You are not judged on what you already know, how quickly you pick things up, or how you compare to anyone else. What matters is that you show up and allow yourself to learn.
Feeling nervous, making mistakes and needing time to settle are all part of starting something new. You won’t be singled out, rushed or made to feel uncomfortable. Instead, you’re given the space to grow in confidence naturally, at your own pace.
How Beginners Fit Into Our Musical Theatre Groups
MX Masterclass runs one Musical Theatre course with a single, carefully selected class of up to 20 students. Each term, places are limited to maintain focus, consistency and a high standard of training across the group.
That class naturally includes a mix of experienced performers and students new to musical theatre. Everyone trains together under the direction of our set teaching team, with special West End guest professionals joining throughout the term.
Sessions are structured so all students work on the same core material, while teachers introduce layered challenges within the room. This allows experienced performers to explore greater complexity and detail, while newer students focus on mastering the fundamentals, all within the same session and under the same direction.
The limited class size allows teachers to actively manage this balance. Rather than teaching to a single level, they observe closely, move between students and adjust focus where needed, ensuring that attention is shared appropriately and standards remain high across the group.
This approach creates a focused training environment that reflects how professional rehearsal rooms operate, where performers of different experience levels work together, guided by clear leadership and high expectations.
How Training Works Within the Group
- Layered tasks that challenge both beginner and experienced performers, allowing everyone to work at an appropriate level within the same material
- A limited class size of 20 students, ensuring focused attention and high training standards across the group
- Consistent leadership from a set teaching team, supported by specialist West End guest professionals throughout the term
- A shared rehearsal-style environment, reflecting how musical theatre training and professional rooms operate
Progressing Beyond Beginner Level
At MX Masterclass, students do not move through a series of levels or graduate out of the course once the basics are covered. There is no separate class to move into and no point at which progression stops.
Because training takes place within one core Musical Theatre group, development continues naturally over multiple terms. As experience increases, students are able to take on greater technical detail, more demanding material and increased performance responsibility, without needing to change classes or restart elsewhere.
This structure allows momentum to build. Rather than resetting at the end of a beginner programme, students continue refining their skills within the same training environment, working towards more advanced performance outcomes as they grow.
Many of our students begin with no prior experience and go on to thrive within the course, developing the skills, confidence and discipline needed to take their training further. For some, this pathway extends beyond weekly classes into showcases, performances and professional-level opportunities, including appearances in world-renowned productions and work in the West End. What starts as an introduction to musical theatre has the potential to grow into something serious, sustained and long-term.
THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS
MX Masterclass students have gone on to big things, whether that be appearances in major musicals, films, TV shows or being accepted into prestigious higher education establishments. We’re proud of all our Emmys, here are just some of their successes:
Musical Theatre
THEATRE
SIX – West End – Lyric Theatre
Heathers – West End – The Other Palace
Stranger Things (Play) – West End – Phoenix Theatre
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – West End – Apollo Theatre
School Of Rock – West End – New London/Gillian Lynne Theatre
Shrek The Musical – West End – Theatre Royal
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – West End – Theatre Royal
Mary Poppins – West End – Prince Edward Theatre
Standing At The Sky’s Edge – West End – Gillian Lynne Theatre
Kiss Me Kate – West End – Barbican
42 Balloons – Salford
Adrian Mole – Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre
Sound of Music – Regents Park Open Air Theatre
13 The Musical – West End.
Matilda – West End & The Royal Shakespeare Company
Les Miserables – West End – Queens Theatre
Billy Elliot The Musical – UK, Ireland and Germany Tours
Much Ado About Nothing – Globe Theatre
Leopoldstadt – West End – Wyndhams
To Kill A Mocking Bird – Regents Park OAT
Sound of Music – West End – London Palladium
Mary Poppins – UK Tour
Sound of Music – UK Tour
Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – UK Tour
Wozzeck – English National Opera
Annie – West End and UK and Dubai Tour
Priscilla Queen of the Desert – UK Tour
Alligators – Hampstead Theatre
Drama Schools/Colleges
THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS
MX Masterclass students have gone on to big things, whether that be appearances in major musicals, films, TV shows or being accepted into prestigious higher education establishments. We’re proud of all our Emmys, here are just some of their successes:
Theatre
THEATRE
- SIX – West End – Lyric Theatre
- Heathers – West End – The Other Palace
- Stranger Things (Play) – West End – Phoenix Theatre
- Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – West End – Apollo Theatre
- School Of Rock – West End – New London/Gillian Lynne Theatre
- Shrek The Musical – West End – Theatre Royal
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – West End – Theatre Royal
- Mary Poppins – West End – Prince Edward Theatre
- Standing At The Sky’s Edge – West End – Gillian Lynne Theatre
- Kiss Me Kate – West End – Barbican
- 42 Balloons – Salford
- Adrian Mole – Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre
- Sound of Music – Regents Park Open Air Theatre
- 13 The Musical – West End.
- Matilda – West End & The Royal Shakespeare Company
- Les Miserables – West End – Queens Theatre
- Billy Elliot The Musical – UK, Ireland and Germany Tours
- Much Ado About Nothing – Globe Theatre
- Leopoldstadt – West End – Wyndhams
- To Kill A Mocking Bird – Regents Park OAT
- Sound of Music – West End – London Palladium
- Mary Poppins – UK Tour
- Sound of Music – UK Tour
- Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – UK Tour
- Wozzeck – English National Opera
- Annie – West End and UK and Dubai Tour
- Priscilla Queen of the Desert – UK Tour
- Alligators – Hampstead Theatre
Film & TV
- Warner Bros – Wonder Woman
- MGM – Tomb Raider
- Netflix – Geek Girl
- BBC & Netflix – A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder
- Altitude Films – Horrible Histories The Movie
- ITV – Finding Alice
- HBO – Game of Thrones
- HBO – House of the Dragon
- Netflix – Anastasia
- Shout Studios – The Magic Flute
- Sky Atlantic – The Tunnel
- Columbia Pictures – Holmes and Watson
- Netflix – Safe
- BBC – New Blood
- ITV – Mr Selfridge
- BBC – Casualty
- Singer Films – Amber
- BBC – Eastenders
- CBBC – The Worst Witch
- CBeebies – Space Pirates
- CBBC – The Dumping Ground
Drama Schools/Colleges
Our MXM students have gained places on full-time courses at the following colleges after training with us;
- Urdang Academy
- Arts Educational
- Mountview
- LAMDA
- Laine Theatre Arts
- Guildford School of Acting
- The Brit School
- The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
- London School of Musical Theatre (LSMT)
- American Musical Theatre Academy
- Italia Conti
- Millennium Performing Arts
- Emil Dale
OUR MUSICAL THEATRE GROUP - WE CALL THEM THE EMMY'S
BECOME PART OF THE FAMILY
When you join MXM, you instantly become part of the family. The students affectionately refer to themselves as the ‘Emmys’! This was a name voted for by the students and it stuck!
Becoming an Emmy introduces you to a bunch of like-minded friends, who often become life-long friends beyond their Sunday classes.
You also get access to the ‘Emmy Zone’ – an insider portal to useful MXM info.
The MXM Culture
A Positive, Supportive Environment for First-Time Performers
These are the three words that best describe the ethos of MXM and the way our teachers and students conduct themselves.
LOVE – We take care of each other. We celebrate our successes and support our ‘failures’ – although Michael doesn’t believe there is such a thing as failure in performance.
RESPECT – We respect each other. Both the teachers and the students share an equal respect. There is no pecking order – we are all there to learn from the best and the teachers value how much they also learn from our students. Teachers act as mentors to guide students gently in their training. There’s no shouting in our studios!
POSITIVITY – We remain as positive as we can in our training, taking the lessons learned from each week no matter how big or small. The glass is always half full at MXM!
MX Masterclass Musical Theatre Course Breakdown & Opportunities
In The Heart of the West End, in the world-famous Old Diorama Arts Centre!
Masterclasses run for 3 hours each Sunday during UK academic term time, from 12pm-3pm. Each term is 10 weeks. Within each term you can expect:
- Weeks 1-8: Training with LEADING industry professionals – 3 hours per week;
Acting Masterclass – 1 hour each week – you will learn how to approach a script using techniques from different practitioners geared towards an understanding of character, context and delivery.
Dance Masterclass – 1 hour each week – you will learn various dance techniques, working towards a choreographed dance routine.
Singing Masterclass – 1 hour each week – You will learn the basics of the world-class Estill voice training programme, with a qualified Estill voice coach to develop and strengthen your vocal ability. You’ll also be taught how to approach and learn songs in the way the West End professionals do! - Week 9: Sometimes we use these day for a FULL DAY rehearsal (6 hours) – piecing together all your 8 week’s training into a performance
- Week 10: LIVE PERFORMANCE:
- Autumn Term – Informal showing of the term to full school plus fun day followed by annual Christmas charity concertSpring Term – Perform a full musical to family and friends at our studios.Summer Term – End of year performance in a London Theatre to an audience of agents, casting directors and top industry VIPs – plus friends and family, of course!
Taking part in any MX Musical Theatre term provides additional opportunities to perform in extra events, such as:
- CHRISTMAS CHARITY CONCERT WITH LEADING WEST END STARS – St Paul’s Church Covent Garden (Autumn Term)
- WEST END WOMEN – concert with West End leading ladies at CADOGAN HALL
- ROYAL ALBERT HALL – The Best of the West End WITH WEST END STARS
- ROYAL ALBERT HALL – Collabro‘s Road To The Royal Albert Hall tour
- COLLABRO at the LONDON PALLADIUM
- LIVE PERFORMANCE IN A LONDON THEATRE WITH WEST END STARS – You get to work with and perform with leading West End Stars (Spring Term)
- WEST END LIVE – Perform to over 10,000 people in Trafalgar Square (Summer Term) *Not guaranteed each year*
- END OF YEAR LIVE PERFORMANCE IN A LONDON THEATRE – With an awards ceremony attended by VIPs from the world of musical theatre (Summer Term)
- MUSIC VIDEOS – shot by a professional videography team
- SONG RECORDINGS – directed by Michael Xavier or a West End Musical Director
£425.00 + VAT for a 10-week term (36 hours in total). That’s just £14.16 per hour!!
We also offer a pay in instalments plan where a £270.00 deposit is required to secure your place followed by 8x weekly payments of £30.
- Each term offers a slightly different structure and performance opportunities
- Wider variety of performance and recording opportunities
- Certificate of Achievement for completing a full academic year
- Awards ceremony with West End Stars, Casting Directors and Agents for recognised achievements throughout the year, with prizes!
- Perform at London Theatres, such The Other Palace, Greenwich Theatre, The Royal Court, London Palladium and The Royal Albert Hall
- Build a bigger network of friends and industry contacts
- Build mental resilience to cope with rejection that’s an integral part of the performing arts industry
- Push your skills even further
- Never stop learning – after all, the industry never stops changing!
Scholarship places are limited and are awarded based on a student’s audition
WHAT OUR EMMYS SAY ABOUT MX MASTERCLASS
We asked our Emmys what it is they love about MXM and here are the most commonly mentioned items:
- The world-class West End professional teachers
- The environment
- The performance opportunities
- The West End guest professionals
- The respect from fellow Emmys and the teachers
- The support
- The people
- The challenge
- Making the BEST friends ever!
- and...Everything!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
These are questions asked by both our current MXM students and students looking to join our Musical Theatre course
Begin with the three fundamentals: singing, acting and dance, and build a simple weekly routine. Start vocal warm-ups at home, learn short monologues, practice basic dance routines from your favourite shows, and when you are ready sign up to a beginner friendly musical theatre class or taster day to develop coordination and confidence. Learning doesn’t stop with physical practice, it is also essential to watch performers in a range of shows (live or streamed) and note how they tell the story through song and movement.
Practical first steps:
Learn basics well: breath support, diction, acting beats, rhythm and counts.
Pick starter material: one up-tempo and one ballad (16–32 bars) plus a short monologue that suits your age and personality.
Look after your voice: warm up/cool down and stay hydrated.
Get feedback early: a structured class will correct habits before they stick.
At MX Masterclass our nine-week Musical Theatre course is the perfect introduction to Musical Theatre and takes place on Sundays. It blends singing, acting, choreography and ensemble work. Small groups, multiple tutors and tiered tasks mean complete beginners learn foundations while more experienced performers push technique.
For sixth form/college courses (16+): most ask for at least 5 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, usually including English (and often Maths). Drama, Music or Dance can help, but they’re not essential.
For university/degree-level MT: requirements vary, but a common baseline is 5 GCSEs (incl. English and often Maths) plus Level 3 study (A-levels/BTEC). Audition performance typically carries the most weight.
For drama schools: decisions are primarily audition-based. Some list a minimum of GCSE English/Maths (or equivalent), but strong auditions often matter more than specific GCSE subjects.
If you’re choosing GCSEs now and are looking for a career in musical theatre some nice-to-haves are:
English Language (text analysis, communication)
Drama (acting fundamentals, script work)
Music (musicianship, sight-reading helpful but not mandatory)
Dance or PE (coordination, conditioning)
What if you have low or no GCSEs? Your routes:
Consider Level 2/3 Performing Arts, Foundation/Access courses, or Functional Skills in English/Maths alongside regular training (like our Sunday course) and audition prep. The key is steady progress in singing, acting and dance and building confidence for auditions.
WHY CHOOSE THE MX MASTERCLASS MUSICAL THEATRE COURSE
WORLD CLASS & AFFORDABLE
- Industry-Leading Instructors – Learn from West End and Broadway stars who bring first-hand knowledge, real-world experience, and expert guidance to every session.
- Unparalleled Opportunities – Perform in prestigious venues like the Royal Albert Hall and collaborate with renowned groups such as Collabro, gaining invaluable stage experience.
- Comprehensive Curriculum – Develop skills in singing, dancing, and acting with a holistic program designed to prepare you for a successful career in musical theatre.
- Supportive Community – Join a welcoming environment that emphasizes inclusivity, positivity, and personal growth.
- Scholarships – We offer scholarships to those that show exceptional potential.
FIND US IN THE WEST END
Our musical theatre classes take place in The Heart of the West End, in the world-famous Old Diorama Arts Centre, London