Download a copy of the Musical Theatre Syllabus for 2024-25 →

For young people, musical theatre provides not only a varied and exhilarating outlet for creative expression but also an activity through which key artistic skills may be learned.

The Irish Board’s Musical Theatre syllabus provides young people with a sense of progression and challenge; encouraging them to acquire specific skills, engage with story, mood and genre; experience different styles of musical theatre and appreciate the history and development of the art form.

For candidates entering the group exams, the syllabus provides a framework for young people to perform as a team, learn valuable skills, and to display their creative talents and abilities in a secure and encouraging environment.

For candidates entering as solo and duet performers the syllabus is broad enough to allow them to explore works that inspire them while encouraging them to understand and develop particular technical and interpretive skills which will provide them with a stepping stone to further professional training.

There are no set pieces (although we can suggest pieces if required) so teachers have free rein to use their repertoire for exam purposes. Irish Board exams are easy to organise with a minimum of red tape. Our examiners are professional, experienced, positive, encouraging and affirming and the Irish Board itself is well known for being helpful, flexible and responsive.

Please note that you must have at least 20 candidates to be eligible for a face-to-face examination and for Musical Theatre Group exams you must have at least 50 candidates.