- by Andrew Wicklum -

As a young artist in high school, I had dreamed about the day I would study abroad in a country that I had never stepped foot in but had heard endless accounts of its beauty, history, and art. I wanted to immerse myself in a different culture and theater environment. I began looking at colleges that would not only allow but encourage me to study abroad as part of my coursework in a BFA Musical Theatre program. I didn’t want to go somewhere at random or “just because,” I wanted world-class theater training with professional working individuals throughout my entire college career and overseas during my time abroad. When I found Nazareth, I instantly fell in love with its faculty and campus. Shortly after starting my journey at Naz, I uncovered the possibility of studying abroad in London.


In March 2022, after advisement meetings, interest meetings, and contemplating, I made the decision to apply for the fall semester in London at University of Roehamptonn. Through a valuable partnership with Performing Arts Abroad, my semester has been carefully crafted to be immersed in the London theater scene. I am in my first semester of junior year. In my opinion, this is the perfect time to study abroad — after two years of getting the tools that I need to be successful here, like technique classes, repertoire classes, and tons of performance opportunities/classes.

The tuition exchange makes it easy to participate in all of the fantastic training opportunities here. My weekly schedule is, as I like to describe it, perfectly hectic! On Mondays, I start at Roe with my “Introduction to the London Stage” class. We meet in the classroom once a week and we go to a  supplemental event like a show, art gallery, or museum to discuss our takeaways and the impact each event had on us. This week I saw Blues for an Alabama Sky at the National Theatre, which is one of the most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues in the U.K. The goal for this class is to get fully engaged with all parts of London theater, not just the flashy West End musicals. 

My training schedule continues on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the “West End on Demand” class series. This course brings in working industry professionals who host classes in addition to mock auditions, dance calls, workshops, master classes, and more. The typical class routine is an acting class, then a dance class, followed by a song class.
Touring the Globe Theatre

I spend Thursdays and Fridays at Shakespeare’s Globe — yes, the real Globe Theatre. Here I study Shakespearian text and work with some of the best Shakespeare artists in the world. And it all happens on Shakespeare’s very own home stage. These classes focus on text work, acting, voice work, movement, and specialty classes like clowning!


In my off time, I take voice lessons. I also attend dance classes with the Roehampton Student Union’s Dance Society, which offers daily classes. 

What would this experience be if I did not see as much theater as possible? My friends and I constantly enter show lotteries, looking for rush tickets and same-day discounts. London Theatre is far more accessible than theater in New York. We consistently find good tickets for less than $25, and so far I have seen almost 15 shows! Some of my favorites include Back to the Future: The Musical, Henry VIII at Shakespeare’s Globe, and House of Flamenka. Not only have I seen some of the best theater in my life but I have also seen the most diverse variety theater in my life. I spend one night at The Great Gatsby Immersive Experience and the next I find myself at an improv musical called Showstoppers! where performers make up a story and songs as a group, as they go. I am absolutely over the moon to be able to study abroad here. Thanks to the diligent work of the theater faculty members at Nazareth, all of my classes will be transferred and I will get credit towards my degree plan. I look forward to reporting back with my experiences of culture shock, both as a student and a theater goer.