IMPORTANT: Please note that this guidance pertains to the updated 2027 Musical Theatre Syllabus (for exams taken from 1st January 2027 onwards). For guidance relating to the 2021 Musical Theatre Syllabus (for exams taken before 31st December 2026), please see here: Musical Theatre Exams (Solo / Duo) - 2021 SYLLABUS

Definition: A musical whose score uses the sounds and techniques of contemporary popular and/or rock music rather than primarily traditional Broadway styles. 

Rock musicals specifically use rock music as their central musical language; recognised examples include Spring Awakening, Rent and Next to Normal. 

Typical features include; drums, electric guitars, bass and keyboards, strong backbeats, repeated chord patterns, riffs, pop song structures, belt and mix, speech-like phrasing, amplification, and vocal styles influenced by popular recording artists. 

Show Examples 

Spring Awakening (Duncan Sheik & Steven Sater) 

Male song: All That’s Known 

Character: Melchior 

Female song: Mama Who Bore Me 

Character: Wendla 

Next To Normal (Tom Kit & Brian Yorkey) 

Male song: I’m Alive 

Character: Gabe 

Female song: Everything Else 

Character: Natalie 

The Lightning Thief (Rob Rokicki) 

Male song: Good Kid 

Character: Percy 

Female song: My Grand Plan 

Character: Annabeth