LAMDA Grade 4 Student Friendly Guidance Booklet

The LAMDA Musical Theatre Grade 4 Booklet is a guided preparation resource for learners taking the Level 2 (Grades 4) Solo or Duo Musical Theatre examination. It explains the structure of the exam, outlines performance and knowledge requirements, and provides clear, age-appropriate guidance to help students prepare confidently and independently.

The resource is organised into clear sections:

Exam overview – Introduces the purpose of the Musical Theatre exams, exam timings, performance format, and regulations around accompaniment, costume, props, and use of performance space.

Knowledge section – Prepares learners to answer examiner questions on:

• Character feelings and reactions
• How spoken dialogue was chosen or devised
• The plot of the musical and the character’s journey
• Working stage areas and basic stage geography

Song selection guidance – explains how to choose two contrasting sung songs and one spoken song from published musicals or film musicals, encouraging variety in character, mood, and style. It includes advice on turning song lyrics into effective spoken monologues.

Repertoire suggestions – provides extensive lists of suitable musicals and song examples, organised by era and vocal type, to support appropriate and engaging choices.

Spoken dialogue guidance – offers step-by-step advice on creating or selecting short spoken dialogue to introduce songs, helping learners understand character motivation and emotional context.

Checklists and notes pages – support revision, rehearsal planning, and exam readiness.

Overall, the booklet functions as a practical workbook and revision guide, helping Grade 4 learners develop confidence in combining acting and singing, understand basic musical theatre knowledge, and meet LAMDA’s assessment criteria clearly and effectively.