In China, musical theatre is a relatively recent art form that continues to gain wide ranging popularity. Beyond a growing audience for blockbuster productions, a major flow-on effect has seen the rapid rise in, and development of, tertiary level training programs where in addition to traditional “legit” voice production, teachers and singers are challenged to meet an industry demand for proficiency across a wide range of mainstream contemporary style repertoire. This paper presents the historical context for a current and ongoing research study in which elements of Beijing opera are proposed as cross-training tools to assist female singers to access a healthy and style-efficient voice production for modern musical theatre repertoire. Drawing from past and present singing voice training practices, early indications are that this research may be developed into a constructive reference for a new pedagogical framework for female musical theatre singers.