Education NewsDates Set for Junior Theatre Celebrations in Australia and New ZealandMusic Theater International Australasia presents the fall events in collaboration with iTheatrics, AMICI Trust, Shane Bransdon, and Daniel Stoddart.
By
Andrew Gans
September 24, 2018
Junior Theatre Celebration
Music Theatre International Australasia—in partnership with AMICI Trust in New Zealand and producers Shane Bransdon and Daniel Stoddart, and in collaboration with iTheatrics—will present the third annual Junior Theatre Celebration Australia in Newcastle, Australia, October 26–27 and the second Junior Theatre Celebration New Zealand in Auckland, New Zealand, November 2–3.
Junior Theatre Celebrations, which allow students and teachers to come together to share their talents, are based on the Junior Theater Festivals produced by iTheatrics, which take place on both U.S. coasts each year. Additional one-day Junior Theatre Celebrations take place annually across the U.S., and Music Theatre International Europe will host the Junior Theatre Festival Europe in May 2019.
Participating in this year’s Junior Theatre Celebrations are Timothy Allen McDonald, award-winning playwright and founder of iTheatrics in New York City; Marty Johnson, iTheatrics’ Director of Education; John Prignano, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Education and Development of Music Theatre International; Stuart Hendricks, Managing Director of MTI Australasia; Lucy Durack, Glinda in Wicked Australia and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde Australia; musical director John Foreman (Australian Idol and Good Morning Australia with Bert Newton); Erin James, resident choreographer for the 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady directed by Dame Julie Andrews; and David Rogers-Smith, Piangi in ThePhantom of the Opera.
The Junior Theatre Celebration programs will center on performers, ranging in age from 7 to 18, presenting an extract from an MTI Broadway Junior musical. The young people will receive feedback on their performances and constructive criticism to encourage further learning in key areas. Some performers will be selected for honors. Performers and educators will also enjoy a Q&A with special guests, interactive workshops presented by leading theatre and teaching artists, and an evening concert.
Both Junior Theatre Celebrations will feature culminating performances from week-long pilot workshops of two brand-new musicals from the MTI catalog: Sister Act JR. (Australia) and Disney’s Newsies JR. (New Zealand). In Newcastle from October 22–26, 50 students will participate in a pilot workshop of Sister Act JR. directed by Marty Johnson and Timothy Allen McDonald. In Auckland from October 29–November 2, a cast of over 40 young New Zealanders will take part in a week-long workshop of Disney’s Newsies JR. The program will again be directed by Johnson and McDonald.
At Junior Theatre Celebration Australia, musical theatre companies will offer special guest performances on the mainstage, including presentations from Disney’s Aladdin JR. (Hunter Drama, NSW), Children of Eden JR. (Adelaide Youth Theatre), and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang JR. (Roar Academy, Queensland). The evening presentation will also include a special performance by Foreman and Durack.
One teacher will be awarded the Broadway Junior Ambassadorship, an all-expense-paid trip to Broadway and the flagship Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, Georgia.
Joining international guests to work with the young performers at the Junior Theatre Celebration New Zealand will be Jackie Clarke (NewZealandIdol); Hamish Mouat (company manager/choreographer of the National Youth Theatre Company, resident choreographer and a guest director and artist for the Metropolitan Education Network in Southern California); Destiny Anderson (Mamma Mia! New Zealand tour choreographer); Teesh Szabo, (Little Shop of Horrors, Wallace Development Company); Zac Johns (Dogfight, NZ premiere);andShane Bransdon (OzTheatrics).
“The Junior Theatre Celebration Australia and New Zealand offer talented and creative young people a way to write their own role in the global community of storytellers. Not only do they learn how to take their own artistry to a new level, they gain the tools to strengthen their programs once they return home, while spending time in the fellowship of peers and leaders who value this artform as much as they do,” said Drew Cohen, President and CEO of MTI, in a statement.
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Take a Look at the 2017 Junior Theater Festival
Take a Look at the 2017 Junior Theater Festival
The Junior Theater Festival is the world’s largest festival celebrating young people and the transformative power of musical theatre.
30 PHOTOS
iTheatrics founding chairman welcomes educators to a Friday night reception.
Team iTheatrics launches its new textbook, The iTheatrics Method.
Marcus Woollen/MTI
Cade Garafola of Holy Ghost’s Spirit of the Stage in Hammond sings the National Anthem.
iTheatric Founding Chairman Timothy Allen McDonald officially opens the 2017 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta.
Marcus Woollen/MTI
iTheatrics Founding Chairman Timothy Allen McDonald and Luca Padovan (School of Rock The Musical) talk about EdTA’s JumpStart Theatre, a program which builds self-sustaining musical theatre programs in under-served schools.
Parents and students wait to meet award-winning author Mary Pope Osborne and Will Osborne, co-writer and composer of the Magic Tree House musicals.
Students surprise lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty with a performance of “Why We Tell The Story” from Once on this Island.
Jodi Picoult, a #1 best-selling author of twenty-three novels signs her latest novel Small Great Things.
Conwell Kidz Drama Program from Jersey City, NJ, presented Magic Tree House: Pirates Past Noon KIDS for.
Conwell Kidz Drama Program from Jersey City, NJ, presented Magic Tree House: Pirates Past Noon KIDS for.
Eastern Shore Rep students from Fairhope, AL, perform Junie B Jones JR.
Eastern Shore Rep students from Fairhope, AL, perform Junie B Jones JR.
Hunter Drama from Newcastle, Australia presented Disney’s 101 Dalmatians.
Play On Players in Gainesville, GA perform Disney’s Mary Poppins, Jr. at the Junior Theatre Festival 2017
Marcus Woollen/MTI
Play On Players in Gainesville, GA perform Disney’s Mary Poppins JR.
The Center Players @ Arts of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, NC perform Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS.
The Center Players @ Arts of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, NC perform Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS.
All JTF Atlanta participants enjoyed the world premiere of the live capture performance film of Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical hosted by Jeff Calhoun and Christopher Gattelli.
Musical Mayhem Productions in Elk Grove, CA received the Playbill Community Service Award, created to acknowledge all of the ways young people at the Junior Theater Festival are giving back across the country. All groups attending the Junior Theater Festival were encouraged to document their organization's community service projects. Finalists were chosen by a panel of adjudicators and highlighted on Playbill.com, where the public cast votes on its favorite. A total of 120,000 votes were cast. Musical Mayhem Productions won a $1,000 cash prize to support its continued charitable efforts.
MTI CEO Freddie Gershon and Myrna Gershon and past Freddie G Fellows welcome five recipients of the 2017 Freddie G Fellowship.
Community Theatre of Greensboro, North Carolina, performs for all festival attendees as part of the closing ceremonies.
Freddie G Outstanding Production award recipient Eastern Shore Repertory Theatre based in Fairhope, AL perform Singin' In The Rain JR. for all festival attendees as part of the closing ceremonies.
Freddie G Outstanding Production award recipient PS 124 based in Chinatown, NYC, performs Annie KIDS for all festival attendees as part of the closing ceremonies.
Freddie G Outstanding Production award recipient Red Phoenix Theatre Company, based in Buford, GA, perform Roald Dahl's James and The Giant Peach JR. for all festival attendees as part of the closing ceremonies.
Freddie G Outstanding Production award recipient in Brandenton, FL, perform Dear Edwina JR. for all festival attendees as part of the closing ceremonies.
Matthew Lee Robinson (Atlantis, Happy People) performs during Pathways to Success.
iTheatrics founding chairman Timothy Allen McDonald; Jeff Calhoun (Newsies); Elyssa Samsel (My Little Brony); Kate Anderson (My Little Brony), and Jodi Piccoult (Between the Lines) talk during Pathways to Success.
Arielle Jacobs (In the Heights) and Curt Hansen (Wicked) perform during Pathways to Success.
Broadway music director and composer Brad Simmons (Lysistrata Jones) plays music from his new CD In the Company of Strangers.
Disney Theatrical President Thomas Schumacher talks with students during the Direct From Broadway event.
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