Partnering organizations, the Shubert Foundation and Music Theatre International have recently announced the return of their annual Broadway Junior Student Finale. The 18th celebration will commence on June 22 at 11:15 a.m. at Broadway’s Ambassador Theatre located in Midtown Manhattan.
Throughout the past four years, since the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on human normality, the Broadway Student Finale has looked much different than previous years as schools all across the world and Broadway itself was shut down. Now, the students have returned to the stage to bask in the blinding spotlights provided by a real theater and not a computer screen.
The Shubert Foundation and MTI Broadway Junior partnership founded the musical theatre mentorship program to help public schools create change in their community’s social culture through building sustainable theatre education programs. The Shubert Foundation is the largest institutional funder of theatre education programs throughout NYC public schools and has provided nearly $8 million for Theatre and Arts programs in NYC.
Its partner in Broadway Junior, Music Theatre International, is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world, including schools, the right to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. The organization’s initiative has had substantial widespread involvement as 167 schools and more than 24,500 students have participated in Broadway Junior while over 100 schools are currently in the program.
The Broadway Junior process is vast as it spans multiple years of involvement with students, teachers, and public schools. In the first year of the program, teachers and students are guided step-by-step through the process of producing a first-ever musical in their schools. In the second year, teachers and students continue to receive support and encouragement on their second musical but take ownership of their productions. In the third year and beyond, schools present a musical independently and serve as inspiration for other schools involved in earlier cycles of the program. The program utilizes master teachers and expert production advisers from educational theatre organizations, iTheatrics, Broadway Bound Kids, and ArtsConnection.
Hundreds of these participating students from Brooklyn to Staten Island will share musical numbers from their fully produced school shows at the Finale. The Broadway shows being represented include Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR., Disney’s Aladdin JR., Into the Woods JR., Dear Edwina JR., Disney’s High School Musical JR., Legally Blonde The Musical JR., Disney’s The Lion King JR., Once on This Island JR., Shrek The Musical JR., and Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR.
Not only will students get the chance to perform on such an iconic stage at the 18th Broadway Junior Finale, but various Broadway professionals will be in attendance including the two hosts Jeanna de Waal and Uma Paranjpe. Also in attendance will be The Shubert Foundation President Diana Philips along with prominent members of the event’s other sponsors.
“The success of the program since 2005 has demonstrated that theater enhances young performers’ ability to collaborate, follow directions, practice self-discipline and work ethics, and use their imaginations while honing their verbal communication skills and developing social skills which will serve them well in navigating life,” said Drew Cohen, President, and CEO of Music Theatre International. “We are grateful to the students, of course, and also to the teachers, teaching artists, and parents who make this opportunity a reality for the students.”
The 18th Broadway Junior Student Finale performances from middle school groups participating in the second year of the program:
Brooklyn Environmental Exploration School
The Emerson School (Queens)
I.S. 136 Charles O. Dewey (Brooklyn)
Isaac Newton Middle School for Math and Science (Manhattan)
Manhattan School for Career Development
Marsh Avenue Expeditionary Learning School (Staten Island)
M.S. 935 (Brooklyn)
M.S. 158Q Marie Curie Middle School (Queens)
Pelham Gardens Middle School (Bronx)
P.S. 177Q The Robin Sue Ward School of Excellence (Queens)
Pugsley Preparatory Academy (Bronx)
Stephen Decatur Middle School 35 (Brooklyn)
The William W. Niles School – JHS 118 (Bronx)
Year Three and Graduated Schools participating in the Shubert/ MTI Musical Ensembles:
Accion Academy (Bronx)
Collaborative Arts Middle School (Queens)
Corona Arts and Sciences Academy (Queens)
Evergreen Middle School (Brooklyn)
I.S. 96 Seth Low (Brooklyn)
I.S. 131 The Albert Einstein Intermediate School (Bronx)
I.S. 217 School of Performing Arts (Bronx)
I.S. 392 (Brooklyn)
JHS 185 Edward Bleeker (Queens)
Lafayette Academy (Manhattan)
M. S. 101 The Edward R. Byrne School (Bronx)
M.S. 129 Academy for Independent Learning & Leadership(Bronx)
M.S. 331 Bronx School of Young Leaders (Bronx)
M.S. 915 (Brooklyn)
New Preparatory Middle School (Queens)
P.S./M.S. 4 Crotona Park West (Bronx)
P.S./I.S. 30 Mary White Ovington School (Brooklyn)
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