The 2024 Junior Theater Festival Atlanta kicks off January 12, with youth theatre groups converging from around the world in Georgia for the weekend-long celebration of all things youth theatre. On hand for the festivities will be Playbill and a host of Broadway favorites.
Produced and hosted by iTheatrics, the weekend event brings youth groups together for a weekend of performances, master classes, and workshops. This year's festival will see nearly 7,000 young theatre fans attending.
Broadway siblings Arielle Jacobs (Here Les Love) and Adam Jacobs (Aladdin) will headline the Festival's finale performance January 14. Among the lineup of Broadway favorites also joining to perform, present, and adjudicate are Taylor Iman Jones (SIX), Brittney Mack (SIX), Jodi Picoult (Between the Lines), Joe Serafini (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series), Rob Rokicki (The Lightning Thief), Jeff Calhoun (Newsies), Katy Geraghty (Into the Woods), Beau Harmon (So You Think You Can Dance), Luca Padovan (School of Rock), Wren Rivera (Jagged Little Pill), Isabella Russo (School of Rock), Morgan Siobhan Green (Be More Chill), Thommy Bailey Vine (Matilda), Tilly-Ray Bayer (Matilda), and Michael Worldly (Miss Saigon).
Between the Lines and The Book Thief songwriting team Elyssa Samel and Kate Anderson will hold a book signing during the weekend, along with playwright and author Vichet Chum (Bald Sisters, Kween).
Esteemed educators scheduled to adjudicate sessions include Michael J. Bobbitt, Dr. Jennifer Katona, Nina Meehan, Rosemary Newcott, Ernie Nolan, and Cindy Ripley.
Attendees are encouraged to visit the Playbill booth throughout the weekend, where theatre fans can enter to win Broadway posters signed by show's cast and buy Playbills—including many rare, limited edition covers—in a special fundraiser for theatrical non-profit Broadway Cares.
"Playbill continues to look forward to starting the new year with a bang at JTF Atlanta," says Playbill Chief Operating Officer and Vice President Alex Birsh. "Seeing young artists' faces light up when they see our big yellow banner and pick up a Playbill—many for the first time—is unforgettable. Plus, we're able to introduce our friends at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to the JTF community and raise a significant amount of awareness and money for this very important cause. We are proud to be part of welcoming a new generation of theatre fans and professionals, and it is encouraging to see the future of the arts looking so bright."
JTF celebrates musical theatre and musical theatre education with a weekend of events and performances that bring Broadway and West End professionals together with educators and young students. Youth theatre companies can bring 15-minute staged selections (from titles in musical licensor Music Theatre International's Broadway Junior collection) for adjudication. Students can also attend interactive workshops. Students interested in technical theatre can participate in the tech track, which includes the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals backstage for the festival's mainstage events.
Educators, whether bringing a group of students or attending individually, have access to professional development workshops. Educators traveling with groups have the chance of being selected for the Freddie G Fellowship. Named for MTI Co-Chairman Freddie Gershon, the fellowship is bestowed annually on eight exceptional educators and includes an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City for professional development with Broadway greats and a $5,000 grant for the educator's theatre program.
Music Theatre International, Disney Musicals, Playbill, and RPM are the proud sponsors of the Junior Theater Festival.
Visit JuniorTheaterFestival.com.
