Education NewsSee Caissie Levy, the Stars of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, and More at the 2020 Junior Theater FestivalsThe events in Atlanta and Sacramento from iTheatrics bring youth groups from around the world together for weekend celebrations of theatre.
By
Logan Culwell-Block
March 10, 2020
Caissie Levy (Caroline, or Change; Frozen) performs the Junior Theater Festival’s headlining concert
Marcus Woollen for the Junior Theater Festival
Get an inside look at the 2020 Junior Theater Festivals in Atlanta and Sacramento, including appearances from special guests Caissie Levy, Jason Gotay, Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, and more, in the gallery below.
Produced and hosted by iTheatrics, the Junior Theater Festivals bring together young groups from around the world for a weekend-long celebration of everything theatre, including performances, work sessions, and more.
The Atlanta festival, held January 17-19, featured special guests Disney Theatricals President Thomas Schumacher, original Frozen star Levy, High School Musical: The Musical: Ther Series creater and show runner Tim Federle and stars Joshua Bassett and Olivia Rodrigo, Bring It On and Between the Lines star Jason Gotay, The Lightning Thief songwriter Rob Rokicki, Hamilton alums Nicholas Christopher and Jennifer Locke, School of Rock on Broadway alums Luca Padovan and Isabella Russo, Newsies and Between the Lines director Jeff Calhoun, and Matilda associate director Lotte Wakeham.
Returning to Broadway this season in Caroline, or Change, Levy performed the festival-closing headline concert. Playbill's Felicia Fitzpatrick and Logan Culwell-Block were on hand to host the first Playbill Trivia Showdown, a live theatre trivia gameshow that put teams of festival attendees head to head with questions about Broadway, Off-Broadway, and beyond.
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PHOTOS: Go Inside the 2020 Junior Theater Festivals
PHOTOS: Go Inside the 2020 Junior Theater Festivals
These events in Atlanta and Sacramento gathered young performers from around the world for a weekend of celebrating theatre.
40 PHOTOS
Junior Theater Festival Executive Producer and iTheatrics Founding Chairman Timothy Allen McDonald welcomes attendees to Pathways to Success. 7,000 people participated in the 2020 Junior Theater Festival Atlanta.
Students from Red Phoenix Theatre Company in Lawrenceville, GA and Play On Players in Duluth, GA perform selections from Disney's Newsies JR. at the 2020 JTF Atlanta
Students from Ohlook Performing Arts perform selections from Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are In A Play!” JR. at the New Works Festival at the 2020 JTF Atlanta
Students from Plaza Academy perform selections from Drowsy Chaperone JR. at the 2020 JTF Atlanta New Works Showcase
Students from Inspiration Stage in Sugar Land, TX perform selections from Roald Dahl's Matilda JR. at the 2020 JTF Atlanta New Works Showcase
Students from BRAVO perform selections from Disney's Moana JR. at the 2020 JTF Atlanta New Works Showcase
Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway's Rob McClure surprises the audience with performances from the upcoming Broadway musical at JTF Atlanta
Mrs. Doubtfire on Broadway’s Rob McClure and Analise Scarpaci perform a song from the upcoming Broadway show at JTF Atlanta
Playbill's Felicia Fitzpatrick and Logan Culwell-Block at the Saturday Playbill Trivia Showdown
Disney+'s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series stars Joshua Bassett (Ricky) and Olivia Rodrigo (Nini) perform at the 2020 Junior Theater Festival’s Pathways to Success panel
Marcus Woollen for the Junior Theater Festival
Festival correspondents and Broadway stars Isabella Russo and Luca Padovan (School of Rock) during the festival’s Pathways to Success panel
Marcus Woollen for the Junior Theater Festival
Actors Nicholas Christopher and Jennifer Locke (Hamilton) during the festival’s Pathways to Success panel
Playbill's Logan Culwell-Block and Felicia Fitzpatrick host a second Playbill Trivia Showdown on Sunday at JTF Atlanta
Baayork Lee (A Chorus Line) accepts the 2020 Broadway Junior Spirit Award with PS 124 principal Alice Hom. The award is given to a group which embodies the spirit of educational musical theater.
Freddie G Outstanding Production winner Uptown Music Theatre from New Orleans performing “He Lives In You” from Disney’s The Lion King JR. at the Freddie G closing ceremony
Woodford Theatre wins the 2020 Playbill Community Service Award at JTF Atlanta
Freddie G Outstanding Production recipient Acting Upon Faith Productions from Van Zandt, LA performs “Be Prepared” from Disney’s The Lion King JR.
Freddie G Outstanding Production recipient Conwell Kids Drama Program in Jersey City perform “Let The Sun Shine On” from Frozen JR. during the Freddie G Awards Show
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' Michael Di Bianco and Lane Beauchamp present the Freddie G Outstanding Student Direction & Choreography award at the 2020 Junior Theater Festival Awards Ceremony
Freddie G Outstanding Production recipient Mountain City Center for the Arts in Frostburg, MD, perform “Oh The Thinks You Can Think” from Seussical JR. during the Freddie G Awards ceremony
Students from Mill Creek Musical Theatre in Nolensville, TN, perform “Human Heart” from Once On This Island JR. during the Freddie G Awards ceremony
Students from Tampa Bay Performing Arts in Palm Harbor, FL and Magic Curtain Productions in Orlando, FL take part in the Junior Theater Festival Tech Olympics
Caissie Levy (Caroline, or Change; Frozen) performs the Junior Theater Festival’s headlining concert
Marcus Woollen for the Junior Theater Festival
Timothy Allen McDonald kicks off JTF West 2020 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion in Sacramento, California
West Lake School for the Performing Arts student Amarech Mendez performs the National Anthem
Students from Musical Mayhem Productions in Elk Grove, California perform selections from Mary Poppins JR. during Saturday morning adjudications.
Broadway Newsies director Jeff Calhoun gives Musical Mayhem students feedback during adjudications
Lightning Thief composer and lyricist Rob Rokicki works with the Musical Mayhem students
Disney Theatrical Productions President and Producer Thomas Schumacher gives the JTF West festival keynote
Students from Eastern Shore Repertory Theatre perform selections from Disney's Newsies JR. at the New Works Showcase
Students from Poison Apple Productions perform selections from The Drowsy Chaperone JR. at the New Works Showcase
Students from KidsAlive! perform selections from Elephant & Piggie's We Are in a Play! JR. at the New Works Showcase
Spark of Creation student Celeste Javier performing the title role of Disney's Moana JR. in the New Works Showcase
Students from British Theatre Academy in Leatherhead, Surrey perform selections from Roald Dahl's Matilda JR. at the New Works Showcase
Jason Gotay performs from the upcoming Off-Broadway musical Between the Lines during the festival's Pathways to Success event
Musical Mayhem Productions, a Freddie G Outstanding Production recipient, performs a selection from Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins JR. for all festival attendees at the Freddie G Awards Ceremony
Outstanding performers from the festival, named JTF West All-Stars, perform during the JTF West Freddie G Awards show
Marcus Woollen
Dear Edwina, Junie B. Jones, and Enchanted writers Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich perform the headlining concert
Fame, Footloose, and The Big One-Oh! writer Dean Pitchford performs at the headlining concert
Fitzpatrick and Culwell-Block also presented the Playbill Community Service Award to Woodford Theatre Young Artists of Versailles, Kentucky. All groups attending the festivals were encouraged to submit videos documenting their organization's community service projects. Five finalists were highlighted on Playbill, where the public voted on their favorite. Woodford Theatre receives a $1,000 grant to support continued charitable efforts along with a free custom Playbill from PLAYBILLder.com, the online program creation tool that allows schools and community organizations to personalize and print an authentic Broadway-quality Playbill program for their production or event.
JTF West, held in Sacramento February 7–9, featured Schumacher, Gotay, Rokicki, Padovan, Russo, and Calhoun as well, joined by The Little Mermaid and The Phantom of the Opera star Sierra Boggess, Dear Edwina and Junie B. Jones writers Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich, orchestrator and composer Doug Besterman, Olaf's Frozen Adventure and Between the Lines songwriters Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, and Fame and Footloose writer Dean Pitchford. Goldrich and Heisler performed the Sacramento headlining concert, which also featured performances from Boggess and Pitchford.
Groups attending either of the North American Junior Theater Festivals prepare 15-minute staged selections from titles in theatrical licensor Music Theatre International's Broadway Junior collection for adjudication, after which students 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.
Both festivals also included a New Works Showcase with performances highlighting new musicals joining MTI's Broadway Junior library. This year's roster was Roald Dahl's Matilda JR., Elephant & Piggie's "We Are in a Play!" JR., THe Drowsy Chaperone JR., Newsies JR., and Disney's Moana JR.
The Atlanta festival, which was first held in 2003, hosted more than 6,000 attendees from 129 groups this year, with 31 states, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. all represented. JTF West, now in its fourth year, hosted 2,200 attendees from 48 groups, representing 17 states and South Korea, the U.K., New Zealand, and Australia. The North American festivals have since spawned similar celebrations in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia.
Only Make Believe and Situation Group teamed up for a hands-on workshop, crafting costumes with children in hospitals, care facilities, and special education programs.
Combining DIY robotics, heartfelt storytelling, and traditional magic, Mario the Maker Magician’s show inspires kids and families to embrace the joy of making.
