Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman Will Be Honored by the Educational Theatre Foundation

Broadway songwriting team Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can, Smash) will be honored with the Educational Theatre Foundation's Broadway Back to School Award. The honor is being presented in recognition of their efforts building access and excellence in school theatre.

The pair will receive the award at the 2019 Broadway Back to School gala, scheduled for September 22 at the Edison Ballroom. This event, now in its fifth year, raises funds for underserved schools by bringing professional artists together with current high school students for an evening of performances and interviews.

"We have always been committed to making musical theatre relevant and accessible to high school students because it’s essential for their success, as well as for the progress of our industry," said Shaiman and Wittman. "We are proud that Hairspray is among the top ten most-produced high school musicals in the last decade. We believe in the vision of the Educational Theatre Foundation that every child should have access to theatre in their school and look forward to continuing our partnership in the years to come.”

Broadway Back to School's host committee is led by Tony-nominated playwright Hunter Bell ([title of show]) and The Musical Company Vice President of Amateur Licensing Kim Rogers.

Founded in 2017, the Educational Theatre Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Educational Theatre Association, home of the International Thespian Society. The foundation awarded more than $650,000 in grants in its first year, reaching high school theatre programs in 50 cities and creating musical theatre programs at underserved middle schools in six states.