The 15th annual Shubert Foundation/Music Theatre International Broadway Junior Student Finale premiered on YouTube July 1. Usually held in person at a Broadway theatre, this year's celebration moved online in response to the COVID-19 health crisis. Watch the presentation above.
The 25-minute video features NYC public school students performing songs from Broadway Junior titles—special adaptations of Broadway musicals designed for young performers—recorded in quarantine from their homes. The celebration is the culmination of a mentorship program sponsored by The Shubert Foundation, Music Theatre International, and the New York City Department of Education that helps public schools build sustainable theatre education programs.
MTI's Broadway Junior catalog features musicals specially adapted to be performed by young actors, allowing schools worldwide to tackle such shows as Into the Woods and Legally Blonde. This year's celebration features performances from the Junior adaptations of Seussical, Shrek, The Lion King, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, Hairspray, and Aladdin.