Education News2021 Junior Theater Festival Will Take Place Online as a Virtual Global EventThis online event celebrating youth musical theatre will be open to individuals (in addition to youth theatre groups) for the first time.
By
Logan Culwell-Block
November 27, 2020
The 2021 Junior Theater Festival, usually held in Atlanta, Georgia, has pivoted into becoming a virtual event, open to attendees worldwide. The JTF Online Extravaganza, scheduled for January 15-17, will see kids singing, dancing, acting, and learning in a virtual celebration of all things youth theatre. See Taylor Iman Jones, Ryan McCartan, Brittney Mack, and more announce the newly online event and break down just how it will work in the video above.
"We are theatre-makers! And make theatre we will," says iTheatrics and Junior Theater Group Founder and CEO Timothy Allen McDonald. We’re joining up with an incredible team of artists, creatives, and educators to make this really special. This year hasn’t been easy, and we’ve seen students and teachers shift to online rehearsals, turn storytelling limitations into opportunities, lean on each other for emotional support, and through it all somehow manage to keep a light on at the end of the tunnel. Now, it’s time to celebrate each and every one of them and give those who carry the love of musical theatre in their hearts a way to continue to share their art with others."
Usually open only to youth theatre groups, the online edition of JTF will for the first time be available to individuals as well. Those interested in registering as an individual can use the promo code JAZZHANDS from now through midnight November, 30 to receive 30 percent off the registration fee. The deadline for registration for both groups and individuals is December 1. Visit JuniorTheaterFestival.com for more.
The festival will kick off with a virtual choir made up of students from all participating groups performing the National Anthem, newly arranged by composer and TikTok star (of Ratatouille: The Musical fame) Daniel J. Mertzlufft and iTheatrics and Encore! on Disney+ music director Lindsay Lupi. Groups will then present 10-minute pre-recorded video performances of selections from a Broadway Junior or Online Edition musical for adjudication. Groups will receive live feedback from an adjudicating panel of industry professionals, with some moments selected by adjudicators to be workshopped live and in real time. Some groups and individual performers will win awards and other recognition.
New works will also be showcased, as at previous Junior Theater Festivals. Attendees will get a virtual sneak peak at Jason Robert Brown's 13 JR. and Disney's The Descendants, both performed remotely by Junior Theater Festival students from around the world. The festival will feature a headlining concert and talkbacks and performances with theatre industry professionals highlighting their career journeys and accomplishments. Workshops will also be offered for students and their teachers.
Even the festival's annual Dance Party-Palooza will be brought online in an event led by student performers. Grown-ups will have their own cocktail-style events with opportunities to meet and talk with talent, special guests, and representatives from iTheatrics, Disney Theatrical Productions, Playbill, and Music Theatre International.
Playbill will be on hand to host the second annual JTF Theatre Trivia Showdown, with two student representatives from each group selected to participate and the entire festival invited to watch and play along on social media.
The festival culminates in the Freddie G Awards Ceremony, celebrating the weekend's achievements with performances of shows coming soon to the Broadway Junior Collection; the presentation of performance, technical, and teacher awards; and more.
"Just doing musical theatre with students is an automatic win. The ‘virtual’ drawbacks are forgotten in a snap because the love of and commitment to theatre is so strong," says iTheatrics Director of Education Marty Johnson. "When iTheatrics served as virtual adjudicators for the Junior Theater Festival Australia, we enjoyed a variety of different adjudication performances. Some of the casts were filmed together; some performed from their Zoom boxes. Everyone worked, learned, and had so much fun."
Looking ahead, iTheatrics is planning in-person festivals for later in 2021, including Junior Theater Festival West in Sacramento, California, May 7–9 and the debut of Junior Theater Festival Texas in Sugarland, Texas, June 25–27. In addition to Playbill, festival sponsors include Music Theatre International, Disney Theatrical Productions, and iHeartRadio Broadway.
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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
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.
Strive Higher is making a difference by connecting Bronx students with transformative learning experiences—from virtual reading mentorships to city excursions.
