The Shubert Foundation The Shubert Organization Music Theatre International
and The New York City Department of Education/Office of Arts and Special Projects
present
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The 16th Annual
Shubert Foundation / Music Theatre International
Broadway Junior
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® |
Student Finale |
June 21, 2021
World Premiere at Playbill.com
Do you recall your first Broadway show? Were you an audience member or a performer? Imagine the impact of your first experience as acting, singing, and dancing on a Broadway stage—as a middle school student. In a normal year, we would celebrate the Shubert Foundation/Musical Theatre International Broadway Junior Finale with nearly 500 NYC students doing just that—taking the stage to share musical numbers from their fully-realized Broadway Junior school productions.
Under the widely challenging circumstances of remote learning, each student artist found time and tried to locate a physical space to rehearse and record their individual performance on various devices—for us. These musical numbers illuminate how theatre provides a welcoming place for artists and audiences to connect, to listen, to reflect, to invest, to empathize…to shine. Theatre also entertains, and I think you will cherish the heart and passion these students bring that transcends the screen. Youth today must navigate a rapidly-changing world—and what a year it has been. Their abilities to adapt, collaborate and revise prepares them for life on and off the stage. Theatre in our schools provides youth a place to process events socially and emotionally—the space and time to explore ideas safely with others in classes, rehearsals, and performances.
While most of us could only dream of such an opportunity for our younger selves, to date over 5,000 12-14 year-old boys and girls have shared such an inspiring experience with fellow student performers from across the city. For most, the Broadway Junior Program represents their first theatre experience at their school, let alone on Broadway. The broad and deep impact of this visionary public-private partnership among The Shubert Foundation, Music Theatre International, and the NYC Department of Education is truly transformative. Through the power of musical theatre, students investigate what it means to collaborate and create the world of a play. The process of rehearsing and mounting a theatrical production is a process of learning, exploring, and revising—a process that we hope better prepares them to achieve what they can envision whether on stage or beyond.
On behalf of the Chancellor and all our DOE colleagues, thank you to the Shubert Foundation for their tremendous support of expanding theatre education throughout our schools and in particular during the COVID pandemic. And a special thank you to all of you for recognizing the power of a dedicated theatre and arts education for all our NYC students.
Peter Avery
Director of Theater, New York City Department of Education
