What is JTF?

Hello, MCCA Family!

Welcome to a spotlight on our JTF Pre-Professional Program! MCCA’s Junior Theatre Festival (JTF) Program has been in existence since 2017, and is always a highlight within our season. Keep reading for an inside look into what JTF is all about!

WHAT IS JTF?

The Junior Theatre Festival is the world’s biggest and best celebration of young people performing musical theatre. JTF brings together student musical theatre troupes from all over the world for a weekend of musical theatre joy. It is an empowering weekend that provides students a unique and professional musical theatre experience. In recent years, the festival attendance has included more than 115 troupes and 6,500+ attendees!

WHAT HAPPENS DURING JTF WEEKEND?

The experience of attending a Junior Theatre Festival weekend is like no other! It’s a jam-packed weekend of performances, adjudications, panel discussions, workshops, fun and fellowship. 

Adjudications - Every troupe that attends JTF prepares a 15 minute selection from a Broadway Jr. Musical, which are performed for a panel of Musical Theatre Experts. The Freddie G. Award Ceremony celebrates all of the amazing performances! Group Awards are given for Excellence in Acting, Music, Dance, and Ensemble. Outstanding Production Awards are presented to a select few troupes to celebrate their innovation, storytelling and heart. 

MCCA Fun Fact: MCCA has been awarded Excellence in Dance (2024), Music (2019), Acting (2017, 2021, 2023), Ensemble (2018), and Outstanding Production (2020, 2021, 2022). Individual Performance Awards were presented to Abby McLaughlin (2019 & 2020), Guy & Cassidy Witt (2021), and Ashton Williams (2022 & 2023).

Panel Discussions & Workshops - Educational opportunities abound at JTF! In addition to performing, students have the opportunity to receive invaluable guidance, education and insight from theatre professionals around the world. Students participate in Music, Dance and Acting focused workshops, and enjoy a number of valuable presentations. There are also workshop opportunities for Technical Theatre students, Parents and Families and Teachers!

Main Stage Performances - JTF participants get to attend the New Works Showcase - an evening of presentations from new musicals that will soon be available in the Broadway Jr. catalog. New musicals are presented by JTF student troupes, and this event is a true highlight of the festival each year! On the last night of the festival, there is also a big finale concert presented by one or more Broadway Stars!

MCCA Fun fact: MCCA’s JTF Company performed the premiere of 13 the Musical Jr. at the 2023 New Works Showcase!

HOW DOES MCCA PREPARE FOR JTF?

Participating in the MCCA JTF Pre-Professional Company provides accelerated training and helps to prepare students for the professional world of musical theatre. The program is exciting, high energy, and requires serious commitment from both students and parents.

• Auditions for the JTF program are held in the spring.

• Students who are welcomed to the program will perform the selected Broadway Jr. musical in June, as part of a 2-week long production camp.

• JTF students are required to take Fall Semester Training & Performance classes in both Session 1 and Session 2, to help further their skills and to prepare their adjudication piece for the festival.

• After a few final rehearsals over Winter Break, students, parents/families and MCCA Staff head to the Junior Theatre Festival in January!

In addition to training and preparation, students in the JTF program also have the opportunity to spend time giving back to the community. This includes performing at local community events, hosting special parties and events, and the cast even gets to plan, organize and implement their own community service projects! 

BENEFITS OF THE JTF EXPERIENCE

There are endless benefits to being a member of the JTF Company!

Training - Students are really able to elevate their skills in this accelerated program. The process of preparing for JTF will enrich and enhance a student’s skills in Acting, Voice, Dance Rehearsal Etiquette and Audition Techniques.

Collaboration - Our common goal is to nurture young performers and to help them grow into creative, collaborative, compassionate, professional, kind, hard-working young adults. Students will be working as a team to create the best possible performance. Learning to create a true ensemble dynamic is beneficial not only to creating an entertaining performance, but is also an important life skill that will serve students well beyond the stage.

JOY! - The experience of JTF is truly uplifting and joyous! Our goal is to create a positive and safe environment where students are free to take risks, be bold, be their true selves, and embrace the uniqueness of those around them. We strive to create a dynamic that celebrates the unique individual as well as the commonality of the love of performing. Bonding with cast mates and teachers throughout the preparation process and getting to experience the magic of the Junior Theatre Festival as a team is an indescribable experience!

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JTF?

Visit our Junior Theatre Festival page here: https://www.mymcca.com/juniortheatrefestival to learn more about this magical experience! Follow MCCA on Social Media to see what the current 2024-25 Company is up to throughout the preparation process and highlights of their weekend at JTF coming up in January!

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE JTF COMPANY?

Keep an eye on our website and social media for announcements and information for the 2025-26 JTF Program! Auditions will be held in the Spring of 2025.