Local Students Win National Theater Award at 2023 Junior Theater Festival Atlanta

Students representing Magic Curtain Productions in Orlando won a Freddie G Excellence in Dance award and earned other recognition at the 2023 Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (JTF Atlanta).

The monumental weekend dedicated to rewarding and celebrating excellent student-driven musical theater programs happened January 13-15, 2023, at the Cobb Convention Center in Atlanta.

Students Ainsley Newton and Tyler Williams made it to the callback for a yet to be announced special video project which will promote musicals in schools.

Students Nathan Paul and Tyler William were named Junior Theater Festival All-Stars, a select group of outstanding performers.

At the festival, each group performed 15 minutes of a Broadway Junior® musical for adjudicators. Magic Curtain Productions presented Disney’s Newsies JR. to actor Brion Watson (Hamilton, national tour, Wicked, national tour); Nina Meehan, Bay Area Children’s Theatre (BACT) founding CEO; and Peter Avery, director of Theater for the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE).

Avery said: “Congrats to Magic Curtain Productions for capturing the world of New York City during an important era. There was great dancing and storytelling.”

Watson agreed, “I want to extend my thanks to this cast for sharing! The amount of dancing and singing we saw during their presentation was commendable within itself. Their presentation showed that they come from a strong foundation of love and hard work.”

About The 2023 JTF Atlanta

Called a “rousing celebration of theatre” by the New York Times, the Junior Theater Festival applauds and empowers young people and educators creating student-driven musical theater around the globe.

The 2023 JTF Atlanta was an incredible weekend of singing, dancing, acting, and learning. There were 125 groups from 28 states, as well as Washington DC, Canada, and Australia, participating in the festival.

The weekend included panels and performances from the original Mean Girls Broadway cast members Krystina Alabado, Erika Henningsen, Grey Henson, Kate Rockwell, &Kyle Selig; Katy Geraghty (Into the Woods, Broadway); Taylor Iman Jones (SIX, Broadway); Daniel Yearwood (Hamilton, Broadway), and Pasek & Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman). Thomas Schumacher, president & producer, Disney Theatrical Productions delivered the festival keynote.

Additional talent appearing at the festival and cheering the young artists were director, choreographer and producer Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Broadway); actor Cori Jaskier(Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, TheaterWorksUSA’s Charlotte’s Web); lyricist and librettist Kate Leonard (Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, Breathe, For You, Paige); composer and music supervisor Daniel J. Mertzlufft (Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, Breathe); Michael Wordly (Kinky Boots, Chicago); actor Luca Padovan (Newsies, Broadway); New York Times best-selling author Jodi Picoult (Between the Lines, Off-Broadway), and Wren Rivera (Jagged Little Pill, Broadway).

Groups enjoyed a New Works Showcase of performance selections from upcoming Broadway Junior® musicals presented by JTF groups, and other mainstage performances featuring powerhouse Broadway guests and took part in workshops.

About Magic Curtain Productions

Magic Curtain Productions (MCP) is a premier community theater in East Orlando. MCP is civic-minded and active in the community; its students frequently perform for after-school programs, community events, and at local assisted living facilities.

The group has enjoyed success at past Junior Theater Festivals. The group earned Freddie G Excellence in Dance awards (2021 JTF Texas and 2020 JTF Atlanta); a Freddie G Excellence in Ensemble Work at the 2019 JTF Atlanta; a Freddie G Excellence in Acting award (2018 JTF Atlanta), and a Freddie G Award for Excellence in Music (2016, 2015, and 2014 JTF Atlanta).

Its students have been recognized as well. Cole Higginbotham (2022 JTF Atlanta), Ethan Crespo (2021 JTF Texas) and Casey Gulledge (2014 JTF Atlanta) received a Freddie G Outstanding Performance by an Individual award. Meghan McQueeney (2014 JTF Atlanta) and Kelsey Brown (2013 JTF Atlanta) earned a Freddie G Award for Outstanding Student Direction and/or Choreography award. At the 2017 JTF Atlanta student Dario Antonio won a Freddie G Broadway Junior Slam Award.

Additionally, at the festivals many MCP students have made it to the call-back for future shoots for “how-to” choreography videos for soon-to-be-released musicals: Sydney Lockwood (2017 JTF Atlanta); Hannah Restuccia (2016, 2015 and 2014 JTF Atlanta); Imani Moss and Demetri Inmon (2015 JTF Atlanta); Kelsey Brown and Alexis Buck (2014 JTF Atlanta), and Kelsey Brown and fellow student Andrea Diaz 2013).

In 2012, MCP director Rhonda Cato was one of eight exceptional educators from schools and performing arts centers around the country who were selected for the 3rd annual Freddie G Fellowship. The teachers received an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to collaborate with each other and work one-on-one with Broadway greats. The event is sponsored by MTI’s Freddie (“G”) Gershon and his wife Myrna Gershon and is a thank-you for all that teachers do to introduce the next generation to Broadway and musical theater.

Outside of the Junior Theater Festival, MCP has won the top Showcase Award at the National Performing Arts Festival at Disney in 2015 and 2016.

About iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Festivals

iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Group produce the Junior Theater Festivals. Based in New York City, for the last decade iTheatrics has established itself as the world’s leading authority on musical theater for young people. iTheatrics works with leading public and private companies around the world—including the Kennedy Center, NBC, and all the leading theatrical licensors—to make sure that young people everywhere have access to quality musical theater programs.

In addition to the Junior Theater Festival Atlanta, iTheatrics produces, hosts, and supports Junior Theater Festivals and one-day Junior Theater Celebrations in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.

Past festival attendees have included Ahrens & Flaherty, Skylar Astin, Joshua Bassett, Shoshana Bean, Sierra Boggess, Nicholas Christopher, Darren Criss, Zac Efron, Cynthia Erivo, Megan Hilty, Arielle Jacobs, Kenny Leon, Caissie Levy, Kara Lindsay, Ryan McCartan, Lindsay Mendez, Alan Menken, Pasek and Paul, Ben Platt, Olivia Rodrigo, Samsel & Anderson; Steven Schwartz, Ali Stroker, and Jeanine Tesori.

Photo credit: Avery Brunkus/JTF