Broadway Stars Reach Out to Theater Hopefuls 6/22- 8/7

Broadway Luminaries Light the Way for Geographically Challenged Hopefuls

The Missoula Children's Theatre Announces New School: Next Step Prep

MCT's Next Step Prep, the Academy for Musical Theatre
2009 Summer Session - June 22- August 7
Open to Students from Across the Country entering 9 - 12th grade in the fall of 2009
Application Deadline - March 15, 2009

Soon this sleepy college town, nestled in the Northern Rockies, will wake to the strains of Shubert Alley and the sounds of tapping feet as Broadway hopefuls from across the country come to hone their skills under the watchful eye of Broadway Luminaries:

Martin Charnin (Director, Writer and Lyricist - Annie, Two by Two, I Remember Mama)

J.K. Simmons (Juno, Spiderman Trilogy, ABC's The Closer, Broadway's Guys and Dolls)

Bill Bowers (Under a Montana Moon, Scarlet Pimpernel and The Lion King on Broadway)

Alexander Gemignani (Les Miserables and Sweeney Todd on Broadway)

Alan Campbell (Sunset Boulevard Tony Award nominee, Contact)
Lauren Kennedy (Sunset Boulevard, Spamalot, South Pacific - National Theatre, London)

These seasoned professionals are among those who will share their talents and expertise with fledgling high school performers in an exciting new educational program from the Missoula Children's Theatre: Next Step Prep, the Academy for Musical Theatre.

For over 35 years MCT has been bringing theatrical experiences to children across the country through weeklong residencies - giving many students their first taste of life before the footlights. Today MCT travels to over 1200 communities annually - in all 50 states, 4 Canadian provinces, and nearly 20 countries overseas. For many of the 65,000 students who participate annually MCT sparks a love of theatre which will continue to burn throughout their lives. But nearly 75% of the communities which MCT serves are smaller, rural communities without the facilities to fan the flames of those students with a burning desire to make the stage a career.

Talent knows no geographical boundaries, but while many urban students may have access to Performing Arts magnet schools, conservatories, and a plethora of dance studios and private voice teachers their rural counterparts have few chances for the intense training in dance, acting and voice needed to excel in Musical Theatre. These "geographically challenged" students deserve the same opportunities as their more privileged contemporaries... enter Next Step Prep.

Next Step Prep is designed to develop the talents of young students interested in pursuing a University or lifetime career in Musical Theatre, through classroom and applied studies in Dance, Music and Acting. But the school will go a step further, bringing students together with professionals from the worlds of Theatre, Film and TV in a series of specialty workshops and master classes. In these challenging economic times it is encouraging that so many talented people working in theatre today are willing to take the time to reach out to the next generation of Broadway stars.

In addition to those artists already mentioned, there has been recent interest from Broadway Composer Jason Robert Brown (The Last 5 Years, Parade, and 13) as well as Georgia Stitt (Composer and Vocal Coach for NBC TV's "You're the one that I Want" and "America's Got Talent"). Next Step Prep has also forged relationships with highly respected fine arts universities and conservatories. University professors Erin Ortmann (Performer and Director/Instructor at NYU-Tisch) and Aubrey Berg (Chairman, Department of Musical Theatre, Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music), will be among those working closely with Next Step students, developing relationships and getting to know each as a serious musical theatre professional.

The Deadline to apply to Next Step Prep is March 15, and enrollment and scholarship opportunities are limited so interested students are encouraged to apply now.

For application materials, or to learn how you can support Next Step Prep please contact:
Libby Schneider - Curriculum Director or Gregory Boris - Managing Director
At (406)728-1911 or by email at nextstep@mctinc.org

To learn more about The Missoula Children's theatre visit www.mctinc.org
For information about Next Step Prep see www.mctinc.org/nextstepprep
Or find us on Facebook at - Next Step Prep