International Musical Theatre Festival MTCA Offers Students A Weekend Of Education, Performance And Masterclass Opportunities

In a weekend described by participants as anything but "virtual", students from schools around the world joined together to celebrate the magic of live theatre in a digital theatrical venue.

On March 26th, the Musical Theatre Competitions of America (MTCA) brought students back to the stage to express their creativity and grow as artists in a time where stages are dark around the world. The weekend kicked off with two-time Tony-winner Jerry Mitchell teaching students' original choreography from Legally Blonde and ended with the presentation of over 200 awards to top-performing individuals and groups.

Masterclasses, Adjudication, and Performances took center stage on Saturday. Students aged 8-19 competed in a wide-ranging collection of individual and group categories. Individuals participated in solo, monologue, and duet categories, while groups performed ensemble routines. Technical theatre students had the opportunity to present Set Design, Costume Design, and Makeup and Hair Design for adjudication. Students participated in multiple master classes throughout the weekend from Broadway's brightest stars, highlighted by Stephanie J. Block, Ryann Redmond, and Christopher J. Hanke.

"MTCA has only given me more and more reason to love theater. I am very thankful and grateful to have received the opportunities the festival presented me. I had a wonderful time spending the competition with my second family, called CCYT. And I truly cannot wait until my senior year to do it again!" - Bryce Nevison, Student

MTCA 2021's Special Guest Host was Taylor Louderman, star of Broadway hits Bring It On (Campbell) and Mean Girls (Regina George), which garnered her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical in 2018. Louderman conducted master classes with students and showcased her dedication to teaching and inspiring the next generation of musical theatre talent.

On Saturday evening, MTCA hosted a Mean Girls Original Cast Reunion with Erika Henningsen, Grey Henson, and Curtis Holland joining Louderman and Hanke as they opened the Burn Book and shared their Broadway experiences with the show and beyond. The evening concluded with a Celebration of Broadway with performances by Taylor Louderman, Kyle Selig, Erika Henningsen, Ryann Redmond, and Christopher J. Hanke.

"The festival was professional, thoughtful, communicative, and encouraging. MTCA highlighted students and their gifts. Managing to inspire students who are numb to video screens is no small task, and I am grateful for MTCA's persistence, flexibility, and vision in a time where theater has never been so important." - Shannon Saleh, Director, Euphony

What differentiates MTCA from other competitions and festivals is that each student receives a personal workshop of the materials presented by adjudicators. Students receive immediate and relevant feedback that encourages growth and development. This learning opportunity is an integral part of the MTCA experience. The MTCA adjudication team is comprised of college-level theatre faculty, Broadway performers and choreographers, Disney Master Class teachers, and regional theatre owners.

Crane Youth Theatre and SCERA Acting UP took home top honors in the concluding awards ceremony on Sunday. Special Creative Excellence awards were presented to Caryl Crane Youth Theatre, Portsmouth High School, and Youth Theatre at the U.

"MTCA gave our students not only the chance to develop and strengthen their skills with some of the best in the biz, but it also gave us a platform to let each student's creative voice be heard. It truly was an unbelievable weekend!" - Brian Marshall, Director, Caryl Crane Youth Theatre.

MTCA announced today they will be hosting a LIVE National Showcase on July 16th-18th, 2021.

Registration is now open for MTCA 2022! Please visit www.mtcofa.com for more information.

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