Center Theatre Group Now Accepting Applications for Disney Musicals in Schools Program

In 2017, Center Theatre Group was awarded a grant from Disney to bring the Disney Musicals in Schools program to the Los Angeles area. The program is an initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Productions to create sustainable theatre programs in under-resourced elementary schools. Center Theatre Group will select five area public elementary schools to participate in this year's program.

Applications are now being accepted for 2018-2019. Public elementary schools in Los Angeles County holding a Title 1 status are eligible to apply. The deadline to apply is Friday, September 21, 2018. For more information or to apply, visit www.CTGLA.org/DisneyMusicalsInSchools or email Traci Kwon at tkwon@ctgla.org.

Previous recipients have included Harrison Elementary (LAUSD), Hope Street Elementary (LAUSD), Humphreys Avenue Elementary (LAUSD), La Ballona Elementary (Culver City Unified School District) and Ritter Elementary (LAUSD).

The selected schools will participate in a 17-week musical theatre residency, led by a team of teaching artists trained by Center Theatre Group and Disney Theatrical Productions, at no cost. Each school will receive performance rights, education support materials and guidance from the teaching artists. The program features a professional development focus, through which participating school teachers partner with Center Theatre Group teaching artists to learn how to produce, direct, choreograph and music direct, culminating in their first 30-minute Disney KIDS musical at their school. As a capstone to the experience, Center Theatre Group will host a Student Share Celebration in which each school performs one number from their show on the Ahmanson Theatre stage for an audience of students, teachers, family and community members.

Using the unique world of musical theatre, Disney Musicals in Schools helps to foster positive relationships between students, faculty, staff, parents and the community. Students and teachers work in teams, developing the wide spectrum of skills needed when producing a piece of musical theatre, including critical thinking, problem solving, ensemble building, communication, self-confidence and interpersonal skills.

Photo: Students from La Ballona Elementary rehearsing for their production of "The Lion King," part of Center Theatre Group's inaugural Disney Musicals in Schools (DMIS) program. Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging