Musical Theatre of Anthem Announces 2022-23 Season

Musical Theatre of Anthem has announced their 2022-2023 Fantastic 15th Season, bringing to the stage some new performances sure to delight patrons of all ages. MTA will produce 7 shows offering tremendous opportunities for performers of all ages, including casting all youth who audition in productions for performers ages 6-19, as well as opportunities for adult performers.

"We are so grateful for all of the support from the community and are very excited to head into our Fantastic 15th Season," said MTA Board Member and Producing Artistic Director, Jackie Hammond. "We are really looking forward to bringing large-scale productions to life on stage, including one of the greatest dance shows of all time, A Chorus Line: Teen Edition, featuring award-winning performers ages 13-18! We also have a number of crowd family favorites, including Disney's Winnie the Pooh KIDS, Disney's My Son Pinocchio Jr., A Year with Frog and Toad KIDS, Little Women, Be More Chill, and a HUGE production involving a certain under the sea sponge that we can't wait to officially announce in August! We are also thrilled to continue a large variety of classes for kids of all ages starting again in August including Improv, Theatre Special Skills, Fairytale Theatre, and special workshops like the 24 Hour Theatre Project and MTA's very own Haunted House, after an enormous turnout from our inaugural Haunted House last year! We are so honored that one of our long-time staff members, Sarah Lindsay, through her company Honu Management, has made a large donation to our general fund, as well as a large donation to our Lyle Kishbaugh Scholarship Fund. Her generous support will ensure that we can continue our mission of allowing every child to participate, regardless of financial burdens. We are looking forward to awarding a record number of scholarships! It is sure to be a wonderful season of shows, workshops, training, and more!"

MTA's 2022-2023 SEASON

DISNEY WINNIE THE POOH KIDS

Ages: 6-12 (all youth are cast)

Auditions: July 6, 2022

Performances: July 15-July 16, 2022

Disney's Winnie the Pooh KIDS is a delightful show based on the beloved characters of A.A. Milne and the 2011 Disney animated feature film. Featuring favorite songs from the film, as well as new hits by the Academy Award-winning Robert and Kristen Lopez (Frozen), this honey-filled delight is as sweet as it is fun. Welcome to the Hundred Acre Wood, where Winnie the Pooh is once again in search of honey. Along the way, he meets his pals, Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit and Owl, but soon discovers that Christopher Robin has been captured by the mysterious Backson! As they prepare for a rescue operation, the animals learn about teamwork, friendship and, of course... sharing snacks.

Disney Winnie the Pooh KIDS is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

A CHORUS LINE: TEEN EDITION

Ages: 13-18 (all youth are cast)

Auditions: July 17, 2022

Performances: July 28-30, 2022

A Chorus Line: Teen Edition is a full-length version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, adapted for performance by high school students with family audiences. Every aspect of the show has been developed specifically to make the content and dialogue age-appropriate. A Chorus Line is a stunning concept musical capturing the spirit and tension of a Broadway chorus audition. Exploring the inner lives and poignant ambitions of professional Broadway performers, the show features one powerhouse number after another. Memorable musical numbers include "What I Did for Love," "One," "I Can Do That," "At the Ballet," "The Music and the Mirror," and "I Hope I Get It." A brilliantly complex fusion of song, dance, and compellingly authentic drama, the show was instantly recognized as a classic.

A Chorus Line Teen Edition is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals.

LITTLE WOMEN

Ages: Ages 13-18, all youth are cast; 2-3 additional adult roles

Auditions: August 6, 2022

Performances: September 22-25, 2022

Produced nationally and internationally, Little Women has been praised by critics for its ambition in adapting such a well-known story for the stage. This timeless, captivating story is brought to life in this glorious musical filled with personal discovery, heartache, hope and everlasting love. Based on Louisa May Alcott's life, Little Women follows the adventures of sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March. Jo is trying to sell her stories for publication, but the publishers are not interested - her friend, Professor Bhaer, tells her that she has to do better and write more from herself. Begrudgingly taking this advice, Jo weaves the story of herself and her sisters and their experience growing up in Civil War America. Little Women embodies the complete theatrical experience, guaranteeing a night filled with laughter, tears and a lifting of the spirit. The powerful score soars with the sounds of personal discovery, heartache and hope - the sounds of a young America finding its voice.

Little Women is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD KIDS

Ages: 6-13 (all youth are cast)

Auditions: August 27, 2022

Performances: November 3-6, 2022

The treasured characters from the children's books and the beautiful Broadway musical hop from page to stage in this story of friendship and adventure. Based on Arnold Lobel's well-loved books, A Year with Frog and Toad KIDS tells the story of a friendship that endures throughout the seasons. Waking from hibernation, Frog and Toad plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding and learn life lessons along the way. Throughout the year, two best friends celebrate and rejoice in the differences that make them unique and special.

A Year with Frog and Toad KIDS is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

BE MORE CHILL

Ages: 14-18 (all youth are cast)

Auditions: October 1, 2022

Performances: December 8-11, 2022

Jeremy Heere is just an average teenager. That is, until he finds out about "The Squip," a tiny supercomputer that promises to bring him everything he desires most: a date with Christine, an invite to the raddest party of the year and a chance to survive life in his suburban New Jersey high school. But is being the most popular guy in school worth the risk? Although Be More Chill is recommended for ages 12 and up, we are requesting that audience and cast members be ages 14 and up due to cursing, dark humor, and crude jokes. Below are a couple of websites with more information on the show and teenagers. Please know that at MTA we will make sure the musical is presented in a tasteful manner, will adhere to the PG-13 rating, and ensure the message of the show, which is to be yourself. This Sci-Fi Musical explores parts of high school that everyone goes through, like trying to fit in, wanting to impress someone you like, feeling like an outcast and even losing a good friend along the way, but it also shows deep messages on how technology is taking over our society.

Be More Chill is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals.

TO BE ANNOUNCED MUSICAL

Ages 6-adult, all youth ages 6-19 are cast

Auditions: February 4, 2023

Performances: April 27- May 14, 2023

*Show will be announced after July 26, 2022.

The To Be Announced show is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals

DISNEY MY SON PINOCCHIO JR.

Ages: 8-18 (all youth are cast)

Auditions: June 5, 2023

Performances: June 15 - June 17, 2023

In Disney's My Son Pinocchio JR., the classic tale of toymaker, Geppetto's, little wooden puppet is given new life. This new musical, which retells the classic Disney story from Geppetto's perspective, features the beloved classic songs, "When You Wish upon a Star" and "I've Got No Strings," alongside a host of new songs by Oscar winner and Grammy Award winner, Stephen Schwartz. Join the Blue Fairy, Stromboli and a lively cast of characters as Geppetto journeys beyond the toyshop to discover the meaning of family. When the Blue Fairy grants Geppetto's wish to bring his beloved puppet to life, the new father quickly learns that being a parent is full of challenges. He struggles to make his son "the perfect boy," only to lose him to a gang of Roustabouts. It is only when faced with the thought of never seeing Pinocchio again that Geppetto truly learns the joys of being a father and loving his child unconditionally.

Disney My Son Pinocchio Jr. is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

About MTA

Musical Theatre of Anthem (MTA) is an award-winning, non-profit theater company located in Anthem, Arizona. The mission of MTA is to develop youth and adults within the field of performing arts while enhancing their intrinsic creativity and brokering their vast talents. MTA trains and educates youth so that they can become the artists, patrons, and leaders of tomorrow while providing opportunities to adults that empower them and foster their creativity. MTA's principles include casting all who audition in select productions, presenting high quality shows that everyone can enjoy, and providing a positive environment where performers can practice teamwork and communication skills while experiencing the pride of accomplishment. Supported in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts which receives support from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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