Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Reveals Four New Schools Selected For 2024 Disney Musicals In Schools

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has revealed the four new schools that have been selected to participate in the 2023-2024 Disney Musicals in Schools program. The program is an initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Group to create sustainable theater programs in under-resourced elementary schools. All four schools are a part of Allegheny County. The four schools include: Penn Hills Elementary School, United at Twin Rivers Elementary School, Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School and Young Scholars of Greater Allegheny Charter School.

The selected schools will begin a 17-week musical theater residency in January 2024. Each school will receive performance rights, education support materials and guidance from two teaching artists. The program features a professional development focus, through which participating school teachers partner with Pittsburgh Cultural Trust 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, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust will host a Student Share Celebration in which each school performs one number from their show on Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's stage for an audience of students, teachers, family, and community members.

During the past year, three Allegheny County public schools have successfully participated in the program, with 99 students and 21 school teachers working together to create a culture of musical theater at their schools. Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is pleased to announce that all three schools are continuing to produce musicals at their schools. They include: Pittsburgh Dilworth PreK-5, Pittsburgh Faison K-5 and Turner Intermediate School.   For more information about Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Arts Education programs, visit TrustArts.org/Education.

Using the unique world of musical theater, 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 theater, including: critical thinking, problem solving, ensemble building, communication, self-confidence, and interpersonal skills.

Disney Musicals in Schools was launched in 2010 in response to Disney Theatrical Group's concern that under-resourced public elementary schools were not afforded equitable access to the arts. After successfully offering the program in New York City schools, Disney Theatrical Group began partnering with organizations in other communities across the United States.

Disney KIDS musicals, created in partnership with Music Theater International (MTI), are 30-minute musicals designed for elementary school performers and have been adapted from the classic Disney films 101 Dalmatians, Aladdin, Frozen, The Aristocats, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, and Winnie the Pooh