Festival to Showcase New Broadway Junior Musicals and Feature Global Theatre Experts
The Junior Theatre Festival Australia (JTF Australia) is set to return to the Civic Theatre Newcastle for its Tenth Annual Festival, bringing together some of the best young musical theatre talent from across Australia and New Zealand. In its 10th year, the Festival will be the most ambitious and thrilling yet, featuring exciting performances, workshops and special appearances by some of the industry’s top talent, before culminating in a spectacular 10th Anniversary Concert.
An exciting guest line up will be released later in the year.
Daniel Stoddart, CEO of Stoddart Entertainment Group and author of the Broadway Junior musical Dot and the Kangaroo JR, will return to host this special anniversary festival. Stoddart is a driving force behind the Junior Theatre Festival movement in Australia, and he is excited to continue supporting young talent through this event. “JTF Australia is a place where students can immerse themselves in the art of musical theatre, learning from industry leaders and each other. This year’s festival is especially exciting with our guests bringing their expertise to the table and a special 10th anniversary concert featuring a star studded line up” said Stoddart.
The festival will draw outstanding student groups from schools and academies all across Australia and New Zealand. Known for its celebratory atmosphere and dedication to education, JTF Australia offers young performers the opportunity to showcase their skills, participate in hands-on workshops, and gain real-world feedback from top industry professionals.
A major highlight of this year’s event will be the New Works Showcase, where attendees will get an exclusive preview of brand-new Broadway Junior musicals that are being piloted for the first time.
The New Works Showcase will also include updates on other exciting new musicals available for licensing, offering a sneak peek into the future of youth musical theatre. This showcase will provide a platform for these new works to be experienced by students, teachers, and directors eager to bring fresh content to their communities.
Throughout the festival, students will participate in a range of workshops and exclusive live panel discussions. Teachers and directors will have the chance to network and receive professional development, further enriching their experience at the festival. Pop-up celebrity performances will also surprise and delight audiences, keeping the energy high across the two-day event.
Hayley Stoddart, the Event Coordinator, emphasised the importance of JTF Australia in the development of young performers. “JTF Australia is more than just a festival—it’s a stepping stone for these young artists as they grow in their craft. To be able to bring in top-tier talent from across the globe, and to offer these students the chance to premiere new musicals, is something truly special.”
Stuart Hendricks, Managing Director of Music Theatre International Australasia, expressed his enthusiasm for the festival: “JTF Australia is a vital platform for nurturing the next generation of performers and theatre-makers. We’re incredibly excited to be part of this event and to share some thrilling news with the festival participants during our special announcement.”
With student performances, teacher workshops, celebrity appearances, and an exciting showcase of new works, the Tenth Annual Junior Theatre Festival Australia is set to be an unforgettable celebration of musical theatre. The 10th anniversary concert is the icing on the 10th Birthday Cake.
ABOUT MUSICAL THEATRE INTERNATIONAL: MTI is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting schools as well as amateur and professional theatres from around the world the rights to perform the largest selection of great musicals from Broadway and beyond. MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these shows to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 70,000 theatrical organizations in the US and in over 60 countries worldwide.
MTI’s global headquarters is in New York City, with additional offices in London (MTI Europe), and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).
“On behalf of everyone at MTI, I’m thrilled that Australia is sharing the magic of Broadway Junior. One of MTI’s primary goals is to ensure all educators and young people have access to arts education, and there is nothing else quite like the transformative power of musical theatre. It allows students to develop life skills, including collaboration, team-building, and problem-solving. They give every participant the chance to be part of the global theatre community, which has never been more important than it is today. Chookas!”
Drew Cohen, President and CEO of Music Theatre International.