<p>"NBC is funding an initiative to create musical theater programs in U.S. schools in need of arts education.</p>
<p>The network said Friday the effort to launch stand-alone musical theater programs will begin this month with a pilot group of 20 schools nationwide. NBC is joined on the Make a Musical project by iTheatrics, which adapts musicals for student productions and provides tools for teacher training.</p>
<p>The nonprofit iTheatrics Junior Theater Project aims to begin another 180 programs this fall, building toward a 2014 goal of 1,000 school programs reaching 1 million students, NBC said. Schools may apply for the fall program at the website makeamusical.org starting Friday …"</p>
<p>Thanks, Dave, for sharing that news article. It sounds like a great initiative. I hope they bring it to schools in areas outside of those cities where there may be even less arts programs. It surely is a great tie-in with the upcoming new TV show, Smash. It is refreshing to see more funding going towards performing arts programs for youth!</p>
<p>I can imagine that some on this forum might be sighing a collective “oh no!” only because with the popularity of shows like Glee or now Smash, and the influx of more arts programs in high schools as well, there will be even MORE students interested in pursuing MT in college and vying for the small number of slots in what is already an EXTREMELY competitive process to be admitted! :D</p>
<p>Actually, while the shows you mention are likely to bring more to the auditions, it (I’m hoping) will also bring more to the theatre. It would be lovely to bring audience numbers up nationwide.</p>
<p>Not worried about increased numbers vying for MT slots, but a little concerned about kids with not much talent banking everything on being a MT star, instead of concentrating on other subjects in school.</p>
<p>Our city has a “Fame” style arts school, and I see it as a mixed blessing. For kids who are talented, it’s the perfect HS. For those with less talent, it’s a way to slide through HS without learning much of anything else. This school is fantastic for the arts, but not so great on the academics, and apparently parents don’t realize this.</p>
<p>Full disclosure: As a classically trained musician who later found fun & profit in MT accompanying, I wish schools had more “serious” music training. Orchestras & even bands are suffering funding cuts. Once stopped, it’s hard to restart a band program cause you need the feeder system from middle school. Kids get plenty of “pop” music on TV & radio; I’d like to see more music that to them is ancient history, and which only shows up on band & orchestra concerts. My 2 cents.</p>
<p>Absolutely agree with you mommusic and I will add that attendance to Broadway shows is very high and has been for the last few years. What’s doing poorly is Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway show attendance which is an inexpensive and important feeding ground for playwrights, actors, directors, etc. This is the area that needs to be promoted much more than standard Broadway. JMHO</p>
<p>I’m really eager to see which school(s) in our area are involved in this. There’s one public high school here that already has a nationally-known MT program, but I’m assuming (and hoping) these resources are flowing to schools that genuinely lack support for the arts.</p>
<p>Does anyone know which schools in your area will be involved with this program? I think they said specific schools would be announced on the 16th, but I haven’t noticed that info anywhere.</p>
<p>“The schools announced as participants in the inaugural round of the Make a Musical program are: Renfroe Middle School in Decatur, GA; The University of Chicago Charter School Woodlawn Campus (UCW) in Chicago, IL; Paschal High School in Fort Worth, TX; Place Bridge Academy in Denver, CO; Middleton Street Elementary School in Huntington Park, CA; Independence Charter School in Philadelphia, PA; Desert Sands Middle School in Phoenix, AZ; Wheaton High School in Silver Spring, MD; Sharpston High School in Houston, TX; W. H. Oliver Middle School in Nashville, TN; Leadership and Public Service High School in New York, NY; KIPP Bridge Charter School in Oakland, CA; Stroud High School in Stroud, OK; The Academy at Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, PA and Morris E. Ford Middle School in Tacoma, WA. The total will be increased to 20 when schools in St. Louis, Portland, Cleveland, Boston and Minneapolis/St. Paul are finalized.”</p>
<p>Satellite High School in Florida who is part of the Fine Arts program at the school, however the only part that is not funded by the grants sure could use NBC’s help, these kids are really good the director is fantastic, however, money is constantly an issue. This next year will be my daughter’s senior year and I would love for this program not to have to struggle any more. We have put ourselves in dangerous debt trying to help them out, but have no more to give. How do we find out about this NBC musicial theater program? Please email answer to lm.gruman@********** we would appreciate any help we can get!!!</p>
<p>The Make a Musical grant was due this past Friday, March 9. However, the project is designed specifically for underserved schools. Money is an issue for most school theatre programs, but this funding is for schools that don’t even have a program.</p>