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Broadway Junior
Junior Theatre Festival
Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th May 2025
The ICC, Birmingham
CLICK HERE to register your group
The Junior Theatre Festival brings together schools and youth groups from across the UK and Europe for a day of musical theatre mayhem. Join us for a day of jazz hands and spirit fingers, and your chance to celebrate, educate, motivate and participate.
To view photos from the 2024 Festival CLICK HERE
Following a mass 'kick off' and warm-up session the day-long programme will consist of:
ADJUDICATION
Groups perform 15 minutes of a Broadway Junior musical for adjudication by leading theatre professionals. Groups are rated in the areas of music, acting, dance and overall performance. The adjudicators offer constructive criticism to each group to encourage further learning in key areas.
NEW WORKS SHOWCASE
After lunch everyone gathers in the theatre for a sneak peak at two new Broadway Junior shows soon to be released for licensing. A West End star will answer questions from students and perform.
WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS
West End professionals and master teachers from across the globe offer interactive workshops in all aspects of musical theatre performance. Groups will rotate around THREE separate workshops, each focusing on one of the core skills; acting, singing and dancing. Dance workshops are delivered directly by West End shows, teaching the actual choreography from those shows.
WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS & GROUP LEADERS
Education specialists will lead workshops designed with theatre educators in mind. Group leaders will have the chance to ask questions, share experiences and learn new ways of working. Leaders will also have the opportunity to rehearse and perform a musical number on the main stage.
ALLSTARS
During adjudications, 2 students from each group will be selected as AllStars. AllStars will participate in exclusive workshops and will rehearse and perform a featured number at the Awards Ceremony on the main stage.
AWARDS CEREMONY
To celebrate the accomplishments of the day everyone gathers in the main theatre to watch the AllStars perform. Outstanding performances are selected from the morning's adjudications and groups perform their numbers on the stage. Awards are given for achievements in dance, music, acting and ensemble as well as outstanding individual performances.
Special guest stars will perform on the main stage as a special treat to those attending the event.
- Who can attend?
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Any school or youth group that has licensed a Broadway Junior show after 1st January 2023.
- Are there rules regarding group size?
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Groups must contain no less than 20 people (this is inclusive of adults/chaperones etc.) and no more than 50.
- Is there an age limit?
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In line with all Broadway Junior show licences, the maximum age of performer is 18.
- What are the timings of the event?
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Registration will open at 7:45am. All groups must register prior to registration closing at 8:15am. For security reasons all group members must be present at the venue at the time of registration.
The day will be completed by 7:00pm. - How much does it cost?
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Each registering group must pay a non-refundable group registration fee of £360 per group.
In addition, every member of your group must pay an individual fee of £60 (this includes parents/chaperones/group leaders). The individual fees are payable in February 2025.
- What's included?
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Access to all programmed events
Junior Theatre Festival T-Shirt
Souvenir Brochure & wristband
Performances and workshops not available anywhere else - What isn't included?
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Transport to/from the venue
Lunch/drinks/snacks
Accomodation (if applicable)
If you have any questions or queries regarding the Junior Theatre Festival then please do email us.
Photography by Andrew Caruso ©Music Theatre International 2024
ABOUT PAST EVENTS:
- 2017 Event
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The inaugral Junior Theatre Celebration took place on Sunday 12th March 2017 at Curve in Leicester. The adjudicators included directors Lotte Wakeham, Steven Dexter, and Racky Plews, as well as iTheatrics’ founder Timothy Allen McDonald and colleagues Steven G. Kennedy and Marty Johnson. Shows being presented include: Guys & Dolls Jr, Hairspray Jr, Once on This Island Jr, Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr and Aladdin Jr, and more. The workshops were presented by teaching artists from Disney's The Lion King, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical and Wicked. The evening event included a question and answer session with Strictly Come Dancing's Joanne Clifton, as well as performances from West End performers Liam Doyle (Wicked, Mamma Mia!), Sophie Linder-Lee (Wicked, Mamma Mia!), Sam Lupton (Little Shop of Horrors, Starting Here, Starting Now) and Kayleigh McKnight (Les Misérables, Bend It Like Beckham).
- 2018 Event
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The second Junior Theatre Celebration took place on Sunday 3rd June 2018 at Curve in Leicester. The adjudicators included: Anthony Drewe, George Dyer, Debbie Isitt, Tim Jackson and Lotte Wakeham, as well as iTheatrics’ founder Timothy Allen McDonald and colleagues Steven G. Kennedy and Marty Johnson. Shows being presented included: Disney's Aladdin Jr, Into the Woods Jr, Legally Blonde Jr, Disney & Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins Jr, Singin' in the Rain Jr and more. The workshops were presented by teaching artists from Disney's Aladdin, Mamma Mia! and Shrek the Musical. The evening event included a question and answer session with authors George Stiles and Anthony Drewe as well as performances from West End performers Rachael Wooding and Mark Dugdale.
- 2019 Event
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The first Junior Theatre Festival Europe took place on Saturday 11th May 2019 at The ICC in Birmingham. Over 1000 people from 30 different groups attended the event from countries including the UK, Ireland, Georgia and the USA. The adjudicators included: Kate Golledge, Tim Jackson, Bronagh Lagan, Adam Lenson, John Prignano, Luke Sheppard and Alan Williams, as well as iTheatrics’ CEO Timothy Allen McDonald and Director of Education Marty Johnson. Shows being presented included: Disney's Aladdin Jr, Into the Woods Jr, Fiddler on the Roof Jr, Disney & Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins Jr, Shrek Jr and more. The workshops were presented by teaching artists from Disney's The Lion King, Mamma Mia! and Wicked. At the New Works Showcase The British Theatre Academy presented Oliver! Jr, Enter CIC presented Xanadu Jr and Manchester Musical Youth presented Sister Act Jr. The morning kick-off event included a suprirse performance from Sophie-Louise Dann whilst the Awards Ceremony featured a 10 minute 'mini concert' from West End performer Miriam-Teak Lee.
- 2020 Event
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Unfortunately the 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
- 2021 - JTF Online
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JTF Online was a six-hour extravaganza that featured some of the best bits of an in-person Festival held on Saturday 8th May. It featured 870 young performers from 33 groups across the UK and Europe. Students took part in choreography workshops presented by & Juliet and Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins, an acting workshop from Racky Plews and a singing workshop from Dan Mertzlufft. A 'Direct From The West End' section featured interviews with Karl Queensborough and Alexzander Sarmineto from Hamilton, Janique Charles and David Blake from Disney's The Lion King and Miriam-Teak Lee and Luke Sheppard from & Juliet. In a 'Matilda Takeover' segment. Authors of the show Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly took part in a unique Q&A with students and teachers. Matilda the Musical alumni Kerry Ingram (original Matilda in Stratford upon Avon and London) and Tom Brown (Bruce, Cambridge Theatre) joined associate director Lotte Wakeham in conversation about this musical phenomenon. Special performances were created by Belfast School of the Performing Arts. We also premiered our SHREK JR ZOOMsical production, which was rehearsed and performed over Easter, and featured 19 students from across the UK and Ireland. Special performances were from Rob Houchen, Alexia Khadime and Jamie Muscato.
The digital programme for the event can be viewed here. - 2021 Event
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The first 'in Person' Festival post-pandemic was held at the ICC in Birmingham on Sunday 24th October 2021. The adjudicators included: Alex Parker, Racky Plews, Lotte Wakeham, Julian Woolford and John Prignano, as well as iTheatrics’ CEO Timothy Allen McDonald and iTheatrics' Vice President Steven G Kennedy. Shows being presented included: Disney's Aladdin Jr, Into the Woods Jr, Legally Blonde Jr, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical Jr, Seussical Jr and more. The workshops were presented by teaching artists from Disney's Frozen and The Prince of Egypt. At the New Works Showcase The British Theatre Academy presented Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr and Stage 84 presented Shrek the Musical Jr, with Emma Williams making a surprise appearance. The Awards Ceremony featured a 'mini concert' from West End performer Matthew Croke.
- 2022 Event
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The 2022 Junior Theatre Festival Europe took place on Saturday 21st May at The ICC in Birmingham. Over 1200 participants took part in the day. Shows being presented for adjudication included: Disney's Aladdin Jr, Fame the Musical Jr, Madagascar Jr, Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical Jr, Oliver! Jr, Once on this Island Jr, Shrek Jr and more. The workshops were presented by teaching artists from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, & Juliet and Matilda the Musical. At the New Works Showcase Stagecoach Cambridge & Cambourne presented extracts from Godspell Jr with Belfast School of Performing Arts showcasing extracts from new Broadway Junior revue, Raise Your Voice. Bea Glancy and Matthew Malone gave a sneak peek at new musical The Book Thief and Amber Davies joined for a Q&A. During the Awards Ceremony the British Theatre Academy lead a tribute to Stephen Sondheim, Rachel John delighted all with a mini concert and we premiered our 5th Anniversary video to celebrate all things JTF Europe.
- 2024 Event
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For the first time the Festival moved across two days. Over 2000 young people took part in the event which took place on 18th and 19th May 2024, again at the ICC in Birmingham.
New Broadway junior shows making an appearance during adjudication included Doctor Dolittle Jr, Disney's Finding Nemo JR and Annie KIDS. The workshops were presented by teaching artists from Disney's Frozen, Hamilton and Matilda the Musical. At the New Works Showcase Get Your Wigle On (GYWO) presented extracts from The Drowsy Chaperone Jr with British Theatre Academy showcasing extracts from Disney's Newsies Jr. We were joined by writing due Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary, with a special performance by Charlotte Wakefield who sang 'Block Out The Noise' from the pair's youth show, Prodigy. The Awards Ceremony saw Jordan Luke Gage 'raise a little hell', along with surprise guest Lauren Drew. The International Allstars programme was also officially launched.