NBC AND iTHEATRICS ANNOUNCE ?PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVE “˜NBC‘s “˜SMASH‘: MAKE A MUSICAL‘ TO BUILD MUSICAL THEATER PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS ACROSS AMERICA In celebration of its new musical drama series “Smash,””NBC and iTheatrics are launching “NBC‘s “˜Smash’: Make a Musical,””a national mentorship program which will build self-sustaining musical theater programs in under-served schools with limited arts programming across America.
Administered by iTheatrics’ non-profit arm, the Junior Theater Project, the program guides schoolteachers step-by-step through the creation of a stand-alone arts program and aims to engage as many students as possible in all aspects and areas of the arts.
NBC‘s new drama “Smash””premieres February 6 (10-11 p.m. ET) and stars Debra Messing (“Will & Grace”), Katharine McPhee (“American Idol”) and Oscar winner Anjelica Huston (“Prizzi’s Honor”).This nationwide partnership announcement was made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Timothy Allen McDonald, founding chairman of iTheatrics.
“Musical theater is the ultimate team sport. It allows young people to learn important life skills and an appreciation of the arts by working together towards the common goal of presenting a show,” says McDonald. “Through “˜NBC‘s “˜Smash’: Make a Musical’ program, NBC is literally building the future artists and arts-supporters of tomorrow by giving schools the knowledge they need to create stand-alone arts programs in their communities.
“”NBC‘s “˜Smash’: Make a Musical””program begins this month in 20 schools in 20 cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland (OR), Boston, Baltimore/Washington D.C., Cleveland, Houston, Nashville, New York, Oakland, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Seattle and St. Louis.
The winter pilot launch will be the catalyst for iTheatrics’ Junior Theater Project to launch 200 more Make a Musical programs in Fall 2012 and 200 additional programs in Fall 2013.In addition to the 20 programs that start this month, “NBC‘s “˜Smash’: Make a Musical””is engaging America by inviting schools across the country to audition to be part of the Fall 2012 program.
Beginning today, local schools, educators and students are encouraged to visit makeamusical.org to apply. Applications, complete with photos, are due by March 2, 2012, to makeamusical.org to be reviewed by iTheatrics’ Junior Theater Project. On March 26, a group of finalists will be posted and the American public will have the chance to vote for its favorites.
On May 7, the 10 winning schools that have been selected to have an entire Make a Musical program installed in their school will be announced. Additionally 20 schools will be awarded a MTI Broadway Junior Collection “ShowKit””of resources designed to guide cast and crew through the production process, plus licensing rights to perform a full musical.
In June, schools may continue to apply for the remaining 170 Make a Musical program slots set to launch in the fall, and the schools will be selected in August 2012.”NBC‘s “˜Smash’: Make a Musical””program mentors educators through the process of creating sustainable and cost-effective musical theater programs.
The initiative infuses schools with the arts and allows them to engage the greater community, including students, parents and community members, through the process of presenting a show. The programs in the first 20 schools will launch this month with nationally-recognized master theater teachers leading professional development workshops for the school teachers and students in each of the schools.
These workshops take educators step-by-step through the process of producing a first-ever musical. Once the teachers select their musical they will hold auditions and cast the show.
Each school will be given a MTI Broadway Junior Collection “ShowKit””featuring accompaniment CDs,
