Legendary actor and star of Broadway’s A Raisin in the Sun, Denzel Washington hosted an inspiring morning of musical theatre performances by hundreds of students from middle and intermediate New York City Public Schools on the stage of Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre.

The 9th annual Student Share Celebration was the culminating event for the Shubert Foundation/MTI Broadway Junior program - a groundbreaking musical theatre mentorship program that builds self-sustaining theater programs in public schools that have limited arts programming.  Each school in the program brought a fully-conceived number from MTI's Broadway Junior musicals including HAIRSPRAY JR., SEUSSICAL JR., FIDDLER ON THE ROOF JR., FAME JR. and more!

Program alumnus, 9th grader Jose Williams summed up his experience with the program best during his remarks from the stage, "Being a part of this program not only gave me a sense of identity, it showed me the road to my future and the kind of people I want to work with in my life.  Being on that stage opening night let me know my calling.  After performing my solo, "Rain," from ONCE ON THIS ISLAND JR., at the school's first-ever musical, I heard the audience applaud and scream and it was the greatest feeling I ever had."

Joining Denzel and the student performers were dignitaries from the New York City Department of Education, The Shubert Organization and Music Theatre International.

VIEW ALL THE PHOTOS HERE



About The Shubert Foundation/MTI Broadway Junior Program

The Shubert Foundation/MTI Broadway Junior Program aims to engage as many students as possible in all aspects and areas of the arts. In the first year of the program, teachers and students are guided step-by-step through the process of producing a first-ever musical in their schools. In the second year, teachers and students continue to receive support and encouragement on their second musical, but take ownership over their productions. In the third year and beyond, schools present a musical independently, and serve as inspiration for other schools involved in earlier cycles of the program.

The Shubert Foundation/MTI Broadway Junior Program was founded during the 2005-2006 school year. To date, nearly 50 schools have participated in the program. 33 schools are currently involved in the 2013-2014 program, including nine first-year schools, seven second-year schools, and 17 'graduated' schools that have worked to develop and build sustainable theater education programs.

During this academic year, teachers from participating schools attended three Professional Development workshops that took them step-by-step through the process of putting on a show in their communities. The teachers then returned to their schools, selected their musical, held auditions and cast the show. Later in the year, each first-year school’s cast participated in an in-school musical workshop with master teachers from iTheatrics. Students were guided through the entire process by a production advisor provided by ArtsConnection, a partnering organization that supported schools throughout the process.

Participating New York City Public Schools

Schools in the First Year of Program:

• Spring Creek Community School in Brooklyn, NY - Seussical JR.

• PS23Q in Queens, NY - School House Rock Live! JR.

• East New York Middle School of Excellence in Brooklyn, NY - Fame JR.

• Lyons Community School in Brooklyn, NY - Once On This Island JR.

• Global Technology Preparatory in Manhattan, NY - Seussical JR.

• New Heights Middle School in Brooklyn, NY - Fame JR.

• Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change in Manhattan, NY - Once On This Island JR.

• IS 109, Jean Nuzzi Middle School in Queens, NY - Guys and Dolls JR.

• PS 83, Donald Hertz in Bronx, NY - Guys and Dolls JR.

Schools in the Second Year of Program:

• MS 145X, The Academy for Creative Education & the Arts in Bronx, NY - Disney’s Aladdin JR.

• Collaborative Arts Middle School in Queens, NY - Hairspray JR.

• MS 447 in Brooklyn, NY - Hairspray JR.

• Village Academy in Queens, NY - Fame JR.

• PEACE Academy in Brooklyn, NY - Annie JR.

• MS 22 in Bronx, NY - School House Rock Live! JR.

• IS 364, Gateway Intermediate School in Brooklyn, NY - Dear Edwina JR.

Schools in the Third Year of Program:

• Dr. Gladstone H. Atwell, MS 61 in Brooklyn, NY - Fiddler on the Roof JR.

• Soundview Academy for Culture and Scholarship in Bronx, NY - Fame JR.

• MS 584 in Brooklyn, NY - Hairspray JR.

Second annual Shubert Foundation MTI Musical Theater Ensemble:

Select students from six (6) “graduated” schools will perform “Freak Flag” from Shrek the Musical JR. as an ensemble:

• Edward Bleeker JHS 185 in Queens, NY

• MS 057 Ron Brown Academy in Brooklyn, NY

• MS 072 Catherine and Count Basie in Jamaica, Queens, NY

• Carroll Gardens School for Innovation in Brooklyn, NY

• PS/MS 004 Crotona Park West in Bronx, NY