Myrna Gershon

Television producer Roger Englander passed away earlier this month at the age of 94. Now his friend and colleague Freddie Gershon has written a beautiful tribute in his memory.

President & Producer of Disney Theatrical Productions Thomas Schumacher; Caissie Levy (Frozen on Broadway); Nicholas Christopher (Hamilton on Broadway); Jennifer Locke (Hamilton national tour); creator/Executive Producer Tim Federle, Olivia Rodrigo, and Joshua Bassett (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney +); Luca Padovan and Isabella Russo (School of Rock); Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Between The Lines); Rob Rokicki (The Lighting Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical); and Lotte Wakeham (Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical) are some of the stars and creatives confirmed for the 2020 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF).

The 14th annual Shubert Foundation/Music Theatre International Broadway Junior® Student Finale took place earlier today, May 14,  at Broadway's Imperial Theatre, hosted by James Harkness and Jawan M. Jackson, stars from Broadway's new hit, Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations.

Disney Theatrical Productions President & Producer Thomas Schumacher, Frozen songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, Caissie Levy (Frozen on Broadway), legendary Broadway and West End producer (and Chairman of Music Theatre International) Sir Cameron Mackintosh, songwriting team Pasek & Paul, Taylor Iman Jones (Head Over Heels), Ryan McCarten (Heathers The Musical), Billy Jenkins ('The Crown,' 'Holmes & Watson'), Luca Padovan (School of Rock), and Isabella Russo (School of Rock) are some of the stars confirmed for the 2019 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF), happening January 18-20, 2019 at The Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta.

In many people's lives there is at least one teacher who inspired them, and helped them become who they are today. In our early years, when we are still being formed, they often see in us more than we see in ourselves, more than our families see and, as a result, help us to evolve into who we ultimately become. These inspirational people are not often recognized for the life changing role they have played.

The Educational Theatre Foundation's fourth annual Broadway Back to School event, benefiting school theatre education programs for schools in need, was held Sunday, September 23, 2018 at Feinstein's/54 Below in New York City.

1,500 musical theatre students and educators will join Megan Hilty ("Smash!", Wicked); Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Bonnie & Clyde on Broadway); Sacramento's own Jenifer Foote (Broadway's Gypsy of the Year, Hello Dolly! on Broadway); Curt Hansen (Kinky Boots national tour, Hairsprayon Broadway); Elyssa Samsel & Kate Anderson ('Olaf's Frozen Adventure;' Between the Lines, Kansas City Rep); Coy Middlebrook (director of ABC's Musical Special ENCORE), New York Times Bestselling Author Jodi Picoult (Between the Lines, "Off the Page"), and YouTube sensation Tyler Mount for the 2018 Junior Theater Festival West (#JTF18, #JTFWEST), happening February 9-11, 2018 at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium and the Sacramento Convention Center Complex in Sacramento, CA. 

Megan Hilty ('Smash!', Wicked); Paul Williams ('The Muppet Movie,' 'Evergreen,' Bugsy Malone, Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas); and Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Wicked) are three stars confirmed for the 2018 Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF18, #JTFATL), happening January 12-14, 2018 at The Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA.

Thomas Schumacher, Jeff Calhoun, Christopher Gattelli, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Zina Goldrich, Marcy Heisler, Arielle Jacobs, Curt Hansen, Luca Padovan, and New York Times best-selling authors Jodi Picoult and Mary Pope Osborne are some of the talent confirmed for the 2017 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF17, #JTFATL) happening January 13-15, 2017 in Atlanta, GA.

Thomas Schumacher, Jeff Calhoun, Christopher Gattelli, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Zina Goldrich, Marcy Heisler, Arielle Jacobs, Curt Hansen, Luca Padovan, and New York Times best-selling authors Jodi Picoult and Mary Pope Osborne are some of the talent confirmed for the 2017 iTheatrics Junior Theater Festival Atlanta (#JTF17, #JTFATL) happening January 13-15, 2017 in Atlanta, GA.

Stage and screen stars Darren Criss (Glee, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies, Tuck Everlasting), Ben Platt ("Pitch Perfect", Dear Evan Hansen), Tony-nominated composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, A Christmas Story, Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach), Philip McAdoo (The Lion King and Rent), Brad Simmons ("Camp", Lysistrata Jones), Jacob Brent (Cats); Cory Lingner (On the Town), and writing team Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel (Camp-Wish-No-More, My Little Brony) are some of the talent confirmed for the 2016 Junior Theater Festival (#JTF16), it was announced today by Timothy Allen McDonald, founding chairman of iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Group.  

Music Theatre International Chairman and CEO Freddie Gershon and his wife Myrna hosted eight outstanding educators from schools and performing arts centers around the country for four days of classes and activities honoring them for working to make a difference for their students and communities through the process of staging musical theatre productions in their schools and educational theatre groups.  The event known as the 6th Annual FREDDIE G FELLOWSHIP culminated in a gala dinner at Chez Josephine on July 11th.  Joining the festivities were Broadway greats Bernadette Peters and Brian d'Arcy James. Scroll down for photos!

The seventh annual National High School Musical Theatre Awards / Jimmy Awards were held last night, June 29, 2015, at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway. This one-of-a-kind-event was hosted by two-time Tony Award-winner Michael Cerveris, currently on Broadway in this year's Best Musical Fun Home at Circle in the Square. The coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor on Monday, June 29 at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre, was presented to Marla Louissaint representing The Gershwin Awards and Anthony Skillman, representing the M.A.C.Y. Awards. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the red carpet!

Produced by iTheatrics and sponsored by music theatre international and disney musicals, the junior theater festival is the biggest and best festival dedicated to young people and musical theatre. Check out photo highlights below!

The Denver Center Theatre Company presents the highly anticipated new adaptation of Meredith Willson's classic musical, THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN. Based on the book by Richard Morris, the revitalized production will feature a new book and additional lyrics by three-time Tony Award nominee Dick Scanlan (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and showcase never before heard songs from Willson's prolific body of work with musical adaptation by Michael Rafter(Violet). It is be directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes). Check out a first look at the opening night party.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seeking nominations for the 2015 Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards -a series of annual grants that recognize inspiring teachers in any field of education across the United States. Now entering their fifth year, the awards were created in honor of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday in 2010. The program was initiated and funded through the generous support of arts philanthropists and friends of Mr. Sondheim, Freddie and Myrna Gershon.

Tony-nominated composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Andy Jones (Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella), Heidi Blickenstaff (The Little Mermaid), Ashley Brown (the original Mary Poppins), Merle Dandridge (Tarzan, Aida), Josh Strickland (the original Tarzan), Andrew Keenan-Bolger (Newsies), and Alton Fitzgerald White (The Lion King), will join 4,500 students and teachers representing 93 groups from 26 states and the District of Columbia at the 2014 Junior Theater Festival, it was announced today by Timothy Allen McDonald, founding Chairman of iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Group. The Junior Theater Festival is being held January 17, 18 and 19 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.

Myrna and Freddie Gershon hosted a full house at 54 Below on Thursday the 26th of September for the 30th Anniversary Celebration of songwriting team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seeking nominations for the 2014 Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards - a series of annual grants that recognize inspiring teachers in any field of education across the United States and has announced that for the first time they are also accepting nominations for a new posthumous award to honor teachers no longer alive. Now in their fourth year, the awards were created in honor of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday. The program was initiated and funded through the generous support of arts philanthropists and friends of Mr. Sondheim, Freddie and Myrna Gershon.

Once the lowest performing school in the State of Connecticut, Roosevelt is one of eight schools around the country turning itself around through the arts. Roosevelt School was selected last April to be part of Turnaround Arts, an initiative of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities of which First Lady Michelle Obama is Honorary Chair. Thanks to the generosity of a very special donor, Roosevelt's accomplishments will be showcased this week in a musical theater production.