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The Mel Brooks classic comedy is done up on stage with just that extra flair. This runaway hit won more Tony Awards than any show in Broadway history-including Best Musical of the Year. It's the story of a couple of guys who come up with a scheme to produce the most outrageous Broadway musical ever. When the curtain goes up on their gigantic singing, dancing spectacular, they realize their plan has gone…well, we’ll let you fill in the rest. Hilarity, gaiety and spectacle all rolled into one curtain call after curtain call. A delight! |
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Video Preview of The Producers |
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Who's Who
STEVEN TED BECKLER (Franz Liebkind) Proud member of Actors Equity Association for 20 years. Steven is very excited to return to the Gateway Family. In 2006 he performed (Vittorio Vidal) in Sweet Charity. Broadway credits: The Most Happy Fella at Lincoln Center NYC Opera (Pasqaulle standby), Beauty and the Beast (Weds. matinees Gaston, Beast understudy). National Tours: Original Cast of The Producers in Las Vegas (Max, Roger, and Franz cover), The Radio City Christmas Spectacular at The Grand Ole Opry (Santa Claus), The Producers (Franz & Roger understudy), Beauty and the Beast in Los Angeles (Beast Standby, Gaston understudy). Off-Broadway: Little Kit at The Vineyard Theatre. Regionally: Over 30 musicals across the country. This performance is dedicated to Steven’s mother Madeline Beckler who is a third time cancer survivor. Love you Mom.
ANNE BLOEMENDAL (Ensemble) Anne is excited to be back at Gateway for The Producers. She was last seen in Show Boat, Will Roger’s Follies and A Christmas Carol and is happy to be returning again. She is a Minnesota native and a 2003 graduate of AMDA, NYC. She’s very happy to be back in the USA after touring Asia with 42nd Street the musical this past year. Past favorite productions include A Chorus Line (Judy), Annie (Lily St. Regis), Cabaret (Frenchie) and Evita (Ensemble). She sends many thanks to Paul, Robin, Michael, Larry and Matthew, all her love to her awesome Mom and Dad for their constant support and love and all glory to Jesus!
SARAH BURNS (Ensemble) Sarah is so excited to be performing in The Producers! She is a graduate of the University at Buffalo with degrees in Dance, Exercise Science and Nutrition. Recent credits include 42nd Street (Atlantic City, NJ) and Dance Music Sex Romance - a jazz ballet set to the music of Prince. She has also performed as a dancing Kleenex box on ABC’s The View. Love to her Mom and Dad, always!
CHRISTINE CHERRY (Ulla) is so tickled to be debuting at The Gateway Playhouse with such a “wunderbar” show! She joins us, a graduate of Millikin University and a true Southern Bell who enjoys everything Swedish including meatballs, massages and of course... Swedish chefs! She has most recently been seen as Audrey in Hank Williams, Lost Highway at Capitol Repertory Theatre in Albany, NY. In her free time, Christine also enjoys decorating large spaces in small amounts of time. Love to Mom and Peach. Enjoy the show Ya’ll!
WILL COHEN (Ensemble, U/S Franz)Gateway Playhouse debut! Will recently completed the First National Tour of A Year with Frog and Toad (Toad). Regional/NYC: Crazy For You (Mingo), Grease (Roger), Into the Woods (Baker), Ragtime (Houdini), She Loves Me (Arpad), Gypsy (Yonkers), Sugar (Spats), and Merrily We Roll Along (Tyler) at such theatres as the Ogunquit Playhouse, Lyric Stage Company, Naples Dinner Theatre, and the Public Theatre of Boston. Training: Broadway Theatre Project (Ann Reinking), New York University Bachelor of Music/Vocal performance. Thank you to Doug for teaching me to tap, friends and family, Michael Forman, and everyone at the playhouse!
WILLIAM JAMES DANIELS (Production Tenor/Ensemble) William James Daniels is happy to return to Bellport after making his Gateway debut in Will Rogers Follies earlier in the season. Regional credits include Hello Dolly at Arkansas Repertory, Oklahoma at the Hangar Theatre, Urinetown at St. Louis Rep, Sweet Charity at Barrington Stage, A Chorus Line at Cohoes Music Hall, as well as A Christmas Carol and Much Ado About Nothing at Hartford Stage. National Tour: Crazy for You (Troika). Proud member of AEA.
DAVID EDWARDS (Roger DeBris) recently starred in the acclaimed NY revival of Room Service. Broadway: By Jeeves, The Rothschilds. National Tour: The Producers (Max Bialystock & Roger DeBris) Off-Broadway: The Fantasticks (final El Gallo), The Disputation, Zion, The Roar of the Greasepaint..., Dr. Sex, Company, That’s Life, What’s a Nice Country Like You…?, Bittersuite, Witch of Wall Street; Regional: Man of La Mancha (Don Quixote), Bells are Ringing (Jeff Moss), A Little Night Music (Fredrick), Little Me (Star Ledger Award Best Actor), La Cage aux Folles (Albin), Camelot (Arthur), Pajama Game (Sid), Irma Vep at such theatres as the Old Globe, Eugene O’Neill Center, GeVa, Syracuse Stage, American Stage Co, Westchester Broadway, and The Ordway. Film & TV: Belly, The Fantasticks: Try to Remember, Eternal Light. Gateway audiences will remember him as Albin in La Cage aux Folles, and most recently, Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast. www.davidedwardsonline.com.
ERIK FLOOR (Ensemble, U/S Leo) Erik is thankful to be back at Gateway! Regional credits include: Singin' in the Rain, The Will Rogers Follies, Crazy Love (premier), Pal Joey, Sugar, Dames at Sea, West Side Story, Urban Cowboy, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Nat. Commercials: Target, Shoe Carnival. In association with the Entertainment Design Group out of Atlanta, GA, Erik has been featured in numerous industrials in GA, NC, IN, IL, and NV. He is a proud native of Chicago, and Millikin Alum. THANK YOU to Gateway for their support as well as the amazing cast and crew, CTG, and his amazing family!! Erik is a proud member of Actor’s Equity. www.erikfloor.com
ABEKU BOMANI HAYES (Ensemble) is happy to be working with the Gateway Playhouse this summer. Having performed both nationally and internationally, Abeku is pleased to be so close to home. Most recently Abeku can be heard on Stagestar Records’ recording of Broadway’s The Little Mermaid as King Triton. Abeku thanks God and his loving wife Calista for making this all possible and for never ending love and support.
PATRICK OLIVER JONES (Ensemble, U/S Max) is thrilled to be making his Gateway debut. Prior to The Producers he has bashed swords in Camelot, made ladies swoon in Beauty and the Beast, narrated the class struggle between Blood Brothers, spent days mooning in Grease, and even conjured up Elvis in Joseph. Along with starring in productions for theater and film festivals across the country, you may have seen him in national commercials for Disney, Maxwell House, Buick, and Hasbro. Most recently, he was a Principal Singer for JUBILEE! in Las Vegas. Thanks to God for His many blessings and to Tait for your constant support and encouragement.
www.PatrickOliverJones.com
GARTH KRAVITS (Carmen Ghia) Broadway: The Drowsy Chaperone.(Original Cast) Regional: The Drowsy Chaperone-LA, Happy Days the Musical: Goodspeed Opera House-CT., Brighton Beach Memoirs-Toronto. TV: Nash Bridges, Hollywood Squares. Lovely wife: Sarah. Darling daughters: Josephine and Delia. Daring son: Louis. He was a wedding singer for far too long and toured with the rock band The House Jacks. Garth is proud to be making his Gateway Playhouse debut.
MICHAEL KOSTROFF (Max Bialystock) traveled the U.S. in the first national tour of The Producers, playing twelve roles a night and understudying both Max Bialystock and Roger De Bris, and toured again in Les Misérables, as the comically evil innkeeper, Thénardier. Television viewers often recognize him from his five seasons as the unscrupulous gang lawyer, Maury Levy, on HBO’s The Wire, or from his appearances on such shows as Studio 60, The Closer, Without a Trace, ER, West Wing, King of Queens, Boston Legal and many more. Regionally, he’s played Nathan in Guys and Dolls, Pseudolous in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Milt in Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Tateh in Ragtime, and Herbie in Gypsy, and recently appeared with Jason Alexander and Martin Short in The Odd Couple for LA’s Reprise Theatre Company. Kostroff will appear regularly on the upcoming Mollywood for the Disney Channel, and stars in the new series, Dan’s Detour. A writer and journalist, he’s also the author of the popular book, Letters from Backstage, a funny, behind-the-scenes chronicle of his time on the road.
DENISE MOLNAR (Ensemble) Denise is excited to return to Gateway after appearing in Will Rogers Follies and Show Boat earlier this summer. Denise Molnar received her BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. Originally from New Jersey, Denise has traveled the world as a dancer, dance captain, and stager with Norwegian Cruise Lines and the Jean Ann Ryan Company. She has appeared regionally in musicals including Anything Goes, New Girl in Town, and Pippin. Denise has also had the pleasure to perform as a first company member with the New Jersey Tap Ensemble. Thanks to family, friends, and the cast and crew of Gateway for their love and support.
KEVIN MURNANE (Ensemble) is truly ecstatic to be back at Gateway. He was last seen here in A Christmas Carol in 2006. Previous credits: Camelot (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina) Promises, Promises (Boston Center for the Arts), Pippin and Working (Boston’s Cutler Majestic Theatre), All Shook Up (Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre). Originally from Los Angeles, he holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Emerson College. Many thanks to Paul, Robin, and Michael, and much love and gratitude to my parents, Poopsie and Duckie for their never-ending support. This performance is dedicated in loving memory of Marc Berke.
LINDA NEEL (Ensemble) has just come off from playing “The Girl in the Green Dress” in Singin’ in the Rain. Other recent shows include Thoroughly Modern Millie, Seussical, Chicago, and a national tour of A Kid’s Life, a new musical for children. Hopefully Linda will be able to survive the heat in order to finish her last year at the Circle in the Square Theater School. Many thanks to David and Larry for an amazing summer and helping her make her east coast debut. Last but not least, many thanks to her family and mentors for their ongoing love and support. Enjoy!
JOHN O’MALLEY (Ensemble) is ecstatic to be making his Gateway Playhouse debut (big thanks to Michael, Robin, and Paul!). New York credits include Carpe Tunnel (Counting Squares Theater), The Next Stage Project (City Center), Marathon and the upcoming Woyzeck (Kraine Theater). Regional credits include Carousel Dinner Theater, The Kennedy Center, Seaside Music Theater, Orlando Shakespeare Festival, Disney World, National Musical Theater Symposium, Holland America, Disney Cruise Lines and the longest running show in America, The Hoop Dee Doo Revue. BFA in Musical Theater from the University of Central Florida. Thanks to Ed, Anne Steele and family. If you’ve made it this far, check out http://web.mac.com/johnvomalley.
CANDICE PENNEFATHER (Ensemble) is thrilled to be returning to Gateway Playhouse, after appearing in Sugar in 2005. Most recently she was seen tapping her way across Asia in the 42nd Street tour. Favorite regional credits include Jerome Kern’s Sleeping Beauty (Princess Aurora/Sunny), Cats (Jellylorum/Jennyanydots), and Hair (Jeanie). Candice is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Music. She sends much love to her amazing friends, Marmie, and Dadoo.
JESSICA SHERIDAN (Ensemble) is thrilled to be performing at Gateway. She just finished reprising her First National Tour and movie roles in The Producers Las Vegas. She is proud to be an Ovation Award and LA Weekly Award nominee for her lead role as Mary in the world premiere of Play it Cool. Broadway: Mme Thenardier in Les Miserables. National Tours: Beauty and the Beast, How to Succeed…, and Footloose. Regional: A Funny Thing Happened…, Music Man, Nunsense, et al. Jessica has also toured extensively with Liza Minnelli.
ELIZABETH SOUSEK (Ensemble) grew up in Lakeville, Minnesota and moved to New York City in 2002 to attend Marymount Manhattan College and pursue a career in dance. While attending school, Elizabeth joined the Radio City Rockettes and performs annually in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular in New York and cities throughout the US. The Producers is her third production at Gateway Playhouse this season, as she performed earlier this summer as a “Ziegfeld girl” in The Will Rogers Follies and as an ensemble member in Show Boat. She would like to thank her family and friends for their continued love and support.
LINDSAY OLIVIA TRAVIS (Ensemble) is thrilled to be continuing at Gateway Playhouse, having just finished performing in Show Boat. She is a proud graduate of Northern Kentucky University’s Department of Theatre and Dance and has recently made New York City her home relocating from Cincinnati, Ohio. Favorite roles include Val in A Chorus Line, Grace in Annie, Laurey in Oklahoma and the sassy Texas in Cabaret. This performance is dedicated to the Gorman family.
ADAM WYLIE (Leo) is thrilled to be back at Gateway to be part of this amazing production of The Producers! Other Gateway productions include Willard in Footloose and Chip in On The Town. Broadway: Into The Woods (Jack). Regional Theatre: Wicked-LA (Boq), 110 In The Shade (Jimmy), Precious Sons (Freddie Jr.), Camelot (Merlin), Big River (Huck), Beauty And The Beast-LA (Chip), and Sondheim's 75th Birthday at the Hollywood Bowl. Recent Television: Brainiac 5 on Legion of Superheroes, Entourage, Monk, Malcolm in the Middle, Ben 10, Gilmore Girls, Avatar, Ed, and Joan of Arcadia. Upcoming Films: Booth Girls, Superman Doomsday, Return to Sleepaway Camp, Species 4, and Street Dreams. Love to Meagan, Riley, Pheobe, and Mom.
LARRY RABEN (Director) is a recent best director Ace nominee (Argentina’s equivalent of the Tony Award) for his direction of Sweet Charity in Buenos Aires starring Latin American superstar, Florencia Pena. Larry comes to Gateway after just directing Singin’ in the Rain for Cabrillo Music Theatre in Los Angeles. Other credits include: the post Broadway premiere of Never Gonna Dance (with Tony winner Harriet Harris) at Musical Theatre West, the southern California premiere of The Thing About Men (MTW), Always Patsy Cline at the Welk Resort Theatre starring Cissy King of Bobby & Cissy fame , and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (MTW). He has directed numerous US and international stagings of Forever Plaid from New York to LA to Tokyo. Larry was also Asst. Director on the original Off-Broadway production. Also in New York, he directed The Velveteen Rabbit at Off-Broadway’s Promenade Theatre for Theatreworks/USA, and asst. directed the Off-Broadway musical Catch Me If I Fall (Promenade Theatre), and Breaking Up starring Matthew Modine and Allison Janney at the American Stage company. He directed, and co-authored an original musical revue Hollywood’s Heyday, a tribute to the great movie musicals. In Canada, he co-authored and staged Motown At The Twilight. Larry is delighted to return to the Gateway Playhouse where he appeared as Jerry/Daphne in Sugar, the Some Like It Hot musical. Larry is eternally grateful to Susan Stroman, Mel Brooks and Warren Carlyle for making him a part of The Producers family, to his mentor Stuart Ross for giving him his first chance to direct, and to Robin and Paul Allan for this amazing opportunity.
MATTHEW J. VARGO (Choreographer) Matthew most recently served as choreographer for The Producers for Westchester Broadway Theater. He also was the Assistant Director and Choreographer for The MUNY of St. Louis’ production of The Producers. He has been the Assistant Director/Choreographer for a Pediatric Oncology Benefit in Pittsburgh, PA as well as assistant director to David Bell for Pittsburgh CLO’s production of The Desert Song. Matthew has held instrumental creative positions including assistant director and choreographer as well as dance captain for numerous industrials including State Farm’s National conventions. As a performer, he has been a Dance Captain for Susan Stroman on The Producers and Alan Menken’s A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Gardens. Other Broadway and National tour credits include CATS, Kiss Me, Kate and A Chorus Line. Matthew has been a proud member of Actor’s Equity for more than 21 years.
JEFFREY BUCHSBAUM (Musical Director) Jeffrey is very happy to be back for his 16th production at Gateway Playhouse. Other recent shows here include: Phantom, Cats, Miss Saigon, and last season’s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Off-Broadway: On Second Avenue (2 Drama Desk nominations), Tallulah’s Party with Tovah Feldshuh, A Dash of Rosemary (also arranger), Michael Valenti’s Song By Song. Broadway Rhythm in Macao, China (also conceived), and The Skinflint (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis) Tours: Mame, Titanic, My One and Only, George M, Damn Yankees starring Jerry Lewis, Phantom of the Opera (European/South America), A Chorus Line (European/National). Jeffrey is also a director; his production of Camelot recently completed a successful national tour. He also enjoys a long association teaching and musical directing at LaGuardia High School for the performing arts in NYC, the “Fame” school. Jeffrey is a voice teacher and coach in New York City.
PAUL ALLAN (Producer) has been involved in theatre since before he can remember. In the early days of Gateway, he spent his summers following around his grandfather who had his hands full trying to make ends meet - running a theatre in the 60’s. Paul grew up here, looking forward to each summer and being able to do more each year. By the time he was a teenager he was beginning to take charge of maintaining this 7 acre complex as well as becoming an integral part of the back stage crew. In the 80’s as a young Gateway producer, Paul spent part of the winter months working in NY on many off-Broadway shows - serving as technical supervisor, production manager, and/or show carpenter. At the same time he co-founded a touring company whose shows traveled throughout the US and other countries worldwide. The set rental company was also founded at this time and Gateway scenery is constantly being trucked to various theatres across the country. The main focus, though, is still the productions he produces here for our patrons.
ROBIN JOY ALLAN (Casting and Artistic Director) has been the Casting Director at Gateway for the last thirteen years. Five years ago, she became the Artistic Director at Gateway. Prior to moving back home into the wonderland setting of her childhood, she did thrive in Corporate America, spending five years in Los Angeles, casting several TV pilots, MOW’s and feature films. You’ll find her name on the feature films; Parenthood, When Harry Met Sally, Lord of the Flies, Side Out and Ghost. Along with her Artistic and Casting Director duties, she is the force behind Gateway’s Acting School Division, where she teaches the advanced classes. This is her most impassioned work. Her daughter, Hayley, inspires her every day. She hopes her effort is good enough to honor her family, and their amazing effort all these years to bring theatre with integrity to Long Island.
DOM RUGGIERO (Production Stage Manager) Dom Ruggiero, a member of Actors Equity, has been stage managing for the past 27 years. Broadway PSM credits include The Gathering starring Hal Linden, Borscht Belt on Broadway starring Bruce Adler and Mal Z. Lawrence, and Ain’t That a Kick in the Head – the Music of Sammy Cahn directed by Chet Walker. 1st National Tours include: The Cole Porter Songbook starring Melba Moore, The Irving Berlin Songbook starring Carole Lawrence, Greetings! Shalom Aleichem Lives starring Judy Kaye, Bruce Adler and Theo Bikel. Dom has stage managed across the US, Europe, South America and Australia with Aint’ Misbehavin, Phantom, Anything Goes, and Song & Dance among many others. He is no stranger to the Gateway Playhouse, having begun his involvement 20 years ago with his production of Little Shop of Horrors, which he also directed. Dom has directed numerous shows for Gateway, most notably the 3 productions of Phantom, Tommy, Cabaret, and Once on This Island. Dom also directed Gateway Playhouse’s production of Beauty and the Beast this season.
MEL BROOKS (Writer, Composer & Lyricist, Producer.) Director, producer, writer and actor, Mel Brooks is the recipient of three 2001 Tony Awards (Best Score, Best Book of a Musical, Best Musical) and two Grammy Awards (Best Musical Show Album and Best Long Form Music Video) for The Producers. Mr. Brooks began his distinguished career during television’s “Golden Age” as a writer for Sid Caesar on Your Show Of Shows in 1951. In 1955 and in 1957, Brooks received Emmy Award nominations (with others) for the best comedy writing for Caesar’s Hour, and in 1956 he was nominated (with others) for best writing for a variety or situation comedy. In 1952, Brooks wrote sketches for Leonard Sillman’s Broadway smash-hit revue, New Faces Of 1952, and in 1957, together with Joe Darion, he wrote the book for the Broadway musical Shinbone Alley, which starred Eartha Kitt. In 1962, he wrote the book for the Broadway musical All-American, starring Ray Bolger. In the’60s, Brooks teamed up with Carl Reiner to write and perform The 2000 Year Old Man albums, which became immediate bestsellers. In 1960 and 1961, Brooks and Reiner received Grammy Award nominations for the best spoken word comedy for 2000 Years and for best comedy performance for 2000 And One Years, respectively. In 1997, Brooks and Reiner teamed up again for The 2000 Year Old Man In The Year 2000. Both a book and a CD were released, the CD winning a Grammy Award in 1998 for the best spoken word album: comedy. Brooks wrote and narrated The Critic, a short satire on avant-garde art films, which received the Academy Award for best animated short subject in 1964. In 1965, he teamed up with Buck Henry and created Get Smart, the long-running television show starring Don Adams as Agent 86. Brooks, along with others, received an Emmy Award for outstanding writing achievement in a comedy-variety in 1967 for The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special. In 1968, he wrote and directed his first feature film, The Producers, starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder, which earned him an Academy Award for the best original screenplay written directly for the screen. He then went on to create a remarkable string of hit comedies: 1970, he wrote, directed and acted in The Twelve Chairs; 1974, co-wrote, directed and acted in Blazing Saddles, and was nominated, along with John Morris, for the best title song, “Blazing Saddles”; 1974, co-wrote and directed Young Frankenstein; 1976, co-wrote, directed and starred in Silent Movie; 1977, co-wrote, directed and starred in Silent Movie; 1977, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in History Of The World, Part 1; 1983, produced and starred in To Be Or Not To Be; co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in the hit sci-fi spoof, Spaceballs; 1991, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in Life Stinks; 1993, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in Robin Hood: Men In Tights; 1995, co-wrote, directed, produced and starred in Dracula; Dead And Loving It. For three successive seasons, Brooks won the Emmy Award for his role as Uncle Phil on the hit comedy show, Mad About You. His visionary film company, Brooksfilms Limited, founded in 1980, has produced some of America’s most distinguished films, among them: David Lynch’s The Elephant Man, David Cronenberg’s The Fly, Frances, Richard Benjamin’s My Favorite Year and 84 Charing Cross Road, starring Anthony Hopkins and Mr. Brooks’ wife Anne Bancroft.
THOMAS MEEHAN (Book) received the Tony Award for co-writing the book for The Producers in 2001 and in 2003 for co-writing the book for Hairspray. He received his first Tony Award in 1977 for writing the book of Annie, which was his first Broadway show, and has since written the books for the musicals I Remember Mama, Ain’t Broadway Grand and Annie Warbucks. In addition, he is a long-time contributor of humor to The New Yorker, an Emmy-Award winning writer of television comedy, and a collaborator on a number of screenplays, including Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs and To Be Or Not To Be. He and his wife, Carolyn, divide their time between a home in Nantucket and an apartment in Greenwich Village, near which, on Hudson Street, she owns and presides over the long-running and near-legendary children’s store Peanut Butter & Jane. Mr. Meehan is a member of the Council of the Dramatists Guild.
MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (licensing Agent) In 1952, Frank Loesser transformed a fledgling business into what is now known throughout the world as “MTI.” In the intervening years, Music Theatre International has become a leader in the theatrical licensing industry, specializing in Broadway, Off-Broadway and West End musicals. Since its founding in 1952, MTI has been responsible for supplying scripts and musical materials to theatres worldwide and for protecting the rights and legacy of the authors who it represents. Whether it is the newest hit from the Broadway or London stage, or a timeless classic, MTI has been a driving force in cultivating new work and in extending the production life of the great American musicals such as, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Fiddler On The Roof, Les Misérables, Annie, Of Thee I Sing, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Damn Yankees, The Music Man, Godspell, Little Shop Of Horrors and the musical theatre collection of composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, among others. Apart from the major Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, MTI is proud to represent youth shows, revues and musicals which began life in regional theatre and have since become worthy additions to the musical theatre canon. Each year MTI licenses over 15,000 productions totaling more than 60,000 performances in the United States and Canada. The 45,000 amateur and professional theatrical organizations throughout the United States and Canada involve more than three million households each year in performances seen by more than twenty-five million audience members. Working with its sub-agents overseas, MTI has licensed productions in over sixty countries around the world. Whether it’s a high school in Kansas, an all-female troupe in Japan or the first production of West Side Story ever staged in Estonia, productions of MTI musicals have touched the lives of hundreds of millions around the world. MTI is particularly dedicated to the idea of theatre as education. Whether it’s the twelve thousand high schools who regularly perform our shows, or the many community and professional theatres whose outreach programs introduce new audiences to new works, MTI shares with these educators the goal of raising the next generation of theatre artists and audiences. MTI has taken a leading role in theatre education by creating the MTI Theatrical Resources, a “theatrical tool box” designed to help not only ensure the success of each musical production, but also to establish the study of musical theatre as a permanent part of the high school curriculum. These resources include: Study Guides designed to bring the study of specific shows into the classroom; Video ConversationPieces™ featuring video seminars with artists such as Martin Sheldon Harnick, Stephen Sondheim and Susan Stroman discussing the creation of their shows from inception to production; and MTI Rehearscore® which provide unlimited rehearsal accompaniment (and a remarkable new way to teach scores in class) via an easy-to-use, fully interactive computer program on disk. MTI also provides projection slides, original Broadway logos, sound effects, key transpositions (piano conductor scores and orchestral parts) as well as TV Spots for promoting your production. In 1998, as part of its educational initiative, MTI brought classic musical theatre to elementary and middle school-aged students with -- The Broadway Junior Collection®. Broadway Junior is a complete package which includes a first-timer’s “How To” guide to producing Broadway’s most beloved and celebrated musicals -- custom tailored to the needs of young people and schools. The Broadway Junior Collection® provides condensed, author-approved versions of classic musicals like Annie, Guys and Dolls, Into The Woods, and Fiddler On The Roof and shows you how to make your musical the ultimate interdisciplinary teaching tool. We even include an orchestral performance CD to make rehearsals a snap. Since 1998 there have been more than 16,000 licensed Broadway Junior productions in elementary and middle schools throughout the United States and Canada. The success of The Broadway Junior Collection® is perhaps best measured in the self-confidence, discipline, character, cooperation and self-esteem instilled in the children who have participated in Broadway Junior productions, as they master the diverse skills necessary to creating a musical.* We are building better citizens through musical theatre. MTI is also a leader in providing materials to meet the increasing demand for symphonic arrangements of popular theatre music. The MTI Concert Library offers arrangements of selected songs, as well as full scores from Broadway shows. Musical theatre has developed into a universal language, with new and exciting works springing up from all over the globe. MTI is firmly committed to laying the groundwork and providing innovative products and services for the flourishing musical theatre community of the 21st century. In 2000, Music Theatre International commissioned a two-year study on the impact of presenting a Broadway Junior show in three New York City schools. ArtsConnection administered the study under the direct supervision of Dr. Rob Horowitz.
