The 7th annual event allows middle school students from across the city the chance to perform on a Broadway stage. Twenty different schools will offer selections from musicals they have been working on the past year, including Annie JR., Once on this Island JR., Disney’s Aladdin JR., Guys and Dolls JR., Bugsy Malone JR., The Music Man JR., Dear Edwina JR., Fame JR., Willy Wonka JR. and Thoroughly Modern Millie JR.
Jonas, who got his start as a young performer in the Broadway casts of Beauty and the Beast and Annie Get Your Gun, will serve as the master of ceremonies. "Harry Potter" star and original How to Succeed cast member Daniel Radcliffe hosted the 2011 event.
Also on hand for the 10:30 AM event will be Shubert Organization President and co-CEO Robert E. Wankel, Tony Award-honored Broadway JR creator and MTI CEO Freddie Gershon and Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education Dennis Walcott.
The program is a partnership with the New York City Department of Education and the Shubert Foundation/MTI Broadway JR. Program that helps build self-sustaining musical theatre programs in city schools that have little arts programming.
Over the course of three years, underserved schools are provided with funding, professional guidance and the materials necessary for a theatre program to take root. Many schools graduate from the Shubert Foundation/MTI Broadway JR. Program with thriving theatre programs in place.