MTI Launches Children's Musicals Based on Magic Treehouse Series

Leading theatrical licensor, Music Theatre International (MTI), creators of the MTI Broadway Junior Collection (featuring 30 and 60-minute musicals designed for young performers) is launching a slate of children's musicals based on Mary Pope Osborne's beloved Magic Tree House book series. The books are number one New York Times bestsellers - more than 100 million copies have been sold in North America alone. The series has been translated into many languages and is available in more than 100 countries around the world.

Adapted by the award-winning playwright/composer team of Jenny Laird (book) and Randy Courts (music and lyrics), with additional lyrics by Will Osborne, MAGIC TREE HOUSE: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK KIDS, is a 30-minute musical based on Magic Tree House #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark, the first book in the series written by Mary Pope Osborne and illustrated by Sal Murdocca.

The first musical, MAGIC TREE HOUSE: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK KIDS, is now available for licensing with more titles coming soon.

The series rollout continues with MAGIC TREE HOUSE: THE KNIGHT AT DAWN KIDS, which is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2014 followed soon thereafter byMAGIC TREE HOUSE: A GHOST TALE FOR MR. DICKENS JR. and MAGIC TREE HOUSE: PIRATES PAST NOON KIDS.

"We are thrilled to kick off our partnership with Mary Pope Osborne and the Magic Tree House team with DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK KIDS," said Drew Cohen, MTI's President. "At just 30 minutes in length, this is the perfect show for first-time teachers or directors with little or no producing experience to introduce their students to the joys of performing musical theatre. The book series appeals to kids and is inherently educational so it is perfect for school theatre. We can't wait to see young performers from across the country step into the roles of Jack and Annie and bring Mary's unique Magic Tree House world to life on their stages."

In MAGIC TREE HOUSE: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK KIDS, two siblings, Jack and Annie, happen upon a mysterious tree house that is filled with a magnificent collection of books covering a wide range of subjects. As they are looking at a book about dinosaurs, Jack casually wishes they could go there - and, magically, the siblings are transported to a land that looks exactly like the picture in the book. Finding themselves in a strange new world populated with dinosaurs they've only read about (including pteranodons, triceratops, anatosauruses, and the legendary tyrannosaurus rex), the brother and sister must rely on instinct and knowledge as they try to unravel the mystery of how to return home.

In addition to a wonderful score filled with beautiful melodies, the show's book is faithful to the language and tone of Mary Pope Osborne's series. And much like the book series, MAGIC TREE HOUSE: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK KIDS, contains important educational themes supplemented with lesson plans in math, science and technology, and English/language arts making this musical the ultimate interdisciplinary teaching tool.

The MTI Broadway Junior Collection features condensed author-approved versions of classic musicals custom tailored to the needs of young people and schools. The music is written in keys appropriate for young voices and all shows can be expanded to accommodate as many performers as can fit on your stage. The MTI Broadway Junior Collection includes JR. titles, which are 60-minute musicals for performance by middle school children, and KIDS titles which are 30-minute musicals for performance by elementary school children.

Each MTI Broadway Junior Collection title (including MAGIC TREE HOUSE: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK KIDS,) comes with a specially designed ShowKit - a first-timer's "How To" guide to producing these beloved and celebrated musicals. Even teachers with no theatrical training or experience can easily put on a successful production.

All ShowKits contain helpful materials enabling teachers to make the musical the ultimate interdisciplinary teaching tool. It also includes a Director's Guide and an accompaniment CD to enhance rehearsals and performances.