Music Theatre International Select Pilot Schools for JumpStart Theatre

The Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), Music Theatre International (MTI), and iTheatrics have selected three pilot schools for JumpStart Theatre, a new pilot program designed to build sustainable theatre programs in middle schools that do not offer curricular or after-school theatre education opportunities. This year, three Cincinnati-area schools have been selected for the program.

Music Theatre International (MTI) will match gifts to JumpStart Theatre on a dollar-to-dollar basis up to $10,000. The matching period ends June 22, 2015, at the Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska. To qualify for the match, the donor must indicate that his/her gift is made in response to the MTI Matching Challenge.

According to MTI's John Prignano, an EdTA Board member: "Musical theatre is great for building a positive culture within the school and with the parents and greater community. We are very excited to be able to provide opportunities to the students in the Cincinnati-area pilot program and we hope to expand the program in coming years."

JumpStart is modeled on programs developed by MTI and iTheatrics and embraced in co-partnerships with The Shubert Organization, the President's Committee on Arts and the Humanities, New York City's Department of Education, NBC Universal, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and The Blumenthal Center. JumpStart will provide direct financial support to these schools for three years that includes educator training, mentors, scripts, and study guides, as well as teacher stipends and modest budgets for sets and costumes.

There are three easy ways to make your tax-deductible donation in support of the MTI JumpStart Challenge:

1. Send a check to: EdTA, Attn: MTI JumpStart Challenge, 2343 Auburn Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219.

2. Call Marion Combs at 513.977.5539.

3. Donate online using a credit card-be sure to check JumpStart Theatre MTI Matching Challenge as your gift purpose..

"The program will make a powerful impact on hundreds of students over the next three years, providing them with a more expansive education to teach life skills that can be applied in other subject areas, such as creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking," explains Julie Woffington, Executive Director of the Educational Theatre Association. "A 2012 U.S Department of Education survey of arts education found that only 28 percent of high poverty schools offer theatre education. JumpStart is a way to address this access and equity issue. Plus, musical theatre is a great way to build a positive culture within the school and with the parents and greater community. We are very excited to be able to provide these opportunities to the students in our community and we hope to expand the program beyond the Cincinnati area."