GIA Publications, Inc. Partners with MTI to Print and Distribute ShowKits of Materials for Broadway Junior Musicals
The ShowKit of materials that come with every Broadway Junior license includes actor scripts, a piano/vocal score, a director’s guide, and more.
An exciting change is coming to the world of youth musicals. Effective October 1, 2026, ShowKits of materials created by Music Theatre International (MTI) for their Broadway Junior musicals will be printed and distributed by GIA Publications, Inc., in addition to MTI.
Music Theatre International is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form. MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences.
Created in 1996, Broadway Junior musicals are condensed, author-approved versions of classic musicals, Disney favorites, DreamWorks hits, and modern works custom-tailored to the needs of young people and schools. Since its inception, millions of young performers have participated in a Broadway Junior production. The ShowKit of materials that come with every Broadway Junior license includes actor scripts, a piano/vocal score, a director’s guide, and more.
“We are thrilled to enter into this new partnership with GIA, a well-respected company known for its quality and exceptional customer care,” said John Prignano, MTI’s Chief Operating Officer & Director of Education and Development. “We are grateful for the work of our previous partner Hal Leonard, but are excited for this new chapter in the evolution of our youth musicals. GIA is bringing their years of expertise to MTI’s Broadway Junior ShowKits, and their printing and distribution capabilities will benefit the thousands of schools and theaters that produce a Broadway Junior musical each year.”
Alec Harris, President of GIA, said, “I became aware of MTI’s Broadway Junior ShowKits® when my daughter performed in a show in fourth grade. I saw the teamwork, skill-building, leadership, confidence, and learning that happens in these powerful, magical moments. It is a tremendous honor for GIA to take on the printing and distribution of MTI’s Broadway Junior ShowKits. We believe they have the power to change the world. The MTI team are top-tier partners and we look forward to serving dealers and helping schools get the most from their music theatre experience.”
Founded in 1941, GIA Publications, Inc. is a family-owned company with more than 10,000 choral and instrumental editions in print, as well as hymnals, recordings, a licensing division, and a wide variety of music education resources. The esteemed choral publisher Walton Music became part of GIA in 2013. Both World Library Publications (WLP) and Meredith Music joined the GIA family in 2020.
As printer and distributor of MTI’s Broadway Junior ShowKits of materials, GIA will service music dealer accounts and select direct school sales. Direct school sales through MTI are not affected by this agreement. MTI’s Broadway Junior licenses for high school and community productions are unaffected by this partnership.
About Music Theatre International
Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.
MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.
MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students. Launched in May 2025, MTI's Broadway Senior musicals are geared and adapted for adult performers 55 and over.
MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City with additional offices in London (MTI Europe) and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).
About GIA Publications, Inc.
GIA Publications, Inc., is a leading publisher of music education resources, liturgical music, choral and instrumental editions, hymnals, and recordings with more than 12,000 titles in print and a full-time staff of nearly 100 employees. Established in 1941, GIA has been part of the Harris family and headquartered in Chicago since 1967.
GIA’s breadth of music education publications includes early childhood music curricula including the work of John Feierabend, beginning band methods including the popular Habits series, college level conducting texts, and music aptitude tests.
In 2013, GIA acquired Walton Music, a leading publisher of school and community choral music, including works by Eric Whitacre, Norman Luboff, and Ola Gjeilo, with more than 1,200 editions in print.
GIA continues to be a leader in church music and liturgical music publishing, including beloved hymnals for Roman Catholic parishes (in English and Spanish) and Black Protestant communities.
In 2020, GIA expanded its catalog once again, acquiring both World Library Publications (WLP), a publisher of resources for Catholic music and liturgy, and Meredith Music, a publisher of instructional music education textbooks as well as resources for percussionists.
GIA operates two licensing divisions— ONE LICENSE LLC, providing music licensing and permissions for congregational song and School Music License, offering schools the necessary licensing to use copyrighted music on their website or via social media.
With a fully on-site print shop, GIA also proudly prints and distributes resources for some of the most well-respected publishing companies in the US including Music Theatre International, Lorenz Corporation, Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Alliance Music Publishing, Jake Runestad Music and Elaine Hagenberg Music.
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