For so many kids, the name Disney means magic
The Disney Musicals in Schools program is designed to build sustainable theater programs in public elementary and middle schools. Schools receive free performance rights, scripts, and music for a KIDS or Junior version of a Disney musical, written for elementary and middle school performers.
Wharton Center is proud to be the only Disney Musicals in Schools partner in the state of Michigan. Since our participation in 2015, we have partnered with 29 schools throughout the state, allowing over 1000 students to participate in their very first school musical.
Disney Musicals in Schools was launched in response to Disney Theatrical Group’s concern that many students were not afforded equitable access to the arts. After successfully offering the program in New York City schools, Disney Theatrical Group began partnering with organizations in other communities around the United States.
Program Details
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Elementary (Grades 3-5)
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Selected schools will receive:
- Free performance license to a 30-minute Disney KIDS musical (available shows include 101 Dalmatians, Aladdin, The Aristocats, Finding Nemo, Frozen, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, and Winnie the Pooh)
- Free ShowKit materials, including a director’s guide, student scripts, accompaniment and rehearsal tracks, choreography videos, and cross-curricular activities.
- Free weekly 90-mimute in-school visits from a team of two Wharton Center Teaching Artists to train and guide your team throughout the process.
- Lastly, the selected schools will participate in a culminating Disney Musicals in Schools Student Share Celebration. At this event, each school will share selections from its production at Wharton Center for Performing Arts.
Selected schools will be expected to:
- Host a site visit for the selection team during the interview process.
- Identify a School Team comprising at least three teachers and staff members, who will partner with the Wharton Center Teaching Artists and oversee and manage the program from beginning to end. The selected School Team will receive on-site support from a team of two Wharton Center Teaching Artists who visit the school each week. The School Team will also run a 90-minute rehearsal on their own once each week.
- Commit to 17 weeks of rehearsal /production in an after-school setting
- Provide space, time, materials, and resources for students and the School Team to rehearse and prepare for the musical production. The space must be open with room for participating students to move, dance, and sing loudly.
- Provide opportunities for the whole school, parents, and larger community to be connected to the production.
- Hold a minimum of one public performance of the musical.
- Participate in the culminating Student Share Celebration event at Wharton Center at the end of the program.
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Middle School (Grades 6-8)
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Selected schools will receive:
- Free performance license to a 60-minute Disney JR. musical (available shows include Aladdin, Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo, Frozen, High School Musical, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Moana, My Son Pinocchio, and Newsies)
- Free ShowKit materials, including a director’s guide, student scripts, accompaniment and rehearsal tracks, choreography videos, and cross-curricular activities.
- Free weekly 2-hour in-school visits from a team of two Wharton Center Teaching Artists to train and guide your team throughout the process.
- Lastly, the selected schools will participate in a culminating Disney Musicals in Schools Student Share Celebration. At this event, each school will share selections from its production at ORGANIZATION NAME’S THEATRE NAME.
Selected schools will be expected to:
- Produce a 60-minute Disney JR. musical involving 6th-8th graders both on and off stage.
- Identify a School Team comprising at least three teachers and staff members, who will partner with the Wharton Center Teaching Artists and oversee and manage the program from beginning to end. The selected School Team will receive on-site support from a team of two Wharton Center Teaching Artists who visit the school each week. The School Team will also run a 2-hour rehearsal on their own once each week.
- Commit to a full semester of rehearsal /production in an after-school setting.
- Host a site visit for the selection team during the application process.
- Provide space, time, materials, and resources for students and the School Team to rehearse and prepare for the musical production.
- Provide opportunities for the whole school, parents, and larger community to be connected to the production.
- Hold a minimum of one public performance of the musical.
- Participate in the culminating Student Share event at Wharton Center and provide transportation for participating students.
Benefits of Disney Musicals in Schools
Students and their teachers work in teams to develop a production throughout a 17-week residency, with Wharton Center’s trained teaching artists at the helm. Musical theater combines all the art forms and provides an engaging opportunity for young people to work onstage or behind the scenes. Beyond the joys of storytelling onstage, musical theatre fosters creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, self-confidence, and discipline in these students.
Each year, the program culminates with a showcase featuring each school performing one number from its production on the Wharton Center Cobb Great Hall stage. Family and friends are invited to watch their new stars step into the spotlight.
Wharton Center selects up to six schools to participate in our Disney Musicals in Schools program. To be eligible, schools must be Title I and have at least 50% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and/or show lack of arts opportunities due to geographic location and be roughly 90 minutes away—or less—from East Lansing. Partner schools should serve any combination of grades 3-5 or 6-8. We are looking for schools that are interested in building a sustainable musical theatre program, that understand the importance of arts education, and plan to make it a part of their building culture for years to come.
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Questions?
Contact us to learn more about Disney Musicals in Schools