MTCA 2023 | Quick Answers
What is Musical Theatre Competitions of America (MTCA)?
MTCA is an Educational Musical Theater Festival filled with Performance Opportunities, Master Classes, and Competition.
Why Choose Musical Theatre Competitions of America?
There are a lot of factors to consider when selecting the right experience for your students. MTCA has been offering the highest quality educational and performance experience for students in a premier theatrical venue for over 15 years.
Why Should My Group Attend MTCA?
MTCA provides an opportunity for students to experience the transformative power of Musical Theatre! Students experience a professional “Cattle Call” style audition process, perform on stage in a professional theatrical venue, compete individually for professional adjudicators who offer constructive feedback, have the opportunity to watch and support other performers, attend exciting master classes, and make impactful connections with other Musical Theatre students from around the country.
Why is Competition Important?
It’s not just about a trophy! Winning a trophy is not “just” what MTCA is about. Every performer will leave the MTCA Stage with something more! They will leave with a sense of confidence that only comes with challenging oneself to reach for their highest potential.
MTCA is where students learn the power of preparation. Preparation, persistence and resilience are traits that not only impact performance; they enhance every aspect of a student’s life. Understanding that success is directly related to preparation, MTCA offers students something positive to prepare for! In recreating the high-pressure stakes of a professional audition, performers leave with the tools they need to handle the stress and pressure they will encounter throughout their performing career and beyond.
What Do Groups Experience at MTCA?
Groups perform a 12-minute version of a Musical or a Musical Revue selecting one composer or lyricist for adjudication. Individuals present and receive feedback in various categories. ALL participate in workshops specifically designed for student performers.
Students also have the opportunity watch outstanding performances by their peers and to interact and form lifelong friendships with other students from around the country who share their love for Musical Theatre.
What Individual Categories Does MTCA Offer?
Solos, Duets, Monologues, Make-up/Hair Design, Set Design, and Costume Design
Is There Programming for My Technical Theater Students?
Yes, we offer Set, Make-up/Hair and Costume Design
What Makes MTCA Different?
MTCA wrote the book on educational Musical Theatre Competitions with over 15 years of experience and excellence empowering performers across the country.
MTCA is an Educational Musical Theater Festival filled with Performance Opportunities, Master Classes, and Competition.
Why Choose Musical Theatre Competitions of America?
There are a lot of factors to consider when selecting the right experience for your students. MTCA has been offering the highest quality educational and performance experience for students in a premier theatrical venue for over 15 years.
Why Should My Group Attend MTCA?
MTCA provides an opportunity for students to experience the transformative power of Musical Theatre! Students experience a professional “Cattle Call” style audition process, perform on stage in a professional theatrical venue, compete individually for professional adjudicators who offer constructive feedback, have the opportunity to watch and support other performers, attend exciting master classes, and make impactful connections with other Musical Theatre students from around the country.
Why is Competition Important?
It’s not just about a trophy! Winning a trophy is not “just” what MTCA is about. Every performer will leave the MTCA Stage with something more! They will leave with a sense of confidence that only comes with challenging oneself to reach for their highest potential.
MTCA is where students learn the power of preparation. Preparation, persistence and resilience are traits that not only impact performance; they enhance every aspect of a student’s life. Understanding that success is directly related to preparation, MTCA offers students something positive to prepare for! In recreating the high-pressure stakes of a professional audition, performers leave with the tools they need to handle the stress and pressure they will encounter throughout their performing career and beyond.
What Do Groups Experience at MTCA?
Groups perform a 12-minute version of a Musical or a Musical Revue selecting one composer or lyricist for adjudication. Individuals present and receive feedback in various categories. ALL participate in workshops specifically designed for student performers.
Students also have the opportunity watch outstanding performances by their peers and to interact and form lifelong friendships with other students from around the country who share their love for Musical Theatre.
What Individual Categories Does MTCA Offer?
Solos, Duets, Monologues, Make-up/Hair Design, Set Design, and Costume Design
Is There Programming for My Technical Theater Students?
Yes, we offer Set, Make-up/Hair and Costume Design
What Makes MTCA Different?
MTCA wrote the book on educational Musical Theatre Competitions with over 15 years of experience and excellence empowering performers across the country.
- MTCA Adjudicators | Our adjudicators are qualified theater professionals, college professors, industry professionals, & casting directors. Each performer and group receive an on-stage clinic directly after the presentation. This allows participants to grow and learn as performers in a supportive and meaningful way. Students preparing for upcoming show auditions, college, or professional auditions will come away with tangible feedback that will elevate their performances.
- MTCA Takes Place at a Premiere Theatrical Venue | We are focused on giving students the opportunity to experience the magic of theatre. MTCA is held in a state-of-the-art theatre, which allows performers the true experience of performing on stage, with microphones and lights.
- MTCA is Educationally Based | MTCA is an educationally based theatre festival. John Vaughn, Dean of Arts Citrus College, Gary Krinke, Professor Emeritus Theatre Arts Fullerton College (1979-2015), John Tebay, Dean of Fine Arts Fullerton College and Marilyn Magness, former Disney Imagineer and Executive Creative Director for Walt Disney Parks and Entertainment have each been involved since its inception in 2004, and serve as the founding creative team, and advisory board.
The "MTCA Experience"
FRIDAY EVENING
Cattle Call Audition
SATURDAY
Competition Begins
SUNDAY
Awards Ceremony and Disneyland Experience
MTCA'S Collaboration with our Friends at Disney
Musical Theatre Competitions of America is thrilled to share our collaboration with our friends at Disney! For the last fifteen years, Disneyland® Resort and Disney Youth Programs have been an integral part of the MTCA experience. We are honored that Disney Youth Programs trusted us to share an exciting announcement with you! The Disney Performing Arts Conservatory Youth Summer Program.
MTCA and Disney Youth Programs seamlessly align in our mission of offering opportunities for performance and the belief that creative expression truly helps develop youth artists. Disney offers a unique opportunity for students to participate in the Disney Performing Arts Conservatory Youth Summer Program.
Cattle Call Audition
- Students are led through a traditional Broadway cattle call audition by award winning Music Directors and Choreographers. Forty will be cast to star in our Closing Production Number. All schools will be represented.
- Chaperones and Directors are invited to meet and network with other professionals in your industry!
SATURDAY
Competition Begins
- Schools and students have the opportunity to present a variety of categories for adjudication and feedback. Each performer or group receives an onstage workshop specific to his or her performance.
- Multiple Master Classes are offered throughout the day. We will be announcing our special Broadway guest teachers in the coming months.
- Students are encouraged to meet and have fun during breaks from competition. Theatre games, laughter and engaging with one another is a part of what makes the MTCA experience special!
- Professional Development classes are offered throughout the day for Directors, and Chaperones. We offer a variety of workshops to grow your level of expertise!
- Saturday concludes with “Best of Festival” performances, and the Closing Production Number featuring students cast from Friday evenings cattle call audition.
SUNDAY
Awards Ceremony and Disneyland Experience
- Students will begin the day with the 15th Annual MTCA Awards show held inside Disneyland! Following the awards, students will spend the rest of the day enjoying Disneyland with friends!
MTCA'S Collaboration with our Friends at Disney
Musical Theatre Competitions of America is thrilled to share our collaboration with our friends at Disney! For the last fifteen years, Disneyland® Resort and Disney Youth Programs have been an integral part of the MTCA experience. We are honored that Disney Youth Programs trusted us to share an exciting announcement with you! The Disney Performing Arts Conservatory Youth Summer Program.
MTCA and Disney Youth Programs seamlessly align in our mission of offering opportunities for performance and the belief that creative expression truly helps develop youth artists. Disney offers a unique opportunity for students to participate in the Disney Performing Arts Conservatory Youth Summer Program.
What MTCA Means for PMT YAS!
PMT Young Artist Series was founded in 2017 with one primary mission - to provide high-quality musical theater education that focuses on the importance of collaboration and live performance. A youth program that is run by a full-scale professional production company has a unique value proposition: we can offer a kind of hands-on and real-world experience that may be lacking in other programs. MTCA offers that same kind of real-world application that makes this particular competition a perfect fit for PMT YAS!
Additionally, MTCA offers more opportunity for students than any other musical theater competition we’ve encountered, both in terms of categories of competition and exposure to workshops and masterclasses that can continue to advance their theater education while fostering a love and passion of performing arts.
For PMT YAS!, forming a competition to participate in MTCA 2020 represented a major milestone for us. It was an opportunity for us to double down on the values that we had worked to instill in our young artists and to represent out local theater community on a national stage. Our work was recognized in a big way with a first place win in our ensemble division, several individual monologue and design awards, and a sweepstakes award for overall high-score average across all categories. As we move into our fourth competition season, we look forward to the opportunity to create a legacy of excellence at PMT YAS!
Additionally, MTCA offers more opportunity for students than any other musical theater competition we’ve encountered, both in terms of categories of competition and exposure to workshops and masterclasses that can continue to advance their theater education while fostering a love and passion of performing arts.
For PMT YAS!, forming a competition to participate in MTCA 2020 represented a major milestone for us. It was an opportunity for us to double down on the values that we had worked to instill in our young artists and to represent out local theater community on a national stage. Our work was recognized in a big way with a first place win in our ensemble division, several individual monologue and design awards, and a sweepstakes award for overall high-score average across all categories. As we move into our fourth competition season, we look forward to the opportunity to create a legacy of excellence at PMT YAS!