Create a Theatre Program at Your School with TCT

JumpStart Theatre Program Applications Now Open for K-12 Schools 

Cincinnati – The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is currently accepting applications for the 2026-2027 season of the school initiative, JumpStart Theatre.

The Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF), in collaboration with New York City-based companies iTheatrics and Music Theatre International (MTI), created JumpStart Theatre, a three-year scalable program designed to build sustainable musical theatre programs in underserved schools that previously had none.

All Cincinnati tri-state area schools may apply to participate in JumpStart Theatre. Applications can be completed and submitted online now through April 1, 2026. Selected schools will be announced later this spring and will begin implementing the program in their school in the fall of 2026.

Participant schools are chosen through the online application which is now available at: https://thechildrenstheatre.com/26-27-jumpstart-theatre-application/

Training & Ongoing Mentoring:
Each school will receive services and materials valued at $12,000 in the form of training, mentoring, and production support for a full-scale show for their community. Students will be involved in every aspect of the production, and TCT with ETF will also host the annual JumpStart Theatre showcase, bringing all the participants together to share their work.

The selected schools make a three-year commitment, and teams of three or more teachers from each school will participate in professional development “boot camps” in a variety of areas led by a master teacher in the fall, winter and spring. These workshops will provide training in all areas of musical theatre production, with the goal of empowering the teacher teams to guide the programs independently.

Local JumpStart Schools Include:
Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students, Mt. Washington School, Batavia Middle School, Shroder High School, Covedale Elementary, Holmes Middle School, Finneytown Middle School, and Gamble Montessori High School.

About the Educational Theatre Foundation:
The Educational Theatre Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Educational Theatre Association, whose shared vision is to build a global community of creative problem solvers, effective collaborators, and empathetic individuals through theatre. ETF advances the field of educational theatre by broadening representation and increasing access for all. Learn how at foundation.schooltheatre.org.

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