Disney Musicals in Schools School Application Logo
  • Make your school a Disney Musicials in School school!

    The goals of Disney Musicals in Schools are to:

    1. Create sustainable musical theatre programs in schools.
    2. Provide school teachers with the training and tools necessary to support student performance and production, and to empower them to do so.
    3. Develop a critical awareness and appreciation of the arts within the school.
    4. Develop a strong community, including students, parents, faculty, staff, and neighbors.
    5. Expose students and school faculty to the wide spectrum of skills that are developed when producing a piece of musical theatre, including critical thinking, problem solving, ensemble building, communication, self-confidence, and interpersonal skills.

  • In their first year of the program, selected schools will receive at no cost: 

    • Performance & video licenses & show materials (scripts, music tracks, cross-curricular activities) to a 30-minute Disney KIDS musical (elementary) OR a 60-min Disney JR musical (middle school)
    • In-school support from two Teaching Artists
    • Teaching Artists will
      • Train and empower the School Team to run the program themselves by the end of the residency.
      • Guide the School Team through both production management, and creative execution of the show. Recommend school and community engagement and fundraising opportunities.
      • Work with selected School Teams to create a production within the budget the school is able to allocate to this project.
    • Elementary Schools -
      • Teaching Artists will be at one rehearsal/week (90-min/week)
    • Middle Schools -
      • Teaching Artists will be at two rehearsals/week
    • Participation in the Student Share (Elementary) or Spotlight Showcase (middle) at Overture Center. Students will make their Overture Center debut performing a song from their show on the Capitol Theater stage! Financial support for transportation is provided.
    • Tiered support is also offered to schools in years 2 & 3. 
  • Requirements for Selected Schools:

    • Produce a Disney KIDS (elementary) or Disney JR. (middle) musical involving students both on and off stage.
    • Elementary schools - only students in 3rd - 5th grade are eligible to participate.
    • Have ongoing support from principal and after-school site director.
    • Identify a School Team comprising of at least FOUR, but no more than six, teachers and school staff members who will oversee and manage the program from beginning to end. Having at least one School Team member who is an arts specialist (of any discipline) is highly recommended, but not mandatory.
    • Commit to rehearsals January through May.
      • Elementary schools - Two 90-min rehearsals/week for 17 weeks
      • Middle schools - 23 week residency; rehearsal days/times determined with school teams
    • School Team must commit to attend an orientation session with staff from Overture Center for the Arts, and Teaching Artists in OCTOBER.
    • Provide space, time, materials, and resources for students and the School Team to rehearse and prepare for the musical production.
    • Involve parents and the larger community in the mounting of the production.
    • Hold a minimum of one public performance of the musical.
    • Participate in Overture Center for the Arts' Disney Musicals in Schools Student Share (elementary) or Spotlight Showcase event (middle).

    Financial Commitment

    Overture Center for the Arts and Disney Theatrical Group will provide performance rights, ShowKit materials, and onsite Teaching Artist support at no charge to selected schools. Selected schools will be responsible for a production budget. Disney KIDS and JR. Musicals are designed to be produced inexpensively, and have been successfully mounted within a budget of $300-$1500. Teaching Artists will work to maximize the school’s production budget by advising on the use of reclaimed and existing materials. Any additional costs, such as students enrolling through an after-school program and/or any out-of-school time that teachers and faculty work, will be the school’s responsibility. 

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  • This program is optimally designed for 30-40 students onstage and up to 20 student crew members. 

  • SCHOOL TEAM INFORMATION

    Tell us about your proposed School Team Members: Please commit 4 to 5 teachers or school staff who will be present at all rehearsals. School Team members must attend every rehearsal.


  • In order to participate in this program we require schools hold a minimum of rehearsals per week. These rehearsals are typically held after school.  All participating students and School Team members must be available for the rehearsal times every week.

    Elementary Schools - TWO 90-min rehearsals/week

    Middle Schools - Six hours of rehearsal time/week with a minimum of 3 rehearsals each week.

  • Once submitted Overture Center staff will contact you to schedule an in-person meeting at your school with main contact and the principal. 

    After the in-person meeting you will receive notice if your school has been accepted into the program or not. 

    Before the summer Overture Center staff will meet with school teams at accepted schools to determine rough schedules. 

    ALL ACCEPTED schools MUST attend the School Orientation meeting in October. 

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