Congratulations to the NTPA Junior Theatre Festival Troupe!
Congratulations to NTPA’s JTF troupe on a successful Junior Theatre Festival 2025!
At the festival, NTPA Fairview Managing Director Cibby Bowden was one of only 5 Theatre Educators from across the country selected to join the Freddie G. Fellowship. As part of the Fellowship, Cibby will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to work one-on-one with industry professionals in a weekend of seminars, master classes, and Broadway shows. In addition, NTPA will receive a $5,000 award to enhance arts programs.
The troupe of 34 students and 2 interns performed selections from Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR for their 15-minute adjudication piece, and were awarded the new “Best in POD” Award, which means NTPA had the highest score in our group. This was the highest award given to any troupe at the festival!
NTPA students Emmerson Pullen and Devin Douglas were selected as JTF All-Stars and were invited to participate in a special dance workshop and VIP Q&A.
After last year’s JTF festival, NTPA was selected as one of three combined theatre troupes to perform the World Premiere of Disney’s new musical review “Dare to Dream JR.” The troupe rehearsed with the other selected troupes and Disney staff, including Director/Choreographer Emily Maltby, in November to prepare for the performance.
The NTPA JTF troupe is made up of NTPA students in grades 4-12 who are selected through a competitive audition process. The troupe was Directed by Cibby Bowden with Music Direction by Kally Duncan and Choreography by Riley Madlock and Larkin Parks, and Assistant Choreography by Kameron Knott.
Photo by Hannah Midkiff Photography
Watch a video of NTPA’s adjudication piece – selections from The Little Mermaid JR!
Junior Theatre Festival brings together student musical theater troupes from all over the world for a weekend of musical theater mayhem and madness. The weekend is full of theatre troupe performances, workshops, showcases, awards and FUN with like-minded people from all across the globe!
JTF is the LARGEST student theatre festival in the country! Only a limited number of theatre companies are invited and this was NTPA’s fifth year to be invited to attend.
In addition to competing, students participated in workshops taught by Broadway professionals, viewed previews of new Broadway Junior titles soon to be released, and engaged in conversations and performances with current Broadway performers.