CINCINNATI: The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) has announced that three schools will take part in their new JumpStart Theatre Program. The theatre has adopted the three-year program created by the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), in collaboration with iTheatrics and Music Theatre International.

TCT will begin working with Batavia Middle School, Shroder High School, and Covedale Elementary School in the 2023-24 school year.

“We are thrilled to welcome our JumpStart Theatre partner schools for the 2023-24 school year,” TCT managing director and CEO Kim Kern said in a statement. “TCT has seen over 10 schools complete this program and build their theatre programs into self-sustaining entities. We are so excited to see the momentum of this program and to work alongside the Educational Theatre Association to continue the growth locally while they expand the reach and impact nationally.”

Each school will receive training and mentorship opportunities and production support for a full-scale show. The three-year program will also allow teachers to participate in professional development “boot camps” in musical theatre production. Additionally, TCT and the EdTA will host an annual showcase, bringing all participants together to share their work.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is the oldest children’s theatre in the country. The company educates, entertains, and engages audiences of all ages through productions and arts education programming, reaching over 200,000 people in the region each season. As of 2022, the theatre had a budget of approximately $8.9 million.

The Educational Theatre Association’s mission is to provide all students with equitable access to quality theatre education. The JumpStart Theatre Program creates sustainable theatre arts programs in middle school that did not previously have theatre education opportunities. The three-year program helps school develop future self-sustaining programs.