Music Theatre International (MTI) and arts advocacy and development organization Latiné Musical Theatre Lab (LMTL) announced a partnership to create culturally sensitive bilingual versions of MTI's 30 and 60-minute Broadway Junior musicals.
Broadway Junior musicals are author-approved, condensed versions of classic musicals and modern works, custom-tailored to the needs of young people and schools.
The partnership between MTI and LMTL will help to create equal opportunities for Spanish-speaking and bilingual students and performers, while expanding accessibility for Spanish-speaking and bilingual households and audiences. In educational settings, students from English-speaking backgrounds will have the opportunity to learn and practice a second language in an immersive environment.
The first show slated for development is Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire's Shrek The Musical JR. In this bilingual world of Shrek JR., all characters speak two languages equally well. And yet as in real life, each character has their own language preference for thinking, speaking, and singing. The actors auditioning for principal characters will choose (based on their linguistic abilities and preferences) the language in which their character primarily works - American English or Latin American Spanish. This will create a bespoke version of the show for each production, where the primary language of each principal character will be based on the actor cast in the role.
In related news, Broadway will celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, starting with the concert ¡Viva! Broadway: Aquí y Allá (Here and There) on 9 September 5pm (New York time).