Carson City's Wild Horse Children’s Theater triumphs at Junior Theater Festival West
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Thu, 02/29/2024 - 12:10pm
Event Date:
February 11, 2024 (All day) The spotlight shone brightly on Wild Horse Children’s Theater Junior Theater Festival Performance Troupe as they clinched top honors at the Junior Theater Festival West. This glittering event, held in Sacramento is a dedicated celebration of outstanding student-driven musical programs from across the globe.
In a dazzling display of talent, a group of 29 WHCT students from the Carson City area embarked on a journey to Sacramento for the 2024 Junior Theater Festival West in February. Their enthralling 15-minute performance featured excerpts from the MTI Broadway Junior musical, Disney’s Mary Poppins, Jr.
WHCT awards included:
• Freddie G. Award for Excellence in Dance
• JTF Festival All-Stars: Lewis Sanders and Micah Giron, who not only earned this prestigious title but also participated in a special All-Star workshop and performed at the Freddie G Awards Ceremony.
• Freddie G. Inspirational Award: Zoe Ward and family. This award is given to an individual or group who touched the heart of the judges in an inspirational way.
• Special Project Video: Emma Spears, who secured a callback for an upcoming special video project scheduled for New York this summer.
Adjudicators for WHCT included esteemed personalities such as Morgan Rose, known for her Broadway credits in School of Rock, Evita, and Shrek the Musical. Rose, who teaches dance at the Joffrey Ballet School and Broadway Dance Center in NYC, remarked, "Wild Horse Children's Theater embodied community through wonderful character work and powerful choices. They were a joy to watch on stage!" Cindy Ripley, Senior Educational Consultant for ITheatrics, and teaching artist for the Kennedy Center, added, "An undeniable performance by this balanced ensemble. Their performance brought the audience to new heights!"
Hosted by iTheatrics, Disney Musicals, and Musical Theater International, JTF West serves as a global gathering for youth theater groups. Participants from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Poland, and South Korea converged for a weekend filled with performances, workshops, and new production showcases.
Distinguished performers, presenters, and adjudicators at JTF West included Taylor Iman Jones (SIX), Vichet Chum (Kween), Adam Faison (Everything's Gonna Be Okay), Zina Goldrich (Junie B. Jones), DJ Kurs (artistic director, Deaf West), Coy Middlebrook (At Home at the Zoo), Elyssa Samsel, Kate Anderson (Between the Lines), Frankie A. Rodriguez (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series), Joe Serafini (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series), and Jacob Ryan Smith (Painless: The Opioid Musical).
The grand finale featured a headlining concert by Andrew Barth Feldman (No Hard Feelings, Dear Evan Hansen), concluding a weekend filled with inspiration and camaraderie.
Notably, WHCT Director Carol Scott, honored with the Freddie G Fellowship Award last year, continues to exemplify excellence in theater education. This award, given to 5 theater educators across the country, recognizes exceptional theater instructors making a positive impact on their students and communities through musical theater. Scott was invited to JTF Atlanta in January to experience the record breaking JTF festival with 6,583 people and 125 theater groups in attendance.
JTF is a celebration of musical theater and education, uniting Broadway and West End professionals with educators and young students. WHCT, a nonprofit organization, remains dedicated to providing young people with opportunities to learn and grow in the performing arts, fostering a love for theater and instilling valuable skills for both on and off the stage.
WHCT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing opportunities for young people to learn and grow in the performing arts in a supportive and nurturing environment. Through their various programs and productions, the organization aims to educate and inspire youth, fostering a love for theater and helping them develop skills that will benefit them both on and off stage.
