COSTA MESA, CA | Segerstrom Center for the Arts is excited to announce the launch of its 11th season of the Disney Musicals in Schools program, bringing the magic of musical theater to four Orange County elementary schools. Since 2014, the Center has proudly presented this initiative, introducing the collaborative art of musical theater to underserved schools and aiming to strengthen arts programming and foster partnerships between students, teachers, and the community.
Each year, local elementary schools are selected to participate in the program free of charge. These schools receive a 17-week residency, during which they work alongside Segerstrom Center Teaching Artists to collaboratively produce a 30-minute Disney KIDS Musical. Teaching artists facilitate weekly professional development for the participating school team teachers. This includes real time modeling and coaching in theater skills such as directing, choreography, music directing, and stage management, providing the necessary tools to establish and continue a tradition of sustainable musical theater on their campus. This year’s program features four new school sites, each embracing the magic of Disney through their unique productions.
Disney Musicals in Schools has played a vital role in nurturing the artistic talents of students,
unlocking their potential, and promoting teamwork and communication skills. Through the
medium of musical theater, students have discovered new dimensions of self-expression and
self-confidence, contributing to their personal growth and academic achievements.
This year’s Title 1 school participants are Brookhurst Elementary producing The Lion King KIDS, Dr. C.C. Violette Elementary producing The Jungle Book KIDS, Evans Elementary producing Aladdin KIDS, and Wood Canyon Elementary producing Aladdin KIDS.
Segerstrom Center for the Art’s Vice President of Education Lisa Petersen shares “We are incredibly proud of our Disney Musicals in Schools program and the profound impact it has on students and educators alike. By integrating musical theater into the curriculum, we not only nurture artistic expression but also foster essential life skills like teamwork, communication, and confidence. It’s inspiring to witness how this program transforms both individuals and school communities, empowering students to discover their potential and shine on stage and beyond.”
Disney Musicals in Schools continues to be a sustainable and vital program, with Segerstrom Center being one of only 22 organizations in the US and the UK offering this initiative. In its 11 years, the program has served 37 elementary schools across 15 school districts, impacting more than 200 students and 20 teachers annually. Alumni schools are invited to ongoing professional development sessions to further hone their theater-making skills, ensuring the lasting impact of musical theater education in their communities.
Segerstrom Center is thrilled that the majority of Orange County schools served by this program since 2014 are continuing the tradition of musical theater on their campus These include:
Arbolita Elementary (La Habra), Riverdale Elementary (Garden Grove), Santiago
Elementary (Santa Ana), Agnes Ware Stanley Elementary (Garden Grove), Ethan B. Allen
Elementary (Fountain Valley), Westmont Elementary (Westminster), Adelaide Price
Elementary (Anaheim), Eisenhower Elementary (Garden Grove), Rea Elementary (Costa
Mesa), Hill Elementary (Garden Grove), James Madison Elementary (Santa Ana), Sequoia
Academy Elementary (Westminster), Newhope Elementary (Garden Grove), Sycamore
Elementary (Orange), Las Lomas Elementary (La Habra), Vessels Elementary (Cypress),
Garfield Elementary (Santa Ana), Arthur F. Corey Elementary (Buena Park), Webber
Elementary (Westminster), Adams Elementary (Santa Ana), Helen Estock Elementary
(Tustin), Benjamin Franklin Elementary (Santa Ana), Martin Luther King Elementary (Santa
Ana), Oak View Elementary (Huntington Beach), and Alexander J. Stoddard Elementary
(Anaheim), Commonwealth Elementary (Fullerton), Guin Foss Elementary (Tustin), Heroes Elementary (Santa Ana), and Linda Vista IB Magnet (Mission Viejo).
Our Disney Musicals in Schools 24-25 season began on Thursday, September 5th with an
orientation including an introductory hands-on theater making experience with teaching artists, a reveal of the school’s selected shows, and a review of the excitement that is to come throughout their journey. They will then begin their residencies in October, concluding with the Student
Share Celebration on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 5:00PM.
Disney Musicals in Schools was developed by Disney Theatrical group and began in 2010 in
New York City spurred by DTG’s concern that under-resourced public elementary schools were
not afforded equitable access to the arts. Disney Musicals in Schools is designed to help
Orange County public elementary schools create sustainable musical theater programs. The
Segerstrom Center launched the program in 2014. Now in the tenth year of its partnership with
Disney Theatricals Productions, the Center has brought the 17-week residency to 33 Title 1 schools in Orange County, helping to impact over 6,000 students.
Disney KIDS Musicals, created in partnership with Music Theatre International (MTI), are
about 30 minutes long and designed for elementary performers (available shows include: 101
Dalmatians, Aladdin, The Artistocats, Finding Nemo, Frozen, The Jungle Book, The Lion King,
and Winnie the Pooh). Each school is provided with a ShowKit which includes a director’s guide, student scripts, cross-curricular activities, accompaniment and rehearsal tracks, and
choreography videos, free in-school support from a team of two Teaching Artists, and free
performance rights to the 30 minutes Disney KIDS musical. Students work in teams to develop self-confidence, strengthen communication and collaboration skills all while learning and
enjoying the process of creating a Disney musical theater production.
DISNEY THEATRICAL GROUP (DTG) a division of The Walt Disney Studios, operates under the direction of Andrew Flatt, Anne Quart and Thomas Schumacher. The group produces and licenses Broadway productions around the world, including Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida, TARZAN®, Mary Poppins, a co-production with Cameron Mackintosh, The Little Mermaid, Peter and the Starcatcher, Newsies, Aladdin, and Frozen, winning 20 Tony® Awards and 62 nominations for their Broadway productions. Other stage ventures include the Olivier-nominated London hit Shakespeare in Love, stage productions of Disney’s High School Musical, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame in Berlin and King David in concert on Broadway. Disney Theatrical Group has collaborated with the nation’s preeminent theatres to develop new stage musicals including The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Freaky Friday and Hercules. As a part of the recent acquisition of 21st Century Fox, Disney Theatrical Group also heads the Buena Vista Theatrical banner, which licenses Fox titles for stage adaptations including Anastasia, Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Mrs. Doubtfire. Next on the Disney Theatrical schedule: The premiere of Hercules in London’s West End, the North American tour of a reimagined production of Beauty and The Beast, and the ongoing development of the smash film The Greatest Showman as a stage musical.
MUSIC THEATER INTERNATIONAL (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing
agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection
of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and
orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and
engaging art form.
MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide
official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000
professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.
MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre and has created special collections to
meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior®
shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-
aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high
school students.
MTI maintains its global headquarters in New York City with additional offices in London (MTI
Europe) and Melbourne (MTI Australasia).
Segerstrom Center for the Arts® is an innovative nonprofit organization that champions artistic excellence and fosters a vibrant, inclusive community in Orange County through the transformative power of live performance. As the region’s leading cultural hub, the Center offers a diverse array of programming, featuring international dance companies, Broadway national tours, jazz and cabaret musicians, and an engaging speaker series. Its Education and Community Engagement departments present family-friendly events on the picturesque Julianne and George Argyros Plaza, including outdoor movie screenings, concerts, and lively festivals.
With six stunning venues nestled within a beautiful multi-disciplinary campus, the Center is home to the region’s most esteemed performing arts organizations, including the Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Pacific Chorale as well as two independently acclaimed organizations: Tony Award®-winning South Coast Repertory and Orange County Museum of Art. Segerstrom Center is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School and Studio D: Arts School for All Abilities.
The Center continues to uphold the vision of its founder, Henry Segerstrom, remaining true to its mission as the premier arts in Orange County since its inception in 1986 as Orange County Performing Arts Center®.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds its Official Health Care Partner, Kaiser Permanente.
