Musical Theatre Intensive

The Musical Theatre Intensive (MTI) is dedicated to providing opportunities for students interested in developing their skills as musical theatre performers. We offer workshops in all areas of musical theatre performance including voice, acting, and dance, as well as performance opportunities at various events throughout the festival. There is an opportunity to audition for the MTI Scholarship Award as well as a slot in a festival favorite, the Musical Theatre Cabaret!

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What Happens At The Festival

Workshops

Students can take several musical theatre workshops scheduled on each day of the festival, in all kinds of topics related to musical theatre performance.

MTI Award

The  auditions will consist of a preliminary round on the first day of the festival, followed by a semi-final round, with finals taking place on the last day of the festival. One person from the  auditions will be selected to win the ACTF National Award of Excellence in Musical Theatre.

Cabaret

Some students who audition for the MTI Award and do not advance to the semifinals will be invited to perform in the MTI cabaret. They will rehearse with an accompanist prior to that event and perform a full song. (Be sure to bring your sheet music with you to the festival in case you are selected to perform in the cabaret! Please also see Sheet Music Guidelines below.)

Dance Performance

Students will have several opportunities to participate in dance workshops at the festival. One performer will be selected from these workshops to receive the Musical Theatre Intensive Dance Award for the region.

MTI Ensemble

 

Students nominated for MTI for their performance in a musical production at their home institution are invited to perform in the MTI Ensemble, which will perform a song together at closing ceremonies. The ensemble will rehearse together at the festival to learn music, harmonies, blocking, choreography, etc., before the performance.

MTI Award Audition Details

The MTI Scholarship Auditions take place over three rounds. The preliminary round is open to all students who register by the deadline of December 14, 2026. Of these, some performers will advance to the semifinal round, after which a select group will advance to finals.

Were you nominated to participate in MTI through a musical at your school? Congratulations! Not only are you invited to participate in the MTI Ensemble (see above), but you’ve also earned a slot in the semifinals of the MTI Scholarship Award! For our 2027 festival, MTI nominees will not participate in the preliminary round of auditions, and are automatically included in the semifinal round. You will still need to register for MTI by December 14.

Two performers will be selected from finals as the ACTF National Award of Excellence in Musical Theatre.  and runner-up for the region. The awardee will also perform at the closing ceremonies.

  • All rounds will be performed live at the festival, and should feature music from the musical theatre or musical theatre-adjacent canon.
  • Preliminary round – one 90-second cut
  • Semifinal round – two cuts up to 3 minutes and 30 seconds, total
  • Final round – one full song
  • Students are allowed (encouraged!) to use the same material in multiple rounds.
  • All material will be performed with piano accompaniment provided by ACTF; those auditioning may not bring their own accompanist. Students will need to have clean copies of their sheet music clearly marked and double-sided in a three-ring binder. Please ensure that none of the sheet music, including the accompaniment lines, has been cut off due to a crooked or improperly sized photocopy.
  • Since MTI self-nominees will not know whether they will advance to semifinals until after they arrive at festival, all MTI Scholarship Award participants should bring their prepared sheet music for both of their songs to the festival.

Register here between October 12 and December 14!”

Contact

Tommy Iafrate

Tommy Iafrate

he/him

Binghamton University

Bryan Vandevender

Bryan Vandevender

he/him

Bucknell University