THE JUNIOR THEATRE FESTIVAL IS AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST CELEBRATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND MUSICAL THEATRE!
Alongside JTF Atlanta, JTF Sacramento, JTF Europe and JTF New Zealand, the Junior Theatre Festival Australia enjoys a large network of JTF festivals worldwide.
JTF Australia is seen in the eyes of the global community as an event meeting the criteria of international standards, allowing us to begin expanding our program with additional workshops and opportunities for our students and teachers as our festival continues to grow.
Produced by OzTheatrics and under the educational and artistic supervision of iTheatrics, sponsored by Music Theatre International Australasia, the Junior Theatre Festival Australia (JTF Australia) brings students, teachers and industry professionals together to celebrate outstanding student musical theatre productions.
Junior Theatre Festival Australia
Civic Theatre Newcastle, NSW
October 28 & 29, 2022
Festival events include: adjudications, student workshops, professional development for teachers, the New Works Showcase, an awards ceremony and the largest collection of Aussie musical theatre lovers under one roof. Held annually in Newcastle, NSW, JTF Australia has become a must attend musical theatre event. The festival welcomes special industry and celebrity guests each year and since its inception in 2016, JTF Australia has grown from 250 people in attendance to over 1,000 attendees. It is a weekend of true musical theatre madness that is not to be missed!
ROAR Academy have attended JTF Australia since its’ inception in 2016.
In 2016 we took our first team to Newcastle and performed 2 adjudication pieces – INTO THE WOODS Jr and BEAUTY and the BEAST Jr. We were also thrilled to be asked to perform in the New Works Showcase and we performed 2 songs from SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN Jr.
In 2017 we took PIRATES of PENZANCE Jr to JTF. This was also the very first time a PILOT was run prior to the JTF Celebrations and our Principal – Madeleine Johns – was lucky enough to be selected to observe the entire process for the week. The PILOT was NEWSIES Jr and Madeleine is thrilled to be able to bring all that experience and training to our own production of NEWSIES Jr coming up in September 2022. The students who attended the very first PILOT were Alex Kuchmenko, Alice Simpson, Matthew Bapty and Ashley Prosser.
In 2018 we took 2 teams again and performed ANNIE Jr and MADAGASCAR Jr. We had a team of students who attended the PILOT prior to JTF – and this time it was SISTER ACT Jr and Torin Rhys, Emerson McShea, Charlotte Rubendra, Kayla Pehi and Maddie Beckley were the students who were able to experience the PILOT programme. We also performed in the New Works showcase – a selection from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jnr – with a load of CRAZY costumes! At this JTF we had the largest contingent of ROAR Students to audition and successfully make it into the AUSSIE ALL STARS and 8 of them travelled to the USA in January 2020 (before COVID) and had an absolute blast touring and performing and attending JTF USA (Atlanta).
In 2019 we took a large team to JTF and performed ALADDIN Jr. We had the incredible joy of watching our Princess Jasmine – Mia Ambrosi – get to sing on stage with Rob Mills. We had students participate in not just 1 but 2 PILOT Programmes – MOANA Jr and FINDING NEMO Jr. Sienna Randall, Eli Ball and Zoe Hitchcock were involved in Finding Nemo – and Kayla Pehi, Connor Chadwick, Mia Ambrosi, Chantelle Turnbull and Tyrah Read were involved in MOANA Jr.
In 2020 and 2021 we ran JTF AT HOME at our own THEATRE 102 due to COVID lock-downs and border closures. We did the best we could given the circumstances – and we had a fantastic and fun time – especially staying at MON KOMO.
In September 2021 we were very proud to be asked to run a PILOT right here in Redcliffe – and so DOT and the KANGAROO made an appearance at THEATRE 102. Some of our students will have the opportunity to audition to be recorded on the sound-track of this, the very first Australian title on the MTI Jr show list.
We are ABSOLUTELY THRILLED that JTF is ready to welcome all the teams back to Newcastle. We have missed “playing” with our theatre families from other states! And we are looking forward to participating in the PILOT Programmes, in the sing-a-long, the dance party, the adjudications and taking our Performers’ Oath.
We have some JTF Royalty – these students have attended EVERY JTF since 2016 as part of the ROAR Academy Team
Makenzi Goodwin
Kayla Pehi
Sienna Randall
Charlotte Rubendra
If you want to know ANYTHING about JTF these young ladies have done it, seen it or know what it’s all about!!
They will be our ROAR Academy JTF Ambassadors for 2022.
SPECIFIC DETAILS for JTF 2022 –
JTF 2022 – Friday 28 and Saturday 29 October
The titles we will be taking for adjudication will be NEWSIES Jr and OLIVER Jr
Day and times for rehearsals TBA (but likely to be Thursday) – you will need to commit to a 2hr rehearsal once a week in Term 3 and additional rehearsals in the first 3 weeks of Term 4 as we make our final preparations for our 10 min adjudication pieces.
You will need to commit to attend the HOLIDAY WORKSHOP in the September School Holidays as part of the JTF Team – Sept 19 to 23 – the title will be NEWSIES Jr and we will perform the production September 23 to 25 making ROAR Academy’s production the first in Qld. (If you can’t attend the workshop for a personal reason such as international travel to attend a family event then let us know when you register as we may be able to make some exceptions in extenuating circumstances)
You will need to organise your own travel to Newcastle and arrive NO LATER THAN 4pm on Thursday 27 October – travel back to Brisbane similarly on Sunday 30th October at your own discretion
ACCOMMODATION will be organised for you at a cost of approx. $80-$85 pp per night – that will be 3 nights (Thurs/Fri/Sat)
COSTS –
TRAVEL – at your own cost – we will give you a select number of flights to choose from to which we will offer airport transfers
ACCOMMODATION – 3 nights’ @ $80-$85 pp per night = $240-$255
FOOD – we hope will be at NO COST thanks to our FUND-RAISING TEAM who will provide catering for all meals
FEES
JTF Registration = $99 (this is due when you register for a place on the team)
TRAINING = $150 (the cost of the amazing team of professionals who will work with you on preparing your adjudication piece)
HOLIDAY WORKSHOP = $250 (the cost of participating in the workshop which includes a Show Shirt, Programme and all rehearsal materials)
TOTAL = $499
There will be 2 SCHOLARSHIP positions available this year to students who would otherwise find the cost a barrier to attending.
PARENTS and Accompanying persons (siblings etc) – need to be a part of the team to attend the JTF sessions so you will need to pay the registration fee of $99 – we can organise your accommodation in the same hotel and the same cost but you will need to pay up front to access this. As a registered JTF participant you can watch the adjudications and be part of all the celebrations – you will only be limited in not being able to attend the warm-up and debrief after the adjudication and also some of the students workshops – depending on numbers allowed. That is an opportunity when you may look to explore Newcastle.
Alongside JTF Atlanta, JTF Sacramento, JTF Europe and JTF New Zealand, the Junior Theatre Festival Australia enjoys a large network of JTF festivals worldwide.
JTF Australia is seen in the eyes of the global community as an event meeting the criteria of international standards, allowing us to begin expanding our program with additional workshops and opportunities for our students and teachers as our festival continues to grow.
Produced by OzTheatrics and under the educational and artistic supervision of iTheatrics, sponsored by Music Theatre International Australasia, the Junior Theatre Festival Australia (JTF Australia) brings students, teachers and industry professionals together to celebrate outstanding student musical theatre productions.
Junior Theatre Festival Australia
Civic Theatre Newcastle, NSW
October 28 & 29, 2022
Festival events include: adjudications, student workshops, professional development for teachers, the New Works Showcase, an awards ceremony and the largest collection of Aussie musical theatre lovers under one roof. Held annually in Newcastle, NSW, JTF Australia has become a must attend musical theatre event. The festival welcomes special industry and celebrity guests each year and since its inception in 2016, JTF Australia has grown from 250 people in attendance to over 1,000 attendees. It is a weekend of true musical theatre madness that is not to be missed!
ROAR Academy have attended JTF Australia since its’ inception in 2016.
In 2016 we took our first team to Newcastle and performed 2 adjudication pieces – INTO THE WOODS Jr and BEAUTY and the BEAST Jr. We were also thrilled to be asked to perform in the New Works Showcase and we performed 2 songs from SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN Jr.
In 2017 we took PIRATES of PENZANCE Jr to JTF. This was also the very first time a PILOT was run prior to the JTF Celebrations and our Principal – Madeleine Johns – was lucky enough to be selected to observe the entire process for the week. The PILOT was NEWSIES Jr and Madeleine is thrilled to be able to bring all that experience and training to our own production of NEWSIES Jr coming up in September 2022. The students who attended the very first PILOT were Alex Kuchmenko, Alice Simpson, Matthew Bapty and Ashley Prosser.
In 2018 we took 2 teams again and performed ANNIE Jr and MADAGASCAR Jr. We had a team of students who attended the PILOT prior to JTF – and this time it was SISTER ACT Jr and Torin Rhys, Emerson McShea, Charlotte Rubendra, Kayla Pehi and Maddie Beckley were the students who were able to experience the PILOT programme. We also performed in the New Works showcase – a selection from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jnr – with a load of CRAZY costumes! At this JTF we had the largest contingent of ROAR Students to audition and successfully make it into the AUSSIE ALL STARS and 8 of them travelled to the USA in January 2020 (before COVID) and had an absolute blast touring and performing and attending JTF USA (Atlanta).
In 2019 we took a large team to JTF and performed ALADDIN Jr. We had the incredible joy of watching our Princess Jasmine – Mia Ambrosi – get to sing on stage with Rob Mills. We had students participate in not just 1 but 2 PILOT Programmes – MOANA Jr and FINDING NEMO Jr. Sienna Randall, Eli Ball and Zoe Hitchcock were involved in Finding Nemo – and Kayla Pehi, Connor Chadwick, Mia Ambrosi, Chantelle Turnbull and Tyrah Read were involved in MOANA Jr.
In 2020 and 2021 we ran JTF AT HOME at our own THEATRE 102 due to COVID lock-downs and border closures. We did the best we could given the circumstances – and we had a fantastic and fun time – especially staying at MON KOMO.
In September 2021 we were very proud to be asked to run a PILOT right here in Redcliffe – and so DOT and the KANGAROO made an appearance at THEATRE 102. Some of our students will have the opportunity to audition to be recorded on the sound-track of this, the very first Australian title on the MTI Jr show list.
We are ABSOLUTELY THRILLED that JTF is ready to welcome all the teams back to Newcastle. We have missed “playing” with our theatre families from other states! And we are looking forward to participating in the PILOT Programmes, in the sing-a-long, the dance party, the adjudications and taking our Performers’ Oath.
We have some JTF Royalty – these students have attended EVERY JTF since 2016 as part of the ROAR Academy Team
Makenzi Goodwin
Kayla Pehi
Sienna Randall
Charlotte Rubendra
If you want to know ANYTHING about JTF these young ladies have done it, seen it or know what it’s all about!!
They will be our ROAR Academy JTF Ambassadors for 2022.
SPECIFIC DETAILS for JTF 2022 –
JTF 2022 – Friday 28 and Saturday 29 October
The titles we will be taking for adjudication will be NEWSIES Jr and OLIVER Jr
Day and times for rehearsals TBA (but likely to be Thursday) – you will need to commit to a 2hr rehearsal once a week in Term 3 and additional rehearsals in the first 3 weeks of Term 4 as we make our final preparations for our 10 min adjudication pieces.
You will need to commit to attend the HOLIDAY WORKSHOP in the September School Holidays as part of the JTF Team – Sept 19 to 23 – the title will be NEWSIES Jr and we will perform the production September 23 to 25 making ROAR Academy’s production the first in Qld. (If you can’t attend the workshop for a personal reason such as international travel to attend a family event then let us know when you register as we may be able to make some exceptions in extenuating circumstances)
You will need to organise your own travel to Newcastle and arrive NO LATER THAN 4pm on Thursday 27 October – travel back to Brisbane similarly on Sunday 30th October at your own discretion
ACCOMMODATION will be organised for you at a cost of approx. $80-$85 pp per night – that will be 3 nights (Thurs/Fri/Sat)
COSTS –
TRAVEL – at your own cost – we will give you a select number of flights to choose from to which we will offer airport transfers
ACCOMMODATION – 3 nights’ @ $80-$85 pp per night = $240-$255
FOOD – we hope will be at NO COST thanks to our FUND-RAISING TEAM who will provide catering for all meals
FEES
JTF Registration = $99 (this is due when you register for a place on the team)
TRAINING = $150 (the cost of the amazing team of professionals who will work with you on preparing your adjudication piece)
HOLIDAY WORKSHOP = $250 (the cost of participating in the workshop which includes a Show Shirt, Programme and all rehearsal materials)
TOTAL = $499
There will be 2 SCHOLARSHIP positions available this year to students who would otherwise find the cost a barrier to attending.
PARENTS and Accompanying persons (siblings etc) – need to be a part of the team to attend the JTF sessions so you will need to pay the registration fee of $99 – we can organise your accommodation in the same hotel and the same cost but you will need to pay up front to access this. As a registered JTF participant you can watch the adjudications and be part of all the celebrations – you will only be limited in not being able to attend the warm-up and debrief after the adjudication and also some of the students workshops – depending on numbers allowed. That is an opportunity when you may look to explore Newcastle.