MTC Presents 5 Shows, Reader's Theater This Summer

MOORESTOWN, NJ — For the second year, the Moorestown Theater Company will present five summer stage children’s musicals, and it’s going to be a busy July and August.

Including a main stage performance of “Beauty and the Beast,” MTC will present 36 total performances of six shows between July 2 and Aug. 23, MTC Artistic Director Mark Morgan said. It all began on Wednesday, June 19, with the beginning of MTC’s Summer Stage camps, now in its 14th year.

There are openings in all five Sessions, including the new ‘Reader’s Theater,’ which takes place during Session II and focuses on reading skills, according to Morgan. It runs July 8-12, and will be run by Director Erica Sirdashney. MTC Summer Stage camps last all day.

“Kids learn a lot, they have fun, and they gain self-confidence,” Morgan said. “We always say musical theater is a team sport, and our kids learn to cooperate and be part of a team.”
MTC Summer Stage offers the following shows this season:

Magic Tree House: The Knight At Dawn, Kids (June 19 through July 3): A 30+ pre-teen cast will perform this musical version of one of the stories from the ‘Magic Tree House Collection’ of books by award-winning author Mary Pope Osborne. Travel with ‘Jack’ and ‘Annie’ and their magical tree house to medieval times and the world of minstrels, lords, ladies, scary guards, and a knight in shining armor as they discover the power of friendship and simple pleasures in everyday life. Showtimes: July 2, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; July 3, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Broadway Teens (June 24 through July 12): MTC’s all-teen summer cast will present a new musical revue with songs from such favorite musicals as Book Of Mormon, Bring It On, Grease, Heathers, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Legally Blonde, Newsies, Rent, Spring Awakening, and Xanadu, among others. Showtimes: July 10, 7 p.m.; July 11, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; July 12, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Guys And Dolls, Jr. (July 15 through Aug. 2): MTC will present the Jr. version of this beloved musical about gamblers and their ‘Hot Box’ dancing girlfriends set in New York City. This nine-time Tony Award-winning musical, including a ‘Best Musical’ and a ‘Best Revival’ features such beloved characters as ‘Nathan’, ‘Sky’, ‘Adelaide’, ‘Sarah’, and ‘Nicely-Nicely Johnson. The six-to-18-year-old cast will sing such favorites as “I’ll Know”, “A Bushel And A Peck”, “Adelaide’s Lament”, “If I Were A Bell”, “I’ve Never Been In Love Before”, “Lucky Be A Lady”, “Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat”, and the title song. Showtimes: July 31, 7 p.m.; Aug. 1, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Aug. 2, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

G2K…Footloose (Aug. 5-16): MTC’s eighth all-teen cast, directed by MTC’s Producing Artistic Director Mark Morgan, will perform this new condensed version of the musical that was nominated for four Tony Awards in 2000. It features such well-known songs as “Somebody’s Eyes”, “Holding Out For A Hero”, “Heaven Help Me”, “I’m Free”, “Let’s Hear It For The Boy”, “Mama Says”, “Almost Paradise”, and the title song. Showtimes: Aug. 14, 7 p.m.; Aug. 15, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Aug. 16, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Broadway Kids V (Aug. 5-23): MTC’s fifth all-pre-teen summer cast will present a new musical revue with songs from such favorite musicals as Aladdin, Beauty And The Beast, Finding Nemo, Frozen, The Greatest Showman, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Moana, Once On This Island, among many others. Showtimes: Aug. 22, 7 p.m.; Aug. 23, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Aug. 24, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Magic Tree House: The Knight At Dawn, Kids, Broadway Teens, Guys And Dolls, Jr., G2K…Footloose, and Broadway Kids V will be presented at the end of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth sessions, respectively of the Musical Theater Camp, which is for children between 6 and 18.

The camp and all five shows take place at Hope Community Church, 235 West Main Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057. There are still openings in all sessions. To register, visit MoorestownTheaterCompany.org or call MTC at 856-778-8357.

Tickets for all five musicals are reserved, and can be bought online at MoorestownTheaterCompany.org, or in the lobby 60 minutes before curtain time. The theater will open 30 minutes before curtain time. Call MTC at 856-778-8357 with any questions or to get group rates.