Junior arts groups take part in world’s largest theater festival

Reporter: Amy Galo Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:

Theater groups from Southwest Florida are set to travel to the Junior Theatre Festival, the largest youth conference in the world.

The Atlanta-based festival has young performers flooding in to participate in a weekend of fun, learning and, of course, competition.

Wednesday night’s preview show was the last performance done by the Bonita Arts cast before traveling to compete.

“It’s cool because there’s an educational element,” said theatre director Joseph Brauer. “The kids get to meet other kids that are just as passionate as they are. They get to meet and network with other performers from around the world, adding to the fun spirit of competition.”

Each group participating in the festival will have 15 minutes to perform their junior Broadway show.

The Bonita Arts cast comprised of 29 local kids will perform snippets from Beauty and the Beast, complete with intricate song and dance routines.

“I just want them to leave feeling like they did the absolute best they can and feeling like they pushed themselves beyond what they’re used to,” said Brauer.

WINK News spoke with the parents of the theatre troupe about the level of effort and dedication taken by the young performers.

They mentioned that the troupe had been practicing for about four to six hours after school since November. They are eager to see the fruits of their labor showcased in front of a crowd of their peers.

For more information on the Junior Arts Festival, click here.

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