NEWSIES' Kara Lindsay, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Composer Alan Menken and More Set for 2013 Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta

Eight exceptional educators from schools and performing arts centers around the country will be selected for the fourth annual "The Freddie G Broadway Experience," in which the teachers will receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City to collaborate with each other and work one-on-one with Broadway greats. The event is sponsored by MTI's Freddie ("G") Gershon and his wife Myrna Gershon and is a thank you for all that teachers do to introduce the next generation to Broadway and musical theater.

MTI CEO Freddie Gershon conceived the junior musical in 1994 with nearly 300,000 performances since its inception. Beginning in 2010, the festival has paid tribute to his leadership and dedication by renaming its student awards for excellence in theater "The Freddie G's."

The 2013 Junior Theater Festival offers an enthusiastic environment for students and teachers to interact with thousands of others who share their passion for musical theater. In addition to presenting a 15-minute selection from a musical, both students and teachers participate in interactive workshops led by Broadway and West End professionals, gain from professional development, enjoy theatrical fellowship, and will attend a professional production of Blue Man Group at the fabulous Fox Theatre. In true Junior Theater Festival form, student technicians work side-by-side with festival staff in running all aspects of the festival experience.

The Junior Theater Festival was founded in 2003. In 2010 the Festival became an annual event.

While the Junior Theater Festival is not about creating the stars of tomorrow, many of the stars of today have played a role. Past festival attendees have included actor Zac Efron, Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, Wicked), four-time Tony-nominated composer Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Shrek the Musical), Broadway director Kenny Leon (Fences, A Raisin in the Sun, The Mountaintop), and Playbill columnist and "Talkin' Broadway" radio host Seth Rudetsky.