Theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI) has announced the launch of “Broadway Senior” — a collection of musicals developed specifically for the needs and abilities of older adult performers.
Broadway Senior adaptations feature shortened running times and specific production resources as well as adjustments to tempos and keys in musical numbers — ensuring that all older adults can participate comfortably, express themselves creatively and perform to the best of their abilities, regardless of prior experience. Broadway Senior musicals are intended for existing community theaters as well as a range of organizations serving the older adult population, including assisted living communities, community centers and religious groups.
There are currently five Broadway Senior musicals available for licensing: “The Music Man SR,” “Guys and Dolls SR,” “Singin’ in the Rain SR,” “Fiddler on the Roof SR” and “Into the Woods SR.” Each musical has a running time of approximately 60 minutes.
Organizations wishing to put on the shows receive everything they need to mount a production, including scripts, performance tracks and a production guide with extensive notes from theater experts accustomed to working with older performers.
“MTI is grateful to our authors and rights holders of these Broadway Senior musicals who have embraced our vision for ensuring theater is accessible to all, always,” said Drew Cohen, president and CEO of MTI, in a statement. “We are fortunate to offer a variety of classic Senior musicals that have each become part of the fabric of our culture and reflect a wide spectrum of human experiences and emotions. Broadway Senior is a program that puts older adults center stage. It empowers people to not simply experience theater as an audience member or a volunteer — but to be the creators, the singers, and the storytellers. We are thrilled to see these shows performed by older adults on stages all around the world as we help build community, one Broadway Senior musical at a time.”
Broadway Senior started taking shape in 2014 with the first-ever pilot production of “Guys and Dolls SR” at the Lincoln Community Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska, under the direction of executive director Morrie Enders. In the ensuing years, Enders helped develop and mount several additional pilot productions of musicals that would eventually become part of the Broadway Senior catalogue.
Learn more about the Broadway Senior program below.
