25 Years and Still Making Hits Come Alive!

Musical Theatre Academy of Orange County (MTAOC), a non-profit organization based in Newport Beach, is celebrating its 25th Anniversary at the Santa Ana Country Club and is excited to share its rich history with the community as well as the plans MTAOC has to continue training youth in acting, dance, and singing for years to come. Despite the struggles many non-profits are facing with today’s uncertain economic climate, MTAOC continues to ‘bootstrap’ for children ages 4-18. MTAOC creates performance opportunities for two separate age groups. We currently have one group for children ages 7-12 and 12-18. MTAOC also offers a Tiny Tot Theatre class for our youngest performers, ages 4-6. The Academy also participates in an after class enrichment program (ACE) with the Irvine Unified School District.

MTAOC has been providing instruction in theatre, singing and dance since it began in 1984 as a children’s choral program known as the Rainbow Singers, which was a part of the curriculum at the for-profit Yamaha Music Education Center in Irvine, California. In July of 1994, Yamaha Corporation of America sold the franchise, convinced that Rainbow Singer’s musical theatre program was valuable to both participating students and the community at large, a group of committed parents secured non-profit status and renamed the organization MTAOC, launching a mission to “develop every child’s talent, confidence and potential through year-round, inclusive professional training and performance in musical theater arts and dance.”

Since 1994, MTAOC has provided quality musical theatre training to well over 2000 children and young people ages 4-18 throughout Orange County. Lead for many years by founding Artistic Director, Margie King, MTAOC has inspired children to challenge their fears, develop their natural talent and bask in the glory of success through the art of dance, music and acting. With MTAOC’s Artistic Director Jimmy Hippenstiel, contract artistic personnel and dedicated volunteers, MTAOC has maximized community and parent resources to provide no-cost and low-cost training in performing arts as well as valuable life lessons, shaping the futures of many young stars. Many of MTA’s students have used the skills that they have acquired at the academy to advance both their professional and personal lives, with many MTA members starring in local productions, performing at Disneyland and earning acceptance into the elite Orange County Performing Arts High School as well as The Young Americans.

Although these achievements are remarkable, the staff and volunteers of the MTAOC also celebrate the simple triumphs witnessed each day through their work with young children of all ages, ethnic and religious affiliations and socio-economic backgrounds. Equally important to MTAOCis the opportunity for EVERY child, regardless of their skill level, to build self-confidence, lasting friendships and appreciation for the discipline of performing arts. In fact, MTAOC’s nurturing, highly-personalized training environment, combined with its “every child gets a part” policy is unique among youth performance agencies, which tend to value quantity and often dilute children’s joy of performing by creating intense pressure to meet professional standards.

One of the core principles for MTAOC is to create a win-win situation for EVERY child, placing each student in a role that allows the child to gain new skills, make new friends and build self-esteem while turning dreams into reality onstage! MTAOC incorporates and promotes three talents (singing, acting, and dance), while most children’s performance groups’ offer training in only one subject. Musical Theatre Academy of Orange County presents four or more full-scale, “family-friendly” productions each year, limiting the cast size of each production to a reasonable number, ensuring individual attention and starring opportunities for each student. All MTAOC productions are professionally produced, staged, choreographed and costumed, giving academy students a balanced and complete theatre experience.

Come celebrate MTAOC’s 25th Anniversary at the Santa Ana Country Club and upcoming performances of Oliver and George M at the Rose Theatre in Westminster, we’d love to meet you.