Cherry Hill Actor Wins Award at World's Largest Theater Festival for the Young

After performing in two high profile premieres in a matter of weeks, the Moorestown Theater Company (MTC) received a pair of awards at the world’s largest musical theater festival for children.

MTC won a pair of Freddie G ‘Excellence In Acting’ Awards at the 2015 Junior Theater Festival (JTF) at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA., Jan. 16-18.

MTC won an award for its full cast for the second consecutive year.

MTC’s 21 students, ages seven to 17, performed a 15-minute version of Disney’s My Son Pinocchio, Jr. in front of two adjudicators: Tony-nominated composer Justin Paul and iTheatrics VP of publishing, resident choreographer, and former Broadway performer Steven G. Kennedy.

“Moorestown Theater Company performed with thrilling energy. I was completely moved,” said Paul, who, along with partner Benj Pasek, composed Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach and A Christmas Story, which Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre will produce this fall.

“Moorestown Theater Company rocks it, on stage and off,” Kennedy said.

MTC Producing Artistic Director and Disney’s My Son Pinocchio, Jr. Director Mark Morgan accepted the ‘Excellence In Acting’ Award for the entire cast for its 15-minute performance.

MTC was the only group of the eight in its ‘pod’ to condense their entire show down to 15 minutes, as opposed to just performing various songs from a show.

Morgan said this was done to highlight as many cast members as possible, instead of just a few lead performers.

Disney’s My Son Pinocchio Jr. is a show featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Godspell) and a book by David Stern. It is based on the popular story of Pinocchio, and features the well-known songs from the 1940 animated movie “I’ve Got No Strings” and “When You Wish Upon A Star” (by Ned Washington and Leigh Harline).

MTC’s Jordan Budney, 11, of Cherry Hill, won a ‘Broadway Junior Slam Acting’ Award.

The ‘Broadway Junior Slam’ is a theatrical challenge in which students and teachers who don’t know each other must stage and perform a song from a musical in one hour.

Produced by NYC’s Junior Theater Group in partnership with iTheatrics, the JTF is the world’s largest festival celebrating young people and the “transformative power of musical theater,” Morgan said.

This year’s festival featured 4,500 students, teachers, and family members from 26 states and the District of Columbia, as well as companies from South Korea and Australia. There were a record-high 101 theater companies/schools participating, Morgan said.

MTC won one acting award in 2013, and three acting awards in 2014. Following its victories at this year’s festival, MTC has won six acting awards at the last three festivals.

“Just attending the Junior Theater Festival is a wonderful experience for our students, even if we don’t win any awards”, Morgan said. “But to win two awards, including an ‘Excellence In Acting’ Award for a second year in a row, is amazing, and it shows the caliber of actors that perform with Moorestown Theater Company!”

The honors capped a whirlwind three months for MTC, which performed the East Coast Premiere of Elf Jr. in December, followed a few weeks later by the World Premiere performance of Magic Tree House: A Ghost Tale for Mr. Dickens Jr.

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

These other MTC performers were also recognized for their efforts by the Festival Adjudicators:

The 21 MTC students who traveled to JTF ‘15 were:

Jordan Budney (‘Viola, a Fairy-In-Training’), Rosa Middle School, Grade 6, Age 11, Cherry Hill

Isabelle Chevalier (‘Marionette #1’), Westfield Friends School, Grade 7, Age 13, Moorestown

Erika Dorsett (‘Sporco, a Delinquent’), Fleetwood Elementary School, Grade 2, Age 7, Mount Laurel

Aren Duffy (‘Geppetto’), De Masi Middle School, Grade 6, Age 12, Marlton, a third year participant

Indi Ebo (‘Signora Giovanni’), Lumberton Middle School, Grade 8, Age 13, Lumberton, a second year participant

Collin Guerry (‘Brutto, a Delinquent’), Hillside Elementary School, Grade 4, Age 9, Mount Laurel

Brielle Johnson (Ensemble), Bobby’s Run Elementary School, Grade 4, Age 9, Lumberton

Seychelle Kulik (Ensemble), Moorestown High School, Grade 10, Age 15, Moorestown Gavin Lynch (‘Ringleader’), Our Lady Of Good Counsel School, Grade 7, Age 14, Mount Laurel, a second year participant

Clare McGreevy (‘Blue Fairy’), Moorestown High School, Grade 10, Age 15, Moorestown

Juliet Morgan (‘Sue, a Fairy-In-Training’), Upper Elementary School, Grade 6, Age 12, Moorestown, a third year participant

Sydney Parker (Ensemble), Bobby’s Run Elementary School, Grade 6, Age 11, Lumberton, a second year participant

Nico Ruccolo (Ensemble), Moorestown Upper Elementary School, Grade 6, Age 12, Moorestown, a second year participant

Rocco Ruccolo (‘Pinocchio’), Moorestown Upper Elementary School, Grade 6, Age 12, Moorestown, a second year participant

Julia Scott (Ensemble), Wm. Allen Middle School, Grade 8, Age 13, Moorestown

Taylor Sternberg (‘Stromboli’), Lenape High School, Grade 12, Age 17, Mount Laurel

Jenna Vanston (‘Rosa, a Fairy-In-Training’), Moorestown Friends School, Grade 6, Age 11, Moorestown, a second year participant

Rehana Wells (‘Arancia, a Fairy-In-Training’), Upper Elementary School, Grade 6, Age 11, Moorestown, a third year participant

Nicholas Williams (‘Marionette #2’), William Allen Middle School, Grade 7, Age 13, Moorestown, a third year participant

Emma Witkowski (Ensemble), William Allen Middle School, Grade 7, Age 13, Moorestown, a second year participant

Ethan Zeligson (‘Professore Buonragazzo’), De Masi Middle School, Grade 8, Age 13, Marlton, a second year participant

The members of the Production Staff for MTC’s JTF Trip were: Mark Morgan (Director, from Moorestown), Carol Ann Murray (Vocal Director, Moorestown), Beverly Bennett (Music Director, Mount Laurel), Julia Scott (Choreographer, Moorestown), Kaitlin Tumulty (Assistant Choreographer, Moorestown), Annette De Rosa (Administrative Director, Moorestown), and Chris Resavy (Stage Manager, Lumberton).

Broadway Jr. All-Stars (two were selected per Cast): Aren Duffy (Age 12, Marlton, NJ, ‘Geppetto’) and Juliet Morgan (Age 12, Moorestown, ‘Sue, a Fairy-In-Training’). These two All-Stars from each company were split into two groups that each had to learn and perform a song from a musical after just 60 minutes of rehearsal during the closing Awards Ceremony on the Festival’s final day for all 4,500 festival attendees.

Broadway Junior Slam Nominees, up to eight nominated by each Directing Team, were: Jordan Budney (Age 11, Cherry Hill, ‘Viola, a Fairy-In-Training’), Aren Duffy (12, Marlton, ‘Geppetto’), Gavin Lynch (14, Mount Laurel, ‘Ringleader), Clare McGreevy (16, Moorestown, ‘Blue Fairy’), Juliet Morgan (12, Moorestown, ‘Sue, a Fairy-In-Training’), Rocco Roccolo (12, Moorestown, ‘Pinocchio’), and Julia Scott (13, Moorestown, ‘Ensemble’) were submitted by the MTC Staff, with Budney and Roccolo chosen by the JTF Staff.

The following were the Broadway Jr. Choreography DVD Auditionees (two to four selected from each Cast): Isabelle Chevalier (Age 13, Moorestown, ‘Marionette #1’), Taylor Sternberg (Age 17, Mount Laurel, ‘Stromboli’), Nicholas Williams (Age 13, Moorestown, ‘Marionette #2’), and Ethan Zeligson (Age 13, Marlton, ‘Professore Buonragazzo’); Chevalier and Zeligson were invited to a ‘Call-Back’ in NYC this summer for future Broadway Junior shoots to record “how-to” choreography videos for soon-to-be released Broadway Junior musicals.

Photo credit for all attached images: MTC, unless otherwise noted

Photo #1: The Moorestown Theater Company won two awards at the world’s largest theater festival for young people in Atlanta, GA., Jan. 16-19.

Photo #2: Moorestown Theater Company Producing Artistic Director and Disney’s My Son Pinocchio, Jr. Director Mark Morgan receiving the Cast’s “Excellent In Acting” Award at the iTheatrics Jr. Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA during Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend (Jan. 16-18, 2015), with NY1’s OnStage Reporter Frank DiLella and Playbill Editor Blake Ross. Photo Credit: James Barker Photography

Photo #3: The Moorestown Theater Company Staff, Cast, and Traveling Party for Disney’s My Son Pinocchio, Jr. that traveled to the iTheatrics Jr. Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA during Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend (Jan. 16-18, 2015).

Photo #4: The 2015 “Excellence In Acting” Award that the Moorestown Theater Company’s Cast of Disney’s My Son Pinocchio, Jr. received at the iTheatrics Jr. Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA during Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend (Jan. 16-18, 2015).

Photo #5: Moorestown Theater Company Cast Member Jordan Budney (“Viola, a Fairy-In-Training”, Age 11 from Cherry Hill, NJ) receiving her “Broadway Junior Slam” Acting Award at the iTheatrics Jr. Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA during Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend (Jan. 16-18, 2015). Pictured with Budney are Director of the Licensing and Hire Department at Hal Leonard Australia Stuart Hendricks, and Music Theatre International President Drew Cohen. Photo Credit: James Barker Photography

Photo #6: Moorestown Theater Company Producing Artistic Director Mark Morgan holding the two “Excellence In Acting” Awards that MTC has received at the past two iTheatrics Jr. Theater Festivals in Atlanta, GA during Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend (January 2014 and January 2015).

Photo #7: Moorestown Theater Company Cast Members Aren Duffy (“Geppetto” in Disney’s My Son Geppetto, Jr., Age 12 from Marlton, NJ) and Juliet Morgan (“Sue, a Fairy-In-Training”, Age 12 from Moorestown, NJ) were selected as “Broadway Jr. All-Stars” at the iTheatrics Jr. Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA during Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend (Jan. 16-18, 2015); they are pictured with MTC Producing Artistic Director and Disney’s My Son Pinocchio, Jr. Director Mark Morgan.