Our Story

In November 2019, a tragic event at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, CA, profoundly impacted its community. The owners of Musical Theatre Competitions of America (MTCA) – Lisa and Pia – saw the news and remembered that the Saugus High School Director had reached out earlier about attending the 2020 MTCA Festival, but lacked the funding.

Recognizing the immense healing power of theatre, Lisa and Pia felt compelled to support the students affected by this tragedy. They founded the Musical Theatre Festivals Educational Foundation (MTF) with an initial endowment to provide full scholarships for 26 students and four chaperones from Saugus High. Witnessing the joy on those students' faces as they temporarily escaped their intense experience and sharing the MTCA weekend with them profoundly confirmed the vital need for this nonprofit. That powerful experience solidified MTF's mission: to fund scholarships and create essential educational theatre opportunities for deserving students nationwide.

"I cannot thank you enough for giving my students an experience they will never forget. From the moment we arrived, we were treated with such kindness. The positive energy eased their hearts and instilled confidence. Thank you, MTCA, for a life-changing experience. "  

- Gina Painter, Director of Saugus High School

The MTF Educational Foundation was born from a deep passion for Musical Theatre and a commitment to making its transformative power accessible to all aspiring young artists. We recognized a critical need to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, ensuring that financial barriers or geographic limitations would not prevent dedicated students from pursuing their dreams. In challenging times, especially during the unique shifts of the Pandemic, our resolve only strengthened. We adapted, innovated, and found new ways to connect students with vital resources, proving that the stage, even when virtual, could remain a place of growth and inspiration.

"The virtual festival was professional, thoughtful, communicative, and encouraging. MTCA highlighted students and their gifts. Managing to inspire students who are numb to video screens is no small task, and I am grateful for MTCA's persistence, flexibility, and vision in a time where theater has never been so important."

- Shannon Saleh, Director, Euphony 

As a 501(c)3 charitable organization, our mission is clear: To support students pursuing musical theatre educational opportunities, gather resources supporting musical theatre education, and raise funds to provide scholarship opportunities to MTCA Festivals and Summer Intensives for Middle School, High School, and Youth Theatre Students.

We believe that participation in the arts nurtures not just performers but well-rounded individuals, fostering academic excellence, empathy, inclusivity, and vibrant community engagement.

Today, MTF Educational Foundation is thriving, continuously expanding our reach and deepening our impact. 

We are incredibly proud of our recent achievements, directly supporting the next wave of musical theatre talent:

• Unprecedented Scholarship Success: We are proud to have awarded over $480,000 in Higher Education Scholarships and empowered over 235 students to attend the transformative MTCA Festival.
• The MTCA College Fair: A Gateway to Opportunity: Our annual MTCA College Fair has become a cornerstone event at the MTCA Festival, connecting hundreds of aspiring high school performers and their families directly with leading higher education programs. This fair serves as a vital platform, demystifying the college application process and directly leading to scholarship opportunities for our talented students.
• National Reach & Summer Intensives: This summer, we are thrilled to have three of our talented students currently in New York City participating in a prestigious summer intensive at the Institute for American Musical Theatre (IAMT). These intensive programs provide unparalleled training and exposure, truly shaping their professional paths.
• Jimmy Award Triumph! Testament to the extraordinary talent we support, we are ecstatic to celebrate Chris Hayes, one of our MTCA 2024 scholarship students from Las Vegas Academy Of The Arts, who recently achieved the highest honor in high school musical theatre: winning the esteemed Jimmy Award!  Cris's success highlights the profound impact of supporting young artists on their journey to national recognition and beyond.