MTI Broadway Senior Musicals: A Baby Boomer’s Dream Come True
Once I lamented that I was becoming invisible. A well meaning family member joked, “Well, you know you’re not a spring chicken anymore.” What, you say?
However, there is a new place that seniors can be seen! Let’s discuss today’s blog post, MTI Broadway Senior Musicals: A Baby Boomer’s Dream Come True. Look around you. We have a lot of senior adults aptly named The Baby Boomers.
They aren’t the stereotypical kind, either. One of my friends swims great distances. Still another performs in her own rhythm and blues band all over the country. Additionally, one senior and her husband ride motorcycles every weekend. One of my very brave friends, a remarkable woman, travels all over the world by. her. self. She’s seventy-years-old.
I feel like a slug in comparison. These seniors are vibrant, energetic, contributing members of their communities. My husband, a senior himself, plays in a senior community band. The conductor was 92 years old! Isn’t that amazing?
A Paradigm Shift-MTI Broadway Senior Musicals
There is a wonderful paradigm shift occurring right now and it’s all positive (we can use some positive vibes, right?)
MTI Shows are musicals licensed by Music Theatre International, one of the world’s leading licensing agencies for Broadway and musical theatre productions. MTI represents over 500 titles—including Into the Woods, Matilda, and Shrek The Musical—and offers versions tailored for schools, youth groups, and senior performers.
Their collections include Broadway Junior (for kids), School Editions (for teens), and TYA shows (performed by adults for young audiences), making high-quality theater accessible to all ages and experience levels. And now they are offering senior theater versions!
Just think of it: You are living in a care center and bored out of your mind (that would be me…). However, it is announced the center is going to produce a senior musical. What does that mean exactly?
A Baby Boomer’s Dream Come True Broadway for Seniors
MTI Broadway Senior® shows are specially adapted musicals designed for older adult performers, typically aged 55 and up. These productions are 60-minute versions of beloved Broadway musicals, carefully crafted to suit the physical, vocal, and storytelling needs of senior casts while preserving the heart and humor of the originals.
Key Features:
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Shorter runtime (around one hour)
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Simplified staging and flexible casting
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Lower vocal and physical demands
- Full performance and rehearsal resources provided (scripts, music, director guides)
Popular Titles Available in the MTI Broadway Senior® Collection:
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Guys and Dolls SR.
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Into the Woods SR.
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My Fair Lady SR.
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Fiddler on the Roof SR.
To be frank, if there is anyone who will be successful at this endeavor, it is MTI. In another blog post, I rave about their junior and kids musicals. Check it out here: MTI Junior Musicals– A Dream Come True!
To date, more than 200,000 productions have been produced of their junior musical shows reaching more than 5 million children.
MTI Senior Musicals: A Baby Boomer’s Dream Come True
Research shows us our seniors with dementia respond to music, so it isn’t much of a stretch to think being part of a musical wouldn’t have the same success.
Among several other senior citizen communities, the program was road tested with the Juniper Village near State College, Pennsylvania. The university students of assisted with rehearsals and performances. Cast members received one on one attention from the students which alleviated the anxiety of performing. How wonderful!
I thought this quote was interesting, from Playbill.com,
“But what Broadway Senior has really done is give these seniors renewed purpose, engaging them and their curiosity, encouraging positive risk-taking, and validation.”
So often in senior living we focus on what somebody used to do–what they did professionally, what their hobbies were, or who they were in their family. This is something totally new that people are discovering and being celebrated for now, says Katie Kensinger, Senior Director of Communications at Juniper. We had a 90-year-old cast member in our production of Guys and Dolls who began to sob after our first performance. He said, ‘I’m overwhelmed that the audience would respond to me, that they really loved it. I never knew what it was like to be an actor.”
What a tremendous experience for this gentleman!
When the Curtain Rises, So Does the Spirit
The after effects of involvement in a theatrical production can be stunning. Out of them spring new friendships, relationships (I met my husband while performing in a community theater production,) new avenues of expression and creativity
The Executive Director of Juniper Village said, “The focus of Juniper is to help people to live life vibrantly in their third act. Broadway Senior gives our residents a sense of pride and accomplishment, and they have renewed self-esteem, and a sense of purpose. They’re also building new friendships and are more engaged. One of our residents said, ‘I have something to talk about at the dinner table now.’”
The program has been able to reach people on a deeper level of mind, body, and spirit. For seniors, particularly those struggling with memory issues and dementia, musical theatre demonstrates therapeutic value.
“It’s definitely accessible for people with dementia,” Kensinger says. “Especially the music. Even if they can’t follow along with the script and read lines, many of these songs are ingrained in their memory. There’s an emotional connection with music that patients will respond to long after they’ve stopped responding to anything else.
MTI Senior Musicals: A Baby Boomer’s Dream Come True!
Several times in my career, I directed seniors. One man in particular, age 83, is one of the finest actors I have ever known. Michael was a retired professor of philosophy and discovered acting about fifteen years ago. To put it simply, he was truly remarkable. He took my directing notes very seriously, studied his script like a fiend and rarely dropped a line. Unfortunately, was unable to participate in the play because her Alzheimer’s. Even so, she would dutifully attend rehearsal every evening with her husband. It was a tremendous experience for both of them and she was so very proud of him. To find out more about the Giver, check out my post: The Reasons I Love The Giver Play
The Transformative Power of Theater: Why Seniors Still Need the Stage
When researching this topic, I found a post on Scripps.com concerning senior theater,
“When we watch live theater, we empathize with the emotions and experiences the characters feel, even if we haven’t personally shared the same experiences. Live theater is an opportunity to access new emotions and experience new situations through the eyes of the characters in the show. We feel as if we are a part of the story as the performers tell it on stage.
Live theater is also a way for seniors to engage with these emotions and continue to evolve and participate in complex situations. Even if someone is limited in emotional and social interactions during their daily routine, an outing at the theater creates a new adventure during the show! The sense of engagement and interaction can contribute to an improved mood and a positive outlook overall.”
Finding Purpose at Any Age: The Joy of Performing Beyond Expectations
Humans require a feeling of purpose and accomplishment. I can see how these Senior Musicals will be just the ticket for some our seniors.
For now, I will cheer the participants. Someday, maybe I can portray Little Red Riding Hood when I am eighty- years old. Who knows? It could be a role written for me and I didn’t even know it.
What role would you enjoy playing which is completely out of your age range? I’d love to hear about it. Contact me at dhcbaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net
