The Pasadena Musical Theatre Program (PMTP) is a unique performing arts training organization where students are encouraged to embrace musical theatre as a method of self-exploration to enhance their personal growth and professionalism. The Artistic Director is former PMTP student and award-winning songwriter and lyricist Ryan Scott Oliver.
We believe that students learn best when they are encouraged by theatre professionals who love what they do and do what they love. And, most of all, we value the individuality, diversity, and talent levels of all of our students.
Our vision is that PMTP alumni stay connected to our performing company as teaching artists, or to premiere and workshop new musicals. In giving back to the PMTP, theatre professionals ensure the development of our next generation of theatre performers and writers while partnering with a talented group of highly motivated students.
We are a musical theatre program for students in grades 4-9. PMTP is committed to bringing the highest quality in music and theatre education to students who live or attend school in Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre.
PMTP’s history is long and storied in our community. Sierra Madre educator Gayle Bluemel created the Pasadena Unified School District’s GATE Summer Musical Theatre Workshop in 1995. She and Washington Middle School performing arts teacher, “…the most important thing to me is that we’ve provided programs for a socio-economically diverse group of performers…”Cindy Abbott, produced this successful program with the help of a group of very dedicated parent volunteers. In 2004 Ryan Scott Oliver took over as the program’s Artistic Director. Ms. Abbott continued as the Musical Director and another former PMTP student, Emily Clark, began directing the elementary school production.
PMTP has served nearly 2000 students since it began. “Some of our students have gone on to well-known college theatre programs, professional theatre companies, and even Broadway,” said Oliver. “But, the most important thing to me is that we’ve provided programs for a socio-economically diverse group of performers. All the students had fun, were exposed to unrivaled theatre training, and learned skills that will help them in every aspect of their lives.”
Although PUSD still supports the program in many ways, budget constraints that impact all public school districts forced the PMTP to become a self-sustaining company. Now, the PMTP is part of The Pasadena Musical Theatre Corporation, a nonprofit charity whose primary purpose is to further the theatre arts through the advancement of pre-collegiate musical theatre education.