While arts education is slowly rebuilt in the Philadelphia school district, local programs across the city have built a thriving community of talented students who work year-round to put on multiple productions. Music Theatre Philly is a center city youth-oriented theatre company that meets the artistic needs of the city’s youth. The company recently merged with NEST, a child enrichment and activity center that offers weekly developmental family classes in music, dancing, tumbling, sensory play, and parenting.
Tim Popp is Music Theatre Philly’s executive director, working in tandem with the founder and board of directors to develop programming and expand the company’s reach in the city.
How would you describe the theatre scene in Philadelphia?
I think what we often maybe even take for granted in the city is that there’s so much unique theater, especially right in Center City, right? That’s what is really exciting to me about Music Theatre of Philly just being located right here.
Like already this year we’re performing at the Wilma Theater in the fall, so we’re forming more connections with them because they, you know, they kind of need a big rehearsal room. And so we’re trying to figure out ways in which we can continue to partner up.
Philly Theater Company does original musicals all the time. Like, there’s just so much original work in this city and so many daring and creative theater makers. And then there’s also the theater makers who are doing more classical or traditional shows, like the Walnut Street – not far from here either – we have staff here who are in that.
So it’s just every – because it’s so close in, I feel like everyone is always there to cheer each other on. Right. There’s, you know, competition in so far that it’s, you know, everyone’s auditioning for a few months, but it’s like, you go to a show and you see, like, five people that you know who are in it or you see someone who is in the crowd there seeing another friend.
What does it mean to be a creative hub for the youth?
I think that’s, like, what we are really trying to be holistically. Especially now that we have acquired. this new business, NEST. NEST, you know, is about young families. Young, like, young students, but also young parents figuring it out.
How to parent, how to grow their children, how to give them space to be creative and – literally sometimes – use their voice, but also use their body to learn about, like, expression. And I think the creative arts, you know, give any young person the license and the space to, like, to express who they are holistically.
I think what the opportunity is with Music Theatre Philly merging with NEST is, like, this becomes the space where a child can literally from the day they’re born to the moment they go to college, have spent all their years in this building.
Making friends, you know, learning to sing, dance, and also learning how to think differently. How to, like, be more empathetic and how to work collaboratively with other kids. So, they’re really developing a ton of skills through the performing arts because that will always be the sort of engine that runs what we do here. But it also translates into more, you know, adaptable life skills.
What is the most important part of Philly students having access to drama programs?
I think theater is maybe one of the best tools for young people to develop confidence, to develop skills. I think what’s amazing about theater is that it takes all kinds of talents to work. So, every type of kid who shows up here – whether they’re an amazing singer, an amazing dancer, or just starting out – there’s a space for them.
And their contribution to the overall piece is vital, right? It helps make the whole thing come together. And we work really hard to make sure they all feel really valued and really important to the piece.
I also think what’s amazing about this particular place is we really do pool from all over the city. I think last year we had about, in our shows, we had about 40 different schools represented. So, we’re pulling kids from, like, all over the region who, you know, when they’re in their own school, are more community based.
Like, it’s the kids who live nearby, but then they’re being exposed to kids from the mainland, kids from New Jersey, kids from West Philly and South Philly, like, all over the community. So, this becomes sort of like an equalizer or like a new place where they get to interact with people that they might not have been able to in their home and in their school setting.
I think there’s a lot of value to that. And I think it also reflects inside our studio, the classroom, reflects what the city is. I mean, like, it’s so exciting for us as the directors, and I speak for my staff, but, you know, when we get to cast a show and then look at all these different types of kids that don’t need to feel confined by conventional casting that you might see, like, in The Wizard of Oz.
Our cast, you know, looks so different than the film from the 20s. We have the diversity in our student population to, like, play with stuff and try something out and give a different kid an opportunity to play a part. they probably wouldn’t get to play in New York or in a professional theater.
Do you have more freedom when it comes to the originality of the productions?
I think yes, with an asterisk. I do think because we’re still honing in on our audience – because again, our production company is only three years old – and now that we’re in this new space, I still feel like we’re drawing in new families.
I still feel compelled to do things that are familiar. Just to keep drawing in new families, get the kids to feel really excited about it, but also always giving them the option to pick is really exciting. This past summer we had a really cool opportunity.
Mindy, who’s our founder, she’s a lady who’s got a lot of plates in the air. I thought it was beautiful that she is working to produce some shows on Broadway with some Broadway industry folks.
Through one of her connections, this musical theater writer, who is also a Broadway actor, had a new musical that he was writing specifically for teens and just wanted to do a stage reading of.
We typically don’t offer summer camp programs for teenagers. So, we had a meeting with him and he was like, “I just need to show up and have a room full of teenagers working on my material to see how it sounds, and the voices of the people it’s written for.” And we piloted that. We had sixteen 8th through 12th graders, and a few of our recent grads were invited to be a part of it as well.
They did a stage reading of it. and they were really excited to do this brand-new piece. The music was great. It was an adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing. It was set in a high school, and they connected with the characters.
With that said, it was definitely an experiment. I was like, I’ve never tried something that’s totally brand new, that has no name recognition. Summer is difficult for teenagers because they’re all over the place. I was really, really pleased that sixteen of them signed up for it. They can surprise you sometimes, you know.
What would you like to see in the future for Music Theatre Philly?
I want to see continued growth in our programs. I’m really excited to grow the sort of class wing of it as well. So kids can start focusing on the development of specific skills that can translate into college opportunities and professional opportunities.
We have this great team population right now in our chorus line. I also want this to become a space where they are receiving professional mentorship and coaching for their college auditions, if that’s the route they’re going to pursue.
Growing our scholarship program and becoming more accessible for kids all over the city. Having more connections to communities beyond. We don’t have a business artist program, for instance, but are there ways that we can have a more direct pipeline to helping kids even get access to the space beyond the ways they already do?
I know last year we offered about 90 scholarships, which is exciting and wonderful. And it’s like, I would love more money to double that. I would love to be able to promote that more, so that way more families are aware that there is a space for them.
I’m excited for the awareness of it to grow, so that way it’s a destination for families to come see a musical.
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