Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre announced the launch of a Musical Theatre Training Institute, the first pre-professional certification program of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. The mission of the institute is to develop quality talent for careers in musical theater.

“The institute will provide students with the foundations they need to improve their current skills and bring them to a point where they can pursue a career in musical theater whether locally, regionally or beyond," said Chuck Ethridge, executive artistic director of Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre, in a news release.

Ethridge believes the institute will bridge an ever-growing gap between pre-professional and professional levels, providing aspiring performers and creatives with an opportunity to gain invaluable experience, as well as build relationships that could last a lifetime.

“By launching this program we are developing performers, creatives, technicians, and arts administrators for our stage and beyond. We’re creating a ‘talent destination’ by being the first choice in professional musical theater training programs in the country,” Ethridge said.

The Musical Theatre Training Institute will move students through a certification program that prepares them for a professional career. Students will gain hands-on experience with coursework such as scene study and audition techniques, production design and technology, music theory and vocal technique, playwriting and dramaturgy, musical theater dance styles and techniques, and more.

The institute’s primary focus is talent ages 14 through adult, looking to prepare for a professional career in musical theater, whether that’s onstage, backstage or front of house. Students will have the opportunity to develop skills in the three key areas of musical theater: performance, technical and arts administration. The Musical Theatre Training Institute will also have additional programming for young performers ages 8-13, looking to advance in their musical theater journey.

"Staffed with instructors from around the nation, all trained professionals in their respective fields with extensive experience working within the industry, MTTI aims to provide an unparalleled level of instruction for its students," said the release.

Students will also be able to network with other performers, creatives, and organizations while learning valuable skills needed for success within the world of musical theater. The program will allow students to gain real-world professional experience through internships and performance opportunities. Graduates will be able to confidently pursue a career path within the industry with an educational advantage.

The Musical Theatre Training Institute will launch this summer with a series of “Sit-in Sessions,” as well as a weeklong Musical Theatre Dance Intensive, hosted by regional and national industry professionals. Fall classes will be announced during the run of Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre’s "Footloose: The Musical" and will include focuses on voice, acting, auditions, theatre marketing and more.

"This is a new chapter for Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre," the release said. "By launching the Musical Theatre Training Institute, talent throughout the region will expand, developing artists for the local stage and beyond."

Info: cstmtti.com