Musical in a Week
A Stage for Every Fifth Grader
Through a partnership with the St. Cloud Area School District, GREAT is making theatre arts accessible to every fifth-grade student. By bringing our Musical-in-a-Week residency directly into schools, we remove barriers such as cost and transportation, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to participate.
This year, all 664 fifth graders in ISD 742 took part in the program during their school day, culminating in performances for more than 2,000 classmates, friends, and family members. Along the way, students engaged in games, rehearsals, and creative activities that helped them discover their strengths, build confidence, strengthen relationships, and develop important creative and cognitive skills.
While the final performance is a memorable milestone, the impact extends far beyond the stage. Research shows that both participating in and experiencing live theatre foster empathy, connection, and a sense of belonging. Nearly one-third of participating students said they enjoyed seeing their classmates perform and felt inspired to participate in a musical themselves someday.
Teachers consistently highlight the value of bringing arts enrichment directly to students. School-based programs eliminate many of the challenges associated with field trips and provide meaningful arts experiences for students who may never have attended a live theatrical performance. Today, Musical-in-a-Week has become a highly anticipated capstone experience—one that students eagerly look forward to and remember long after the final curtain call.
SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:
Thanks to generous gifts from GREAT’s annual donors and grant support, every fifth grader in St. Cloud School District gets to participate in a musical as part of their school day and every elementary student has the opportunity to see the performance!
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and Central Minnesota Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Transforming Educators
The impact of Musical-in-a-Week extends beyond the students on stage. As teachers watch their students step into new roles, take creative risks, and gain confidence, they often discover strengths they had never seen before.
For educators, the residency provides a new lens through which to view their students’ potential. Those insights can shape how they support, encourage, and connect with students long after the final performance. By revealing hidden talents and fostering new opportunities for success, Musical-in-a-Week creates lasting benefits not only for participating students, but for entire classrooms.
Building Confidence, Creativity, and Connection
For many students, Musical-in-a-Week is more than their first theatrical experience—it’s an opportunity to discover new strengths, build meaningful relationships, and gain confidence in themselves. Through collaboration, creativity, and performance, students develop skills that support their success both in and out of the classroom.
The most powerful measure of the program’s impact comes directly from the students themselves. Their words reflect the confidence, sense of belonging, and personal growth that can happen when every child is given a chance to step into the spotlight.
WHAT THE RESEARCH SHOWS
We were honored to be selected by the Minnesota State Arts Board to be included in a cohort of grantees for the Wilder Foundation to conduct research and evaluate the impact of our Musical-in-a-Week Residency program.
Key findings include:
- Nearly all students surveyed said they learned about theater and enjoyed making a musical during Musical-in-a-Week. About 80% of students showed at least some interest in doing theater or a musical again
- After participating in Musical-in-a-Week, more students said they feel proud of themselves, can present in front of a group, and can be a leader.
- 82% of students rated themselves as able to work with other students “a lot” after participating Musical-in-a-Week, as compared to 55% before participating.
- Beyond performers, this evaluation also engaged student audiences who viewed the final Musical-in-a-Week performances. Schoolwide data collection shows that student audiences who attended a final performance report an increased interest in theater.
