# CMT San Jose

CMT San Jose (Children's Musical Theater San Jose) is a non-profit performing arts organization, which produces and stages musical theatre at the Montgomery Theater in downtown San Jose.
One of the largest youth musical theater and training programs in the US, the organization produces eleven full-scale musicals per year in three different divisions between the ages of 7 and 20. Nine of the eleven productions cast every child who auditions. Two, are showcases for more professional performers who donate their time and talent to benefit the organization. In addition to performances, CMT also runs workshops, and summer camps, for children as young as four.
CMT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is the oldest performing arts organization in San Jose. It was the first non-professional company in the country to stage the musicals Aida and Miss Saigon, and the first to produce a number of others on the West Coast including A Christmas Carol, Billy Elliot, Sister Act and American Idiot. The company has earned 12 grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and, as of 2024 has put on over 400 musical theater productions.
At least 12 CMT alumni have gone on to perform on Broadway.

## Early years

CMT’s origins trace to a musical touring troupe called the Entr'actes, founded in 1968 by 17 year old John P. Healy, Jr. Healy, a musical performer and writer who aspired to build easy opportunities for young people to perform onstage, led a group of 15 young people who would perform scenes from various musicals at local churches, rest homes and hospitals. They also performed operettas, including one based on Hansel & Gretel, produced and directed by Healy. Later, the group moved into the bingo hall at St. Francis Cabrini School and changed its name to the Cabrini Community Theater.
By 1972 the group changed its name to San Jose Children’s Musical Theater (SJCMT) and moved into an old San Jose building that had previously housed the First Church of Christ, Scientist. The building later became known as the Palace of Performing Arts or P.O.P.A. Performances later moved to the Montgomery Theater in downtown San Jose.
CMT continued to grow in size and by 1975 it reported that over 1,000 children would be involved in a year. Healy directed, choreographed, musically directed and designed most of the 150 shows produced by CMT by the time he left in 1982.

## CMT today

Following Healy’s departure in 1982, the organization was largely run by volunteer parents until 1996, when the organization hired its first full time Artistic Director: Kevin Hauge.
Hauge had started working with CMT in 1982, directing several summer shows starting with Bye Bye Birdie. After a few years he left for other opportunities, then returned to San Jose in 1996.
While working with CMT he received the Lin Wright Special Recognition Award by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. He was also the guest speaker at the International Association of Theater Educators Conference in Washington D.C. and at the Education and Technology conference in New York City. In 2016 Hauge received an honorable mention by the Tony Awards for Excellence in Theater Education.
Because of its widening reach beyond its origins, in 2001 CMT changed its formal name to Children's Musical Theater San Jose, which emphasizes the group's name over its home location.
In 2004 CMT started its "Marquee" program with one Marquee production per year. In 2011 they exchanged one of their Mainstage shows for Marquee, bringing Mainstage down to three a year and bumping Marquee up to two.
To keep children performing and maintain their sense of community during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, CMT Mainstage rehearsed and performed In the Heights remotely. This performance included 200 performers recorded from their homes with the recording presented at a drive-in theater.
In 1991 CMT began an annual "Cabaret Night" as a fundraiser event.
To engage the theater community in emerging technologies, in 1998 CMT started the unique "Theater As Digital Activity" program, which lasted until 2003.
In 2021 the organization moved its headquarters to a new 25,000 sq ft building to be used for rehearsals, classes, prop/costume storage and office space. It also set up the side parking lot for its three outdoor summer productions while indoor productions were prohibited.
In 2022 CMT increased their total annual shows to 11 by adding a second Junior Talents show.
In 2024 it was announced that Kevin Hauge would retire from his position as artistic director at the close of CMT's 57th season in 2025.
In March 2025 Kikau Alvaro was announced to as Hauge's successor.

## Management

In 1993 Michael Mulcahy was brought on as CMT's first executive director. In 1996, he hired Kevin R. Hauge to be the company's first full-time Artistic Director. CMT leadership after 2001 included Jennifer Sandretto Hull from 2001 – 2006, Michael Miller from 2012 – 2016 and Dana Zell from 2016 until today.

## Performance venues

CMT's original performance venue was the St. Frances Cabrini Hall. Over the years the organization occasionally performed in a few other locations as well, including various high schools and the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.
Since 1973, CMT's performances have almost exclusively occurred at the Montgomery Theater, which shares a building with the San Jose Civic.

## Performance divisions

The musical productions CMT puts on every year are separated into four different named categories, based on different age ranges. Occasionally the age range may be adjusted for a given performance.

### Junior talents

Youngest age range (7–11). Currently two performances every season, though not every season has included Junior Talents shows.

### Rising stars

Age range 8–14. Currently four performances every season.

### Mainstage

Age range 14–20. Currently three performances per season (four performances before 2011). High quality shows that usually include a live orchestra.

### Marquee

Introduced in 2005, Marquee performances can include children as well as adults from the Bay Area across all age ranges, including many CMT alumni. Equally high production value as Mainstage shows.
Unlike other performance groups, casting is not guaranteed for those who audition for Marquee shows. Two performances every year (one before 2011).

## Programs
### Theater As Digital Activity (TADA!)

In 1996, CMT started an online program to allow children from around the world to collaborate and fully create musicals to be produced by CMT and performed by their members. The program ended after its last production in 2003.
A website called ConvoNation, which was a communications platform for sick and disabled children created by Apple’s Worldwide Disabilities Solutions Group, collaborated with CMT to create TADA's first project, the original musical "Pulse: The Rhythm of Life." It was released and performed in 1998, featuring Alex Brightman in a lead role. In 1999 PBS made a documentary about the development of Pulse, hosted by Annette Benning.
Other projects developed under the TADA program included Our Tree: The Family Chronicles, released in May 2000, 2101 in 2001, A Little Princess in 2002 and Persephone in 2003. Of these, three were written and composed in part by Richard Link.

### Classes and Workshops

CMT offers classes for recital, dance, acting, improv, vocal and auditions for ages ranging from 4 to 20. Occasionally, professional guest artists are brought in to teach classes. The following notable artists have taught or presented at CMT: Thomas Schumacher, theatrical producer, Anthony Rapp, broadway & film actor, Jason Robert Brown and Drew Gasparini, broadway composers and Jacob Brent, actor and choreographer.
CMT alumni have also returned in a teaching capacity, including Alex Brightman, Aaron Albano and Matt Hill, among others.

### Student Audience Matinees (SAM)

For each of its shows performed in a season, CMT offers special discounted matinée (morning) performances exclusively for schools and other local community groups. These will include a Q & A session during intermission and a study guide for teachers to help their students and prepare them for their experience.

### Touring Groups

From its beginnings continuing up until 1999 CMT had one or more tour groups, in which members would perform at various community events as well as for private parties, organizations, hospitals and schools.
Originally starting out as the "Entr'Acts", additional groups added in the 1970s were known as the "Finales", the "Melodear" and the "Reprises". From the early 80s through the 90s there was a single touring group known as "The Neighborhood Kids".

## Events

CMT San Jose holds the following annual events:
Gala – Fundraising event early in the year during which alumni and current performers put on multiple show numbers during a brunch and dinner. Includes auctions and raffles. This event started in 1991 and was originally known as Cabaret Night.
Preview Night – Free outdoor potluck event in the summer that includes several live preview performances of musical numbers from the remainder of the season and the announcement of all of the musicals for the next season.
Honors Night – Free event in December with presentations and performances in which outstanding performers receive awards for various categories.
While not relating to CMT's own shows, the organization also hosts the Rita Moreno Awards (Rita Moreno California High School Musical Honors) – A competition in May co-hosted with Broadway San Jose to recognize outstanding achievements in high school musicals. The Lead Actor and Actress winners go on to the Jimmy Awards in New York City.

## List of Productions

| | Junior Talents | Rising Stars | Mainstage | Marquee |
| Season 57 2024 – 2025 | The Lion King Experience James and the Giant Peach | A Christmas Carol The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Once Upon a Mattress Guys and Dolls | Rock of Ages Hadestown Frozen | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Waitress |
| Season 56 2023 – 2024 | Junie B. Jones Madagascar Jr | Freaky Friday Seussical Honk! Crazy for You | Mean Girls Pippin Rent | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory School of Rock |
| Season 55 2022 – 2023 | The Big One-Oh! Finding Nemo Jr | The Wizard of Oz The Sound of Music Schoolhouse Rock Live! 13 | Head over Heels Cinderella The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Something Rotten! Mary Poppins |
| Season 54 2021 – 2022 | Frozen Jr Moana Jr | The Lightning Thief Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Disney's Descendants The Little Mermaid | Les Misérables Urinetown The SpongeBob Musical | White Christmas Kinky Boots |
| Season 53 2020 – 2021 | Snoopy! The Musical | Starlight Express | American Idiot |
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| Season 52 2019 – 2020 | | You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Into the Woods, Jr | Shrek the Musical In the Heights | Matilda the Musical |
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| Season 51 2018 – 2019 | James and the Giant Peach | Elf Aladdin Anything Goes The Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Chicago Legally Blonde A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder | Beauty and the Beast Mamma Mia |
| Season 50 2017 – 2018 | Robin Hood | Fiddler on the Roof Once upon a Mattress Seussical The Wiz | The Who's Tommy Avenue Q West Side Story | Newsies Guys and Dolls |
| Season 49 2016 – 2017 | The Lion King Experience | A Christmas Carol Willy Wonka Once on This Island 13 | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Evita The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Beauty and the Beast Mamma Mia |
| Season 48 2015 – 2016 | 101 Dalmatians | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Honk! Alice in Wonderland Crazy for You | Sister Act Grease Rent | The Little Mermaid Billy Elliot |
| Season 47 2014 – 2015 | Pinocchio | The Sound of Music Schoolhouse Rock Live! Thoroughly Modern Millie Mulan | American Idiot Into the Woods Jekyll & Hyde | Ragtime Mary Poppins |
| Season 46 2013 – 2014 | The Jungle Book | The Wizard of Oz The Pirates of Penzance You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Oklahoma! | Shrek the Musical Cats Side Show | White Christmas Spamalot |
| Season 45 2012 – 2013 | Heidi | Barnum Godspell Aladdin The Music Man | In The Heights Phantom Jesus Christ Superstar | Les Misérables A Chorus Line |
| Season 44 2011 – 2012 | Rapunzel | Seussical Doctor Dolittle The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Bye Bye Birdie | Legally Blonde Avenue Q Xanadu | Tarzan 9 to 5 |
| Season 43 2010 – 2011 | The Velveteen Rabbit | Cinderella Guys and Dolls Starmites The Wiz | The Drowsy Chaperone The Secret Garden Aida | Hairspray Chicago |
| Season 42 2009 – 2010 | Rugrats: A Live Adventure | 13 Once Upon a Mattress Once on This Island High School Musical 2 | Oliver! The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Little Shop of Horrors Miss Saigon | Singin' in the Rain |
| Season 41 2008 – 2009 | One Hundred and One Dalmatians | Disney's Alice in Wonderland Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Willy Wonka, Jr. Honk! | Peter Pan Rent Candide The Who's Tommy | Disney's When You Wish |
| Season 40 2007 – 2008 | | You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Schoolhouse Rock Mulan Jr. Babes in Arms Pinocchio | Annie Warbucks Jekyll & Hyde Into the Woods West Side Story | Ragtime |
| Season 39 2006 – 2007 | | The Jungle Book The Wizard of Oz Oklahoma! High School Musical Charlotte's Web | Beauty and the Beast Cats Evita Leader of the Pack | Thoroughly Modern Millie |
| Season 38 2005 – 2006 | | The King and I Les Misérables Phantom Side Show | Wind in the Willows Aladdin Godspell Heidi | The Full Monty |

## Alumni
### Broadway performers

* Alex Brightman – School of Rock, Beetlejuice
* Myha'la – The Book of Mormon
* Ryan Vasquez – The Notebook, Hamilton
* Megan Masako Haley – Wicked, Mean Girls
* Aaron J. Albano – Newsies, Cats, Aladdin
* Nick Spangler – Tootsie, The Book of Mormon
* Isabella Esler – Beetlejuice
* Dennis O’Bannion – White Christmas
* Alia Hodge – Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
* Chelsea Morgan Stock – The Little Mermaid, Something Rotten!, Sister Act
* Adrienne Eller – A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
* Eric Michael Krop – Godspell

### Other alumni

* Teri Hatcher – actress, singer
* Kate Walsh – actress, businesswoman
* Jason Jurman – actor
* D. C. Douglas – actor, voice actor
* Anna Maria Perez de Tagle – actress
* Jennifer Cihi – singer, actress
* Darren Korb – songwriter, composer, voice actor
* Neil Kaplan – voice actor