Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance (MSTDA) is pleased to announce it is the recipient of a FY 2026 grant award of $15,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This funding will support MSTDA’s spring break camp, workshops and summer production, Make-A-Musical. The goal of the project is to engage students in the development and production of a new, full-length musical fantasy adventure, The Weird Sisters (working title), inspired by Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
The Make-A-Musical project gives students the opportunity to collaborate with others and become part of the creative team. Jonathan Fadner, musical theatre writer, composer and director, invites students to assist him in writing, composing and staging a full-length musical. This is a hands-on experience on how to write, rewrite, learn, rehearse and perform musical theatre, giving students practice in being a modern musical storyteller. Students will be involved in all aspects of the production, including set and costume design.
Here are some of the students who have participated in the program over the last two years. (Photos by Irina Hage of Irina Island Images)
“We are so grateful to the NEA for its support of new work at Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance,” said Kristi Towey, Executive Director. “This marks the first time in our organization’s history that we have received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, and we are deeply honored by this recognition. We are excited to continue to collaborate with resident composer and writer Jonathan Fadner and the talented youth participating in this project. This will be Jonathan’s sixth new work at MSTDA with students of all ages. Together, they will experience the creative process from the very first idea through its life on stage — an invaluable opportunity for the next generation of artists.”
“We are incredibly humbled to receive a grant through the National Endowment for the Arts,” said Ashleigh Herndon, Producing Artistic Director. “MSTDA is proud to continue to present student-driven works through the Make-A-Musical program, founded by Jonathan and Kimbirdlee Fadner. This grant allows expanded support to provide students with quality instruction through all elements of production. Our students will work through the entire process from start to finish, from crafting a narrative to a fully staged production. Students will develop skills in multiple disciplines along the way and be a part of an exciting NEA grant project.”
