Preface:
On July 3, 2025, the fully English-language musical *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory*, co-produced by the Zhengzhou MTC Musical Theater Troupe and iStage Academy, was successfully staged at the Orange Space of Zhengzhou Grand Theatre.
This high-quality performance, which attracted nearly 200 audience members, marked a major milestone in iStage Academy’s first domestic musical theater empowerment project—surpassing expectations and setting a new benchmark for musical theater education in the Zhengzhou region.
iStage Academy’s “Empowerment & Co-Piloting Program” Establishes Four Core Support Systems:
1. Full-Cycle Operations
From establishing standardized institutional processes to student recruitment mechanisms, a replicable operating model for musical theater troupes was created, serving as a template for the development of MTC.
2. Dual-Track Curriculum Model
Combining “regular classes + holiday boot camps,” the program invited experienced musical theater instructors to supervise the teaching process and casting decisions remotely, ensuring professionalism and international standards.
3. Targeted Marketing & Promotion Support
Customized content highlighting “full-English musicals + immersive English learning” was developed based on the characteristics of Zhengzhou’s arts education market. The differentiated positioning strategy helped reach the target audience effectively.
4. End-to-End Quality Control & Technical Support
A professional team provided on-site guidance during the boot camp phase, overseeing teaching, technology, and execution to ensure smooth operations on the day of the performance.
From its inception at the end of 2024 to its final realization, the iStage Empowerment Plan underwent three phases: Preparation, Execution, and Presentation.
* Preparation Phase (Dec 2024 – Jan 2025)
A special working group was formed by both parties to tailor curriculum standards and phased teaching models based on the local musical theater education market in Zhengzhou.
* Execution Phase (Feb – June 2025)
A two-part learning model was implemented: four months of regular courses followed by a five-day holiday boot camp. The first phase focused on foundational training in vocals and dance; the second phase emphasized performance synthesis and stage presence.
* Presentation Phase (July 2025)
The project culminated in four days of intensive rehearsal and one public performance at a commercial theater, delivering a complete musical production as the final result.
The Empowerment Program Will Continue to Provide Replicable Solutions for Musical Theater Industrialization
Penny Jin, founder of iStage Academy, stated:
“The Empowerment & Co-Piloting Program will continue to provide replicable solutions for the industrialization of musical theater. A second phase may be launched in the second half of the year to bring international musical theater education to more cities.”
The founder of Zhengzhou MTC Musical Theater Troupe added:
*”This collaboration gave us insight into the standardized process from curriculum to performance. We hope to launch the next production soon so that more children in Zhengzhou can take part.”
This partnership not only created an international musical theater education platform for Zhengzhou’s youth but also promoted the professionalization and industrialization of musical theater education in China through an innovative model—one that’s worth watching closely in the future.
The project’s success validates the feasibility of the professional empowerment model in regional arts markets and provides a valuable roadmap for musical theater education development in second- and third-tier cities. Especially through the deep integration of international educational resources with local systems, a new model of “International Education + Urban Innovation” has emerged, injecting fresh momentum into the musical theater education industry.