Music Theatre International (MTI)

Music Theatre International, commonly known as MTI, was founded in 1952 by Frank Loesser, the legendary Broadway composer and lyricist behind Guys and Dolls, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and other beloved musicals. Loesser created MTI to ensure that the licensing and distribution of musical theater performance rights were handled with the same care and professionalism that went into creating the works themselves. Over the more than seven decades since its founding, MTI has grown into the world's leading musical theatre licensing agency, representing a catalog of over 500 musicals that spans the full history of the American musical theater canon. The company handles licensing for productions ranging from Broadway blockbusters to intimate Off-Broadway works, and its titles are performed by more than 100,000 theaters in over 150 countries around the world. MTI's role in the theatrical ecosystem is fundamental: without the licensing permissions and performance materials it provides, theaters of all sizes would be unable to legally produce the musicals that form the backbone of their seasons.

MTI's catalog represents an extraordinary cross-section of musical theater history and contemporary creativity, including titles from the golden age of Broadway through the most recent award-winning productions. The catalog includes works by virtually every major musical theater composer and lyricist, and the breadth of available titles means that theaters of any size and audience demographic can find appropriate material for their seasons. In addition to standard professional and amateur licensing, MTI has pioneered specialized editions of popular musicals designed for younger performers and educational settings, including the Broadway Junior Collection for middle school students and School Editions for high school programs. These adapted versions make the musical theater canon accessible to young performers while maintaining the artistic integrity of the original works. MTI also provides the official scripts and scores for licensed productions, ensuring that theaters work from authoritative performance materials that reflect the creators' intentions. The company's commitment to supporting theatrical production at every level, from the smallest community theater to the largest professional company, has made it an indispensable institution in the global theater community.

Getting started with MTI is straightforward for both theater companies seeking to license productions and individual actors researching available musicals. The MTI website features a comprehensive, searchable catalog of all available titles, with detailed information about each show including synopsis, cast requirements, orchestration needs, and production notes. Visitors can browse the catalog by title, composer, genre, cast size, and other criteria, making it easy to find shows that match specific production needs or research interests. For licensing, theaters submit applications through the website specifying their production details, and MTI processes the requests and provides the necessary materials including scripts, scores, and orchestrations. For individual actors, the website serves as a powerful research tool for understanding what musicals are available, what roles exist within them, and what the vocal and dramatic requirements of specific characters entail. No registration is required to browse the catalog, though licensing inquiries require organizational contact information.

The daily experience of interacting with MTI varies depending on whether you are a theater company licensing productions or an individual actor using the catalog as a research resource. For theaters, MTI provides a comprehensive support system that includes not just the licensing permissions but also the physical and digital performance materials — scripts, vocal scores, piano-conductor scores, orchestrations, and supplementary materials — needed to mount a production. For actors, the MTI website functions as a reference library where you can research shows, explore character breakdowns, listen to audio samples, and discover musicals you might not have encountered in other contexts. The catalog entries include enough detail about each show to help actors assess whether specific roles align with their type, vocal range, and artistic interests. MTI also produces marketing materials, study guides, and promotional resources that theaters and educators find valuable for audience development and educational programming. The company regularly adds new titles to its catalog as licensing agreements are reached with composers and rights holders, ensuring that the latest Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals become available for production in regional and community settings.

MTI's primary clients are theater companies of every size and type, from professional regional theaters and touring companies to community theaters, educational institutions, and international performing arts organizations. For actors, MTI is relevant as the gatekeeper of the performance materials and licensing permissions that enable the productions in which they perform, making it a background infrastructure company that shapes the theatrical landscape even if actors do not interact with it directly. Actors who are knowledgeable about the MTI catalog and the licensing process have a better understanding of which musicals are likely to be produced in their local markets, which in turn helps them anticipate audition opportunities and prepare accordingly. Drama school students and educators use the MTI catalog and its educational editions extensively, with many school and youth theater productions drawn from the Broadway Junior and School Edition collections. The company's international reach means that actors working in markets outside the United States will also encounter MTI-licensed productions, as the company's titles are performed in virtually every country with an active theater community.

Licensing fees for MTI titles vary significantly based on several factors including the specific title, the type and size of the producing organization, the number of performances, ticket prices, and the market in which the production takes place. Professional theaters pay higher licensing fees than community and educational organizations, and blockbuster titles command premium fees compared to lesser-known works. Scripts and scores are available for purchase or rental through MTI, with prices depending on the title and the format of the materials provided. The Broadway Junior and School Edition materials are priced to be accessible to educational institutions working within limited budgets, reflecting MTI's commitment to making musical theater available to young performers. Individual actors browsing the catalog for research purposes incur no cost, as the website's informational content is freely accessible to anyone. For actors looking to purchase scripts for personal study or audition preparation, individual copies are available at standard book prices, typically ranging from fifteen to twenty dollars depending on the title.

Music Theatre International is an essential institution for anyone involved in musical theater, whether as a performer, director, producer, or educator, and familiarity with its catalog and processes is a fundamental part of professional theatrical literacy. Actors should bookmark the MTI website and use it regularly as a research tool for discovering musicals, exploring roles, and understanding the landscape of available titles that shape the seasons of theaters where they may audition and perform. Educational theater programs should explore the Broadway Junior and School Edition collections, which provide expertly adapted versions of popular musicals that are specifically designed for young performers and educational production constraints. Theater companies planning their seasons should consult the MTI catalog early in the process, as the breadth of available titles ensures that there are options for every artistic vision, audience demographic, and budget. Actors who want to deepen their knowledge of musical theater history and repertoire will find the MTI catalog an invaluable browsing resource that connects them to works they might not discover through other channels.

Browse the MTI catalog regularly to stay current on newly available titles, as the addition of recent Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals to the licensing catalog often signals that regional and community productions will follow within a year or two, creating upcoming audition opportunities you can prepare for in advance. When you discover a title in the MTI catalog that excites you and that you think would be right for your local theater, mention it to artistic directors and directors you work with, as championing specific shows can lead to production opportunities and early casting conversations. Use the detailed show information in each catalog entry to assess whether specific roles match your type, vocal range, and artistic strengths before investing time in learning the material. If you work in educational theater, explore the Broadway Junior and School Edition collections for age-appropriate material that provides your students with quality performance experiences while teaching them about the musical theater canon. Pair your MTI research with resources like StageAgent and cast recordings to build comprehensive preparation packages for auditions and roles. Remember that familiarity with a wide range of musical theater titles is a professional asset that distinguishes knowledgeable, well-prepared actors from those who only know the most popular shows.