Maltese Youth Performers Head To New York And Atlanta As JTF International All-Stars

Three young Maltese performers from Hoi Polloi Academy have embarked on an international journey after being selected for the prestigious Junior Theatre Festival (JTF) International All-Stars Programme 2026, a highly…

Three young Maltese performers from Hoi Polloi Academy have embarked on an international journey after being selected for the prestigious Junior Theatre Festival (JTF) International All-Stars Programme 2026, a highly competitive initiative that brings together some of the world’s most promising youth musical theatre talent.

Erika Bonello, Laura Cardona and Emily Georgea Dimech secured their places after being nominated and auditioning at Junior Theatre Festival Europe 2025 in Birmingham, where Hoi Polloi Academy also received the Achievement in Dance Award for its performance of Shrek JR.. Their selection places them among an elite group of students chosen to represent excellence in youth musical theatre on a global stage.

After months of preparation, the trio is now travelling to New York City, where they will rehearse a newly created musical theatre production developed by Broadway’s iTheatrics team. Working as part of MTI’s Travel Gang programme, they will collaborate with fellow International All-Stars from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

The experience includes attending Broadway shows, taking part in a Broadway masterclass and engaging in intensive professional rehearsals. The students will then travel to Atlanta to perform the new production on the main stage at JTF 2026, the world’s largest youth musical theatre festival.

With limited rehearsal time in New York, participants were required to prepare in advance using exclusive early access materials for Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile JR., a new musical currently in development. Casting auditions will take place on the first day of rehearsals, making preparation critical.

“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Hoi Polloi Academy artistic director Marco Calleja. “They’ll be representing HPA and Malta on an international platform.”

The achievement marks a proud moment for the performers and the wider Hoi Polloi Malta community, highlighting the growing international presence of Maltese youth talent.

Well done girls, goodluck!

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