David Green
Founder/ Executive and Artistic Director
Mr. Green is the Founder and Executive/Artistic Director of The Musical Theatre University (MTU) a comprehensive, pre-professional school of the performing arts designed for young people who have aspirations for careers in musical theatre, located in beautiful Laguna Beach, California. He was recently named "one of the top ten reasons so many 'stars' come out of Orange County" by Orange Coast Magazine. Mr. Green was the Founder/Executive Director of the nationally renowned California Conservatory of the Arts (CCA) and also a founding Director of The Orange County High School of the Arts (OCHSA) where he served as Vice President and Artistic Director for fifteen years. Mr. Green has staged and directed over 150 Musical and Theatrical productions for professional, community and educational theatre and has worked with such stars as Carol Burnett, Debbie Reynolds, John Raitt, Betty Garrett, Julie Wilson, Stephanie Zimbalist and Cathy Rigby. He has written, staged and directed the nationally acclaimed FASHION ISLAND TREE LIGHTING for nine years. His new musical "How The Nurse Feels" (Book/Lyrics) has had numerous staged readings in Los Angeles and New York and was selected to participate in the prestigious Disney/ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop under the direction of Stephen Schwartz held at The Walt Disney Studios in Los Angeles. He has served on the Board of Directors for the International Network of Performing and Visual Arts Schools, serves on the Membership Committee of The National Alliance of Musical Theatre (NAMT) and on the Executive Board of The Joyful Child Foundation. In addition, Mr. Green served as the Artistic Director for the California State Department of Education’s Distinguished School/ Blue Ribbon School Awards for the past ten years. Mr. Green has produced seven television specials for PBS television and written book and lyrics for stage productions both nationally and internationally including a national tour of a new musical, “Around the World in Eighty Days”, for Columbia Artists Festivals. His performing group, THE KIDS NEXT DOOR, has received national acclaim, appearing throughout the United States on both stage and television and headlining in both Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada. As an educator, Mr. Green’s alumni are currently starring on Broadway and Film and Television including Susan Egan (Tony-Award nominated for Disney’s Broadway Beauty and the Beast, Triumph of Love and Cabaret), Stephanie Block (star of Broadway’s Wicked, The Boy From Oz, The Pirate Queen and Nine To Five), Allison Mack (WB television’s Smallville), Matthew Morrison (Star of Fox-Television's GLEE and Tony-nominated star of Broadway’s Light In The Piazza and South Pacific), Kamilah Martin (star of Broadway’s Rent, currently touring with Bette Midler), Anneliese VanDerPol (Disney television’s That’s So Raven and Broadway’s Beauty and The Beast and Vanities), Terron Brooks (star of Broadway’s Lion King and NBC television movie The Temptations.), Lindsay Mendez (co-star of Broadway’s Grease) and Krysta Rodriguez (star of Broadway’s A Chorus Line,Spring Awakening, In The Heights and The Addams Family opening this spring)., to name a few. Mr. Green served as resident Director of the internationally acclaimed YOUNG AMERICANS before joining the OCHSA in 1987. |
 MUSICAL THEATRE UNIVERSITY is the home to several unique programs created and developed by MTU Founder David Green including:
THE MTU NATIONAL YOUTH SUMMER STOCK A five-week, intensive Summer Stock experience for talented Musical Theatre performers (ages 14-24), selected by audition from all parts of this nation, culminating in four fully-staged, professionally-produced musicals. THE BROADWAY EXPERIENCE A one-week educational experience held annually in New York City. Participants attend Master Classes with Broadway Professionals, attend Broadway Shows and perform their own fully staged production at New World Stages, a premiere Off-Broadway venue. THE NEW WORKS PROJECT Unique to Musical Theatre University, participants have the opportunity to work “hands on” with celebrated and up-and-coming Broadway writers and composers in the development of new material --- from individual songs to complete shows. Selected projects are presented in staged readings, workshops and/or fully produced productions. THE KIDS NEXT DOOR Celebrating 27 years, THE KIDS NEXT DOOR is the most renowned song and dance troupe on the West Coast. Alumni of THE KIDS NEXT DOOR include Broadway’s Susan Egan, Stephanie Block, Lindsay Mendez and Krysta Rodriguez and Film and Television stars Matt Morrison, Allison Mack, Anneliese VanDerPol and Columbus Short. MTU'S CLUB BROADWAY A two-week summer Musical Theatre camp for young performers, ages 5-13. For more information on these special projects go to the PRODUCTIONS page. |
MTU Mission
The Musical Theatre University (MTU) is the most intensive and comprehensive, pre-professional training ground in the arts for talented young people, grades six through twelve, from throughout Orange and San Diego Counties. Designed for young people who believe they will pursue a career in musical theatre, the MTU gives them the necessary tools and techniques for a successful entry in both institutions of higher education and/or directly in to the professional arts industry.
MTU is committed to nurturing a small, family environment, always placing arts first. Students are selected by audition and must display an above average level of talent in their chosen course of study, and demonstrate the strong potential for growth. There are a limited number of openings each year to ensure a small, intensive environment with a commitment to offering the highest level of instruction and performance opportunities to every student.
MTU is a registered non-profit arts education organization, and students from both public and private arenas are eligible for audition and acceptance into the program.
MTU faculty consists of professional artist-teachers who are currently working in their respective fields, giving the students unique "real-world" experience and hands-on instruction, Guest artists and Master teachers of renown, on both a local and national level, supplement the core instruction on a regular basis. On-site workshops, master classes, auditions, evaluations, and portfolio reviews are an integral part of the core of the instructional program.
In addition to their studies, students of MTU, have the opportunity to participate in professional-level, fully staged musical theatre, dance, and theatre productions as well as media exhibitions throughout the year. Specialized performance groups represent MTU in concert and for conventions, special events, charitable organizations and trade shows, as invited, throughout the nation.
MTU is committed to nurturing a small, family environment, always placing arts first. Students are selected by audition and must display an above average level of talent in their chosen course of study, and demonstrate the strong potential for growth. There are a limited number of openings each year to ensure a small, intensive environment with a commitment to offering the highest level of instruction and performance opportunities to every student.
MTU is a registered non-profit arts education organization, and students from both public and private arenas are eligible for audition and acceptance into the program.
MTU faculty consists of professional artist-teachers who are currently working in their respective fields, giving the students unique "real-world" experience and hands-on instruction, Guest artists and Master teachers of renown, on both a local and national level, supplement the core instruction on a regular basis. On-site workshops, master classes, auditions, evaluations, and portfolio reviews are an integral part of the core of the instructional program.
In addition to their studies, students of MTU, have the opportunity to participate in professional-level, fully staged musical theatre, dance, and theatre productions as well as media exhibitions throughout the year. Specialized performance groups represent MTU in concert and for conventions, special events, charitable organizations and trade shows, as invited, throughout the nation.
