With an award from the Michael Jordan and Jordan Brands Foundations, VTC presents a new works festival, Illuminating New Voices. VTC’s production of Passing Strange draws the attention of Tony Award winning writer Stew, and is named one of the top 15 shows of 2023 by NJ Arts. VTC receives capacity building grants from the NJ Cultural Trust and the Hyde Foundation.

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill

Spring Awakening

Illuminating New Voices

Passing Strange

A Chorus Line (EDU)

Wonderland: Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure (EDU)

The Spitfire Grill

VTC joins the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Theater Alliance and participates in its campaign to safely return to in person programming. Janeece Freeman Clark is a Tony Award nominee for Excellence in Education. Expanded programming includes a full and critically acclaimed Mainstage Season, regular drag shows and performances at Montclair Pride. VTC’s production of Rent is named one of the top 15 shows of 2022 by NJ Arts.  After a 9 month process, VTC adopts a five year strategic plan.

Rent

Drag Show

A Portrait of Ray

Seussical Jr. (EDU)

Into the Woods (EDU)

Broadway on Bloomfield

Next to Normal

VTC opens its new Montclair space, intentionally located in the Fourth Ward of Montclair. The location is in the heart of what has historically been the lowest income and most BIPOC neighborhood in an active and diverse town. VTC immediately begins partnering with local restaurants, civic groups, and the Business Improvement District to connect with area residents and become a home for the community, including the Montclair African American Heritage Foundation, Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation, and Our Montclair.

Songs for A New World

Shrek (EDU)

Little Women (EDU)

Zombie Prom (EDU)

James and the Giant Peach Jr. (EDU)

MLK Celebration

On March 1, VTC signs a lease for a home of its own in Montclair, NJ. On March 12, Broadway shuts down and the nation goes into quarantine. VTC uses the quarantine to renovate what was the Old Mogul Theater. In order to keep its students engaged, VTC begins remote programming and creates the VTC Next program to train the next generation of composers, lyricists, and backstage artists.

Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret (EDU)

For the Love of Charlie Brown (EDU)

The Wiz of Oz (EDU)

Spring Awakening (EDU)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (EDU)

VTC begins to actively look for a space to build a theater, while continuing to create programming in rented spaces in Northern NJ and Off Broadway NY theaters. VTC adds a kids Day Camp to its summer programming, and expands its partnerships to include Covenant House, NJ.

Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret (EDU)

Spring Awakening (EDU)

The Little Mermaid (EDU)

Little Shop of Horrors (EDU)

Jungle Book/VTCkids (EDU)

A Little Princess (EDU)

Runaways (EDU)

Runaways in Concert: A Benefit Concert for Covenant House (EDU)

In Conversation with Jeremy Harris

The Lion King Kids (EDU)

NJ Pride Annual Drag Show

VTC creates the DREAM VTC program, to tie artistic performance to activism, and tours teen productions of Children's Letters to God to Nassan’s Place (serving children with autism) and the Senior Home for the Actor’s Fund. VTC expands its community partnerships to include Montclair Film, Everytown for Gun Safety, and NJ Pride.

Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret (EDU)

Heathers (EDU)

Thirteen (EDU)

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (EDU)

Children's Letters to God (EDU)

Two Gentlemen of Verona (EDU)

Sing for Our Lives - A Benefit Concert for Everytown for Gun Safety (EDU)

Tropes, Types, and Tokenism in Film and on Broadway - A Collaboration with Montclair Film

Everything is Fine Until It's Not: A Collaboration with Montclair Film for Autism Awareness Month

NJ Pride Annual Drag Show

VTC expands its mentorship and pre-professional training by founding a summerstock sleepaway camp. It continues excellent professional programming with Memphis the Musical at the Westminster Arts Center, and a mixed professional and community production of The Music Man in Concert.

Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret (EDU)

"The Music Man in Concert" in a partnership with The Theater at SOMS (EDU)

Memphis The Musical

Carrie the Musical (EDU)

Into the Woods (EDU)

NJ Pride Annual Drag Show

VTC holds its first Board of Directors retreat and plans for its first Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret, pairing Broadway performers with aspiring professionals, in one-on-one relationships that culminate in a one night only cabaret. VTC begins its hallmark practice of amplifying social issues through the arts by partnering with civil rights community groups for an encore performance of A Portrait of Ray.

First Inaugural Broadway Buddy Mentorship Cabaret (EDU)

Fright Nights (EDU)

Janeece Freeman Clark and Daryl Stewart Co-Found Vanguard Theater Company and incorporate it as a not for profit corporation.

A Portrait of Ray

Hairspray