Three Young Maltese Performers Selected For Prestigious New York All-Stars Programme

Three young Maltese performers have been selected to take part in the prestigious JTF International All-Stars Programme 2026 in New York City.
Students of Hoi Polloi Academy (HPA), Emily Georgea Dimech, Erika Bonello, and Laura Cardona earned this honour after being nominated and auditioning during the Junior Theatre Festival Europe 2025 in Birmingham, where HPA was also awarded the Achievement in Dance Award for their performance of Shrek JR.
As international All-Stars, the students will travel to New York City in January 2026, where they will rehearse a new musical theatre piece created by Broadway’s iTheatrics team.
Here, they’ll work as an ensemble with other top students from around the world through MTI’s Travel Gang programme. They’ll watch Broadway shows, attend a Broadway masterclass, and immerse themselves in professional theatre practice.
And finally, they’ll take the performance to JTF Atlanta, the world’s largest youth musical theatre festival, and perform it on the main stage.
“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Marco Calleja, Artistic Director of HPA. “To have three of our students selected is just overwhelming. They’ll be representing HPA, Malta, and everything we believe in – creativity, collaboration, and growth.”
Hoi Polloi Academy is currently exploring sponsorship opportunities to support this exciting journey, which includes travel, accommodation, and participation fees for the selected students and their chaperones.
For sponsorships or to learn more, email [email protected] or call +356 9915 2535.