In May of 2025, something marvelous happened, and I missed it. Theatrical license company Music Theatre International (MTI) launched an initiative it calls Broadway Senior. The idea is that MTI has adapted (read: shortened) a collection of popular Broadway musicals so that they can be performed by older adults. Tempos, keys, and production resources have been adjusted to make the musical productions more accessible and comfortable to senior citizen performers. The Broadway Senior catalog is intended for existing community theaters, retirement communities, senior centers, and other social groups that cater to the elderly.

Groups who acquire the license to perform one of these shortened shows get everything they need to do the production, including scripts, performance tracks, rehearsal tracks, and a production guide detailing easy-to-manage set designs, costumes, and other production notes. Available shows include such gems as Singin’ in the Rain, The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, and Fiddler on the Roof.

“MTI is grateful to our authors and rights holders of these Broadway Senior musicals who have embraced our vision for ensuring theater is accessible to all, always. We are fortunate to offer a variety of classic Senior musicals that have each become part of the fabric of our culture and reflect a wide spectrum of human experiences and emotions. Broadway Senior is a program that puts older adults center stage. It empowers people to not simply experience theater as an audience member or a volunteer — but to be the creators, the singers, and the storytellers. We are thrilled to see these shows performed by older adults on stages all around the world as we help build community, one Broadway Senior musical at a time.” -Drew Cohen, president and CEO of MTI for Playbill

You can learn more about this marvelous program on the MTI website and on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.