Pittsburgh Musical Theater Welcomes New Conservatory Director

PITTSBURGH - Sept. 21, 2016 - PRLog -- Pittsburgh Musical Theater (PMT), a professional theater company and multi-disciplinary theater academy, welcomed Jennifer Lybarger as their new Conservatory Director.

Lybarger, who has been involved in PMT since 1992, celebrates 24 years with Pittsburgh's best theater program in the city. PMT is in its 25^th year of operation, speaking volumes to the longevity of both Lybarger and the company.

"This position means everything to me. I was a PMT kid when I was a teenager. The best parts of my childhood were spent learning theater and doing shows with the people who were to become the best friends that I have to this day.  The scholarship I received allowed me to train and go on to receive a scholarship to Point Park. I was so fortunate to go on to have a ten-year career in New York and on tour as an actress, but like I tell anyone who will listen; having my name on a marquee in New York didn't mean 1/10 as much as seeing the words Conservatory Director next to my name on my business card," said Lybarger.

The conservatory offers a comprehensive curriculum to students ranging from 4 to 18 years old. The variation of programs spans the globe, giving students basic theater fundamentals, dance, singing, and acting classes all the way up to full scale producing, script writing, and set design.

The most intensive program, Pre-college, runs Monday thru Friday. Students attend a half-day at traditional school and train at PMT the remainder of the afternoon, and into the early evening.

"It is so much more than just a school, or a world class training program for musical theater.  It is a place where no child is ever turned away because of their family's financial situation. It is the place where lifelong friendships begin, where a young child from the community sees a live performance for the first time AND gets to meet the actors who were up there playing their favorite fairy tale and storybook characters. It lets budding young directors, designers, playwrights and choreographers get their feet wet under the mentorship of some of the local theater communities top professionals," said Lybarger.

She will continue her initiative to bolster enrollment and provide the most relevant experience for the students of The Conservatory program, while promoting strong theater roots into the community. As the company continues its exponential growth, Lybarger is firmly rooted in her belief that The Conservatory changes lives in the process.

"Theater gives students a place to feel safe and at home. To express themselves in ways that they may not be able to at the school environments they attend.  To find their "tribe" of people that give them the strength and confidence to try new things and grow to their full potential. The friends who will support them throughout their lives.", said Lybarger

For more information on The Conservatory program, visit www.pittsburghmusicals.com