This uplifting documentary shares the joyous experiences of high school musical theatre students, while singing the praises of a performance arts education. -Denise Castillon, Suite 101.com

MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS

USA 2010 / 95min.
Director Matthew D. Kallis. Producers Christopher Lockhart, Matthew D. Kallis.

Fans of TV3 Show "Glee" will find the warm-hearted musical documentary, MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS, equally infectious.

Across the USA, high school sports are regularly lavished with funding, publicity and scholarships, while theatre departments struggle to put on the school musical hoping for some attention of their own. It’s no different in the sports crazy Lehigh Valley, except for the Freddy Awards, a live television event that recognizes excellence in local high school musical theatre.

Illustrating that arts education encourages the same teamwork, camaraderie and confidence as sports, MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS follows three theatre troupes on their creative journey to the elaborate award ceremony — the Super Bowl of high school musical theatre.

Director Kallis’s first documentary feature conveys his personal passion for school-based art programs demonstrating arts education in action. The filmmaker laments, that “when school budgets shrink, the first thing that gets cut is the arts.” In the face of shrinking budgets, schools and communities must band together to preserve and nurture arts education.

The film reminds us why the performing arts must remain vital in the lives of young people.