Musical Theatre Academy Orange County’s origin began in 1984 in Irvine, California. The foundation for what was to become MTAOC started as a children’s choral program known as the Rainbow Singers under the direction of MTAOC’s founding Board Member, Margie King. As part of the Yamaha Music Education Center, the group was a valued part of the community dedicated to developing every child’s talent, confidence and potential through performing arts exposure. Over the next ten years, the group expanded from just providing a choral curriculum into teaching and producing full-scale musical-theatre productions. In 1994 the Yamaha Music Education Center sold the franchise and the group was faced with a decision; continue on its own, or let the program go. The decision was simple. With no financial backing, a group of committed parents with Margie at the forefront secured MTAOC as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and proceeded to make history. Since then, MTAOC has provided life-skill development training through the musical theatre arts to almost 4000 children and young people ages four to eighteen throughout the Orange County and Southern California region. MTAOC has inspired their students to challenge their fears, and develop their natural