NYMF Announces Three Finalists for 'Next Broadway Sensation,' Groff, Sheik, Case And Cornman To Judge

The final round of NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation will take place starting at 9:30pm this Sunday, October 4th at New World Stages, with Susan Blackwell ([title of show]) hosting. The panel of judges this week includes Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening), Kacie Sheik (Hair), Allison Case (Hair), and Vice President of Sh-K-Boom Records Noah Cornman. The three finalists for NYMF's " Next Broadway Sensation" are Nathan Brisby, Lyle Colby Mackston and Cassie Wooley. 

As previously announced, New York Musical Theatre Festival's "Next Broadway Sensation," formerly known as "Broadway Idol," returns for its fourth year. Produced by NYMF and sponsored by TheaterMania and DFD TV in association with New World Stages and The Network, this talent competition seeks to find the newest musical theatre star. The winner will receive a special solo concert, co-presented by NYMF and Sh-K-Boom Records, as well as a featured track on an upcoming Stage Stars accompaniment album. This year's competition features Christopher D. Littlefield as musical director with NYMF Senior Associate Producer Eric Louie as director.

Last year's winner, Shawna Hamic beat out nine other contestants in this 3-week event for the title of NYMF's ‘Next Broadway Sensation 2008.' Details of her upcoming prize concert will be announced shortly. In previous years the competition has featured the talents of Jennifer Sanchez (West Side Story), George Psomas (South Pacific), Alysha Umphress (the upcoming American Idiot, Make Me a Song), Jeff McClean (Legally Blonde National Tour), and DeMond Nason (Walmartopia) amongst many others. Two of this year's contestants have already been cast in NYMF productions - Lyle Mackston will be appearing in Academy while Zak Resnick will have a leading role in The Cure.

NYMF is the flagship program of National Music Theater Network, Inc., a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization. NYMF 2009 is presented in association with BroadwayWorld.com, Production Resource Group and TheaterMania.com, and is supported by Back Stage, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, BroadwayBox.com, BroadwayInsider.com, Broadway.TV, Clear Channel Spectacolor, DFD-TV, Frank & Camille's Fine Pianos, King Displays, Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, New World Stages, NASDAQ OMX, Next Magazine, PMD Promotions, Queerty.com, Reuters, Sweet Caroline's, Tekserve, TheMenEvent.com, The Tank, and Times Square Squared. Major supporters include The ASCAP Foundation, BMI Foundation, Inc., The Broadway League, The BWF Foundation, The Nathan Cummings Foundation with the support and encouragement of Jamie Mayer, The Charlie & Jane Fink Charitable Fund, The Rodgers & Hammerstein Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Theater League. NYMF is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. NYMF's programs are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Tickets to individual festival events are now on sale. NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, are also available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org.