NYMF's 4th Annual 'Next Broadway Sensation' Competition Begins 9/13, Open Auditions Held 8/29

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 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.

Diana DeGarmo, "American Idol" (Season 3) runner-up, now in The Toxic Avenger at New World Stages, will serve as host for the competition's first round on September 13; celebrity hosts for the semifinals on September 20 and the Broadway Sensation October 4 finale will be announced shortly. Confirmed judges include Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, upcoming film Taking Woodstock), Bailey Hanks and Orfeh (Legally Blonde), composer/lyricist Paul Scott Goodman (Rooms), Kacie Sheik and Allison Case (Hair), and record producer Noah Cornman of Sh-k-boom Records... With more to be announced. This year's competition features Christopher D. Littlefield as musical director with NYMF Senior Associate Producer Eric Louie as director.

Open auditions will be held on Saturday, August 29th from 10am to 7pm at Roy Arias Theatre Center (300 West 43rd Street/5th floor). Callbacks will be held on Sunday, August 30th from 3pm to 9pm. NYMF's "Next Broadway Sensation" is open to singers aged 18 and over who have tons of Broadway flair but no Broadway credits. Potential ‘Broadway Sensations' should prepare 16 bars of the show tune that best demonstrates their vocal chops and attend the open auditions on August 29th. An accompanist will be provided, but aspiring sensations need to bring sheet music, headshots and resumes.

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.' 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.

This year's competition will be held at New World Stages on September 13th, 20th and October 4th at 9:30pm and will also feature preview performances for the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival. For more information, visit www.nymf.org.

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, 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 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, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Tickets to individual festival events are now on sale to NYMF Members and will go on sale to the general public on September 1. NYMF Memberships, which combine charitable contributions with valuable, flexible ticket packages and perks like early seating, are currently available for purchase at (212) 352-3101 or www.nymf.org.