NYMF Announces Six Semifinalists for NYMFs 'Next Broadway Sensation,' Kate Shindle to Host Round 2

The first round of auditions for NYMF's Next Broadway sensation took place last Sunday night at New World Stages, with the live audience and the panel of judges, Bailey Hanks, Orfeh (Legally Blonde) and Marc Kudisch (9 to 5) selecting five finalists with a sixth finalist chosen by online voters who were able to see all of the performance at Theatermania.com thanks to DFD TV.

Kate Shindle will host round two taking place Sunday, September, 20th at 9:30 at New World Stages and in the judges' seats this week will be Donna Lynne Champlin (Sweeney Todd, Billy Elliot), Alex Gemignani (Sweeney Todd) and Paul Scott Goodman (Rooms). The six potential "Broadway Sensations" will be singing songs this week from Broadway's next generation composers and lyricists including: Matt Gould, Daniel Maté, Chris Miller & Nathan Tysen, J. Oconer Navarro, Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond and Ryan Scott Oliver. This week will also offer sneak peeks of upcoming NYMF shows My Illustrious Wasteland and Gay Bride of Frankenstein starring Jonathan B. Wright (Spring Awakening).

Moving on to round two will be Nathan Brisby, Nkrumah Gatling, Zak Resnick, Lyle Colby Mackston, Cassie Wooley and voted to return this week is Lisa Marie Gargione. 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's Next Broadway Sensation is an initiative to search for Broadway's next undiscovered star. The contest, now in its fourth year, exposes the bravest of performers to an audience of fans and musical theatre legends alike. As singers compete to win their very own solo concert, the public make the vote that will decide the winner. The event takes place at New World Stages, Sept 20, and Oct 4; doors open at 9pm, show begins at 9:30pm. Tickets are $10.

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.