NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation Competition Auditions Held Today, 9/20

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) announced details for its 2012 NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation Competition (NNBS). The singing competition returns for its seventh year and will take place at New World Stages (340 W. 50th Street).

Produced by NYMF in association with Broadwayworld.com and New World Stages, with support from the ASCAP Foundation's Irving Caesar Trust, this talent competition seeks to find the newest musical theatre star. The winner of the competition will receive a special solo concert, co-presented by NYMF and Grammy Award-winning producer Sh-K-Boom Records.

In a new addition to the program this year, NYMF will also partner with the ASCAP Foundation to present a Showcase Concert, hosted by multi-award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz and featuring all eight NNBS finalists performing the work of up-and-coming musical theatre composers. Following their selection as finalists, each performer will be paired with a composer or composing team with whom they will collaborate to select and prepare a song for the Showcase the following week.

A panel of industry professionals will preside over two days of auditions and will select 20 entrants to take part in the competition. Ten contestants will perform at each of two competition heats, with four performers selected from each evening to move on to the Grand Final. Two finalists from each night will be selected by a panel of industry judges, with two additional finalists chosen from live audience votes and from online votes at BroadwayWorld.com (where every stage of the competition will also be aired).

This year's judges include Tony-nominated performer Celia Keenan-Bolger, composer Ryan Scott Oliver, casting director Michael Cassara, ASCAP's Director of Musical Theater Michael Kerker, producer Ken Davenport, and others still to be announced. In addition to casting votes, the judging panel will offer live performance advice to the contestants. Alexander Rovang serves as musical director for the competition.

The contest schedule is as follows (all events are at New World Stages):

AUDITIONS (Open Call): TODAY, September 20th at 10am
Auditions are open to singers aged 18 and over who have Broadway flair but no Broadway credits. Potential "Broadway Sensations" should prepare 16 bars from two contrasting songs that best demonstrate their vocal chops. An accompanist will be provided, but aspiring sensations need to bring sheet music, headshots and resumes.

CALL BACKS: Friday, September 21st

NEXT BROADWAY SENSATION HEAT 1: Friday, September 28 at 11pm (doors open at 10:30pm)

NEXT BROADWAY SENSATION HEAT 2: Saturday, September 29 at 11pm (doors open at 10:30pm)

NYMF-ASCAP SHOWCASE CONCERT hosted by Stephen Schwartz: Friday, October 5th at 9pm

NEXT BROADWAY SENSATION GRAND FINALE: Friday, October 12 at 11pm (doors open at 10:30)

Tickets for all events are $10 in advance and $15 at the door, and can be booked online at www.nymf.org or by calling (212) 352-0255

Now in its ninth year, the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) is the largest annual musical theatre event in America and is widely regarded as the essential source for new material and talent discovery. NYMF provides a launching pad for the next generation of musicals and their creators to ensure the continued vitality of one of America's greatest art forms. Hailed as the "Sundance of Musical Theatre," NYMF discovers, nurtures, and promotes promising musical theatre artists and producers at all stages of development, and inspires a diverse audience through vibrant, accessible, powerful new work.