Auditions Announced for 10 Year Anniversary of LA's NEXT GREAT STAGE STAR, 12/13

Executive Producers Michael Sterling of Michael Sterling Publicity and Production (www.msapr.net). and Barbara Van Orden (www.barbaravanorden.com) have announced that vocal auditions for the 10 year Anniversary of LA's Next Great Stage Star® will be held Sunday, December 13, 2015. "Our annual auditions in search of 10 men and 10 women between 18 and 32 years of age, is highly anticipated by the hierarchy of those associated with the business of presenting Broadway musical theatre in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California," said Sterling. "We couldn't be more grateful to our professional colleagues and select corporate entities for their consistent support of Stage Star since its inception," added Van Orden.

For her 5th year - actress, concert headliner, author, businesswoman, and arts philanthropist Barbara Van Orden joins Sterling as Co-Executive Producer by gifting LA's Next Great Stage Star® with the Barbara Van Orden Grant which provides invaluable financial assistance for production of the annual competition. Sterling went on to say, "They don't make people like Barbara Van Orden anymore. Without her passion for live performance and her dedication and loyalty to young hopefuls who dream about having a professional career in the arts, we simply couldn't exist to the extent of which we do."

Los Angeles musical theatre and television performer/writer/director/producer Peter Welkin (www.peterwelkin.com) returns for his 4th year as Associate Producer, with James Lent set as Musical Director for his 7th consecutive season (www.jameslent.com) Broadway and Television performer/choreographers Joe Giamalva (www.jagcoproductions.com) and Susie Ewing; and Los Angeles Ovation Award winning Choreographer Lee Martino have been set to stage two production numbers for the competition.

Interested talent may call Michael Sterling Publicity and Production at (818) 623-7300 to request an audition appointment. Auditions are by appointment only and will be scheduled between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. at the Performing Arts Center Sunday, December 13, 2015 (www.performingartscenter.net) located at 7735 North Sepulveda Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91406. A musical accompanist will be provided.

Having premiered in late 2006 with its first winner (Merissa Haddad) chosen in early 2007, LA's Next Great Stage Star® is the only known such competition on the west coast and will be presented for its very first time on the main stage of the distinguished NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood's trendy NoHo Arts District. LA's Next Great Stage Star® 2016 will be presented as a series of five Sunday evening events: January 3 - 31; with its Grand Finale to be presented Monday evening - February 8, 2016.

Loosely patterned after "an audition process", LA's Next Great Stage Star® is geared to discovering new talent for the musical theatre stage. As has become the standard, 20 contestants will be selected from auditions to compete for the 2016 title, a substantial cash award, a paid headlining engagement at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal during the New Year, theatrical agency representation, and other valuable, first-time-ever prizes. Additionally, top competitors will also receive cash prizes and audition opportunities by Southern California musical theatre producers, directors and casting directors.

Contestants selected from auditions to compete in the competition are subject to a one time entry fee of $600.

Contestants will compete at each competition with no eliminations until the Grand Finale on February 8th. Following the final completive performances by all 20 contestants on that date, the winner and a group of 4 to 5 top finalists will be determined based on cumulative votes received at each competitive event. As a direct result of LA's Next Great Stage Star®, more than half of the annual competition's overall 180 contestants to date have been cast in top regional musical theatre and theatre shows, Las Vegas musical theatre productions, major cruise line production shows, and network television shows; while 14 have made either their Broadway and/or Off-Broadway debuts; or are appearing in Broadway U.S. National Tours. An average of 50% of "all" contestants in each year's edition of LA's Next Great Stage Star® are signed by the competition's musical theatre agent/judges.

The 2016 competition will once again be judged by a live audience and an overall nearly two dozen member panel of LA musical theatre's most dynamic creatives forces. Panels have.. included such entities and individuals as the Center Theatre Group at the Los Angeles Music Center (Ahmanson and Mark Taper Theatres); Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and 3D Theatricals of Orange County; Cabrillo Music Theatre/Thousand Oaks, CA, Musical Theatre West/Long Beach, CA., Performance Riverside, Riverside, CA; Casting Directors Michael Donovan, Peter Matyas, Amy Lieberman, Michael Serna, K.C. Gussler; Directors Cate Caplin, T.J. Dawson, David Galligan, Joshua Finkel, James Mellon, Todd Nielsen, Larry Raben, Calvin Remsberg, Michael Matthews, Kristin Towers Rowles, and Robert Marra; and Equity Theatrical Agencies such as Stage 9/DDO, Connor/Ankrum, ABT Talent, Kazarian/Meaures/Ruskin & Associates, Daniel Hoff, and Brady, Brannon & Rich. Judges will give a live critique to each contestant at every competition. Judges and audience members will vote on vocal and acting ability, stage presence and personality.

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