Actors' Playhouse to Host YOUNG TALENT, BIG DREAMS Finals Saturday, May 14

Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, together with presenting sponsor, The Children's Trust, will culminate the 12th annual season of Young Talent Big Dreams, the most widespread local youth talent contest in Miami-Dade County history, with final competitions for student performers ages 8-17.

Finals take place at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre on Saturday, May 14, at 7 p.m. The finals are also open to the public, and tickets are available for $5 at the Actors' Playhouse box office, 305.444.9293, and www.actorsplayhouse.org.

The competition features a total of six individual categories including pop/rock/rap vocals, musical theatre/jazz standards/classical vocals, dance, musical instrument, original spoken word and original vocal and/or instrumental composition. Categories for groups of six or fewer members include dance, musical instrument/bands and vocal groups. Hundreds of contestants attended the six auditions held over the past three months at venues in distinct neighborhoods throughout the county. Participation was free but limited to residents of Miami-Dade County. In each category, participants compete for prizes that range from cash awards and performance opportunities to performing arts scholarships sponsored by SouthState Bank, Coral Gables Community Foundation, and the Coral Gables Rotary Club.

The grand prize winner will receive $500 in cash provided by Actors' Playhouse, and four tickets to Universal Orlando along with a hotel stay for two nights courtesy of WSVN 7News.

Finals take place before a live audience. Each act was allotted up to one minute during their audition performance and will be given two minutes for the final-round performance. Contestants in each performance category from each audition location competed in the semifinals, and up to five acts in each individual category and up to three acts in each group category advanced to the finals. A winner in each category and an overall winner will ultimately be selected.

Young Talent Big Dreams is modeled after reality TV talent shows that offer similar opportunities to contestants through a series of auditions, performances and professional mentoring. Judges include a host of local celebrities and professionals from Miami's performing arts community; this year's finals judges are David Arisco, artistic director, Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre; Howard Cohen, features writer, the Miami Herald; Natalie Lewis-Schere, co-founder and executive director, PATH; and Herman Payne, Miami City Ballet Resident Faculty & Adjunct Professor at the New World School of the Arts, University of Florida and Miami-Dade Colleges.

For more information, visit www.actorsplayhouse.org. To learn more about The Children's Trust, please visit www.TheChildrensTrust.org.

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