#searchforatwitterstar, the online talent competition being run by the Twitter phenomenon @westendproducer, is being brought to the West End stage. With hundreds of entries to the talent search via Youtube and Twitter, 10 Finalists - five male and five female - will battle it out in a live final to become a potential Leading Lady and Leading Man of the West End, at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, today 9th July.
“I was so impressed with some of the talent coming through #searchforatwitterstar,” explains Producer Tony Green “and feeling our industry is poorly represented by the current run of TV talent shows, I decided it was time to give our 'stagey' wannabes the opportunity to show us what they have; in the right environment that will enable their talent to really shine through.”
And in a world first, every one of the 900 seats will be a 'Tweet seat', and the audience will be positively encouraged to Tweet their feedback on the contestants’ performance throughout the evening. The audience will then vote for the winning Leading Lady and Leading Man
by voting for their favourite via Twitter.
The contestants will also be judged by a panel of respected West End Musical Theatre experts including West End Leading?Lady and Wicked star Louise Dearman, West End & TV Musical Director Mike Dixon, West End Agent GEMMA LOWY-HAMILTON, and West End Casting Director Anne Vosser.
The competition will be attended by the normally elusive @westendproducer, who, in his imitable style, will provide his own view on the contestants and give live commentary throughout the event (whilst getting savagely sloshed on Dom and cuddling his Valjean Teddy of course).
The West End first started buzzing about the identity of who wrote the Twitter account @westendproducer last November. He appeared very knowledgeable and claimed to know secrets behind London's biggest musical shows. @westendproducer delighted in dropping heavy hints that he is in fact Sir Cameron Mackintosh, the impresario responsible for such international hits as Cats, Miss Saigon, Oliver! and The Phantom of the Opera. And much has been made of the producer's fondness for vintage Dom Perignon champagne.
Sir Cameron?Mackintosh said:?“Not only is impersonation the highest form of flattery, but the fact that someone thinks I am technically savvy enough to Tweet (dear) is a big compliment!".
Six months on, @westendproducer has has still not been unmasked and now has more than 15,000 followers.
“This is a very serious talent search - to find genuine and new theatre talent," said @westendproducer. “It will also be a marvellous evening, and a world-first; an entire tweeting show. I'll drink to that! #dear”
Producer, Tony Green, is reuniting the creative team behind the recent sold-out all-star Children of Eden gala concert at the Prince of?Wales Theatre - Director Drew Baker, Musical Supervisor James?Draisey, and Production Designer Ben M Rogers.
Tickets from £25.00 at www.nimaxtheatres.com or 0870 890 1103.
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