NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation 2010
DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO CATCH A RISING STAR!
The search is on for Broadway's next undiscovered sensation! The contest, now in its fifth year, showcases the bravest of performers to an audience of fans and theatre legends alike to discover the stars of tomorrow and give them their big break today.
Over three exciting weekly concerts, ten singers battle their way to the top for the ultimate prize: their very own solo concert, co-presented by NYMF and Grammy Award-winning producer Sh-K-Boom Records, as well as a private coaching session with renowned vocal coach Liz Caplan. Their fate will be decided by audience votes, so don’t miss your chance to launch a star! A panel of industry pros will also be on hand each week to offer feedback and advice, turning the competition into a once-in-a-lifetime master class.
This year's competition is directed by Eric Louie and musically directed by Xander Rovang.
ROUND 2: Emerging Songwriters
The 6 contestants moving on to Round 2 are...
Sally Eidman, Rony Goffer, Brooke Ishibashi, Jon-Michael Reese, Aaron Riesebeck, and Hannah Whitney!
Hosting the second round this year is the "Perez Hilton of Broadway," blogger Randy Rainbow. He'll be joined by celebrity judges Adam Kantor (Rent), Jen Bender (Resident Director of The Lion King), Carmel Dean (Music Director of American Idiot), and Liz Caplan. Audiences can also expect a guest performance by Adam Gwon (Ordinary Days) and Tituss Burgess (The Little Mermaid).
NNBS contestants have gone on to appear in numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, including American Idiot, Hair, West Side Story, South Pacific, and many more. Who will NYMF’s Next Broadway Sensation be?
WHERE: New World Stages
WHEN: Sundays during the Festival - September 26, October 3, and October 10
Doors open at 9:30pm, competition begins at 9:45pm
TICKETS: $10 - click here to purchase!
2010 NNBS CONTESTANTS:
Sally Eidman is a recent grad of Northwestern University and is fresh off the plane from Illinois. She's psyched to be here in NYC and excited for the adventures ahead. Past credits include Mrs. Noyes in Not Wanted on the Voyage, Lucille in Parade, and Bunny in The House of Blue Leaves. Love and endless thanks to her beautiful family and friends.
Rony Goffer is originally from Israel. She is an alumna of Beit-Zvi, Israel’s foremost school for musical theater. Favorite roles on the Israeli stage include: Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida (Amneris), A Chorus Line (Sheila), Fame the Musical (Miss Sherman), and Oedipus: Trial of the Gods (Jokasta). In New York, she has appeared in the Queens Players' Hamlet (Gertrude). She is a recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Scholarship.
Brooke Ishibashi is a Southern California native and graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, where she played The Nurse in Michael John LaChiusa's Hello Again. NY: Happy Sunshine Kung Fu Flower (The Zipper/Ars Nova/Comix- Darren Katz, dir.), Saturnalia (Music Theatre Group- Daniel Fish, dir., Diane Wondisford, prod.), I Don <3 U Ne Mor (York Theatre). Regional: A Chorus Line (Diana Morales), The Wiz (Dorothy), Twelfth Night (Viola). TV: Bass Grabbers (Tribeca Enterprises/BudTV), The College Humor Show (MTV) and numerous voiceovers. Recent winner of The Stonewall Sensation competition. Brooke also co-developed AKIKO, an original sketch character, and performs throughout New York City. Visit www.youtube.com/akikorox for more information.
Travis Morin is thrilled to be a part of this amazing opportunity that is NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation! Last spring he made his cabaret debut in his first ever one man show Someone Like Me: A rock show minus the moshpit at the Duplex. Some of Travis' main credits include the Philly and Washington D.C. productions of Altar Boyz as Luke. He was recently seen in ReVision Theatre's production of Tommy as Captain Walker. You can also find Travis hosting an open mic night every Monday night in Astoria at Mix Cafe & Lounge. Thanks to NYMF, and to Ralph and Rex always! www.Travis-Morin.com
Samara Oster is thrilled to be competing amongst such a talented crowd at NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation! She is from Brookline, MA and is currently a sophomore at Harvard College. Samara has been performing musical theatre for as long as she can remember -- highlight roles include Rose (Bye Bye Birdie), Ella (Bells are Ringing) and Shelley (Bat Boy). In concert settings, she has performed with Celine Dion, Nathan Lane, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. She has trained with NYU Steinhardt's Vocal Performance department, as well as with Broadway Artists Alliance. Most recently, Samara performed the role of Tinkerbell in the Equity Reading of the new musical Pan, directed by Rent and In the Heights producer Jeffrey Seller. In addition to musical theatre, she has been a jazz singer since high school. Love and thanks to my family and friends!
Jon-Michael Reese is a (kind of) recent grad of Carnegie Mellon University. Favorite roles include Paul in when last we flew at this year's Fringe Festival, Matt in The Fantasticks at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Boy Willie in The Piano Lesson at CMU. Very grateful to be belting for strangers: one of his favorite pastimes. Big ups to his parents and God.
Aaron Riesebeck is thrilled to be competing for the title of NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation! Aaron recently graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. International Tours: Academy the Musical (Pete). Regional Credits: High School Musical 2 (Troy). Thanks to The Mine, AEA and everyone involved in this competition. Love to Mom, Dad, Stef, Christina and Holden.
Jonathan Shew is a New York City native and recent "Music Industry" graduate of Syracuse University. He attended the prestigious La Guardia High School of Music & Arts and the Performing Arts in New York City, where he earned the role of Tony in West Side Story his senior year. During his sophomore and junior years, he was privileged to sing back-up for Josh Groban in the New York area. In October, 2008, Jonathan was named as one of four winners of a singing contest held by Jason Robert Brown and got to perform "King of the World" at the famous Birdland Jazz Club, accompanied by Jason Robert Brown himself. He has been fortunate to work with the writing duo, Thomson and Mann, and took part in their Songbook Series at Lincoln Center last October. He recently worked with Norwegian Cruise Lines as a production cast singer and just finished working on FRAT: A New Musical at the Kennedy Center. Jonathan is thrilled to be taking part this year in NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation!
Tonette Smith - Singing in Church Cantata Choirs, Worship Ensembles, Outreach Bands and in the studio with others, this small-sized yet big voiced soprano has a sound that is rich and soulful with energy and passion that evokes a response. Having traveled and ministered within our Tri-State Region for several years with Richard Smith and Friends in venues as small as the County Jail, she’s also performed at venues as large as the Jazz at Lincoln Center. Tonette is now writing inspirational songs, as well as taking a shot at becoming a Broadway sensation!
Hannah Whitney is finishing up her rounds at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Hailing from CAP21, she's had the good fortune of being in some traditional shows, (Bye Bye Birdie as Mrs. McAfee and in Hello Again as The Young Wife) - and some less traditional ones (Pink Floyd's The Wall as a featured dancer, and as Christine Chubbuck in the premiere production of a new musical, Reporting Live.) Hannah is always proud and excited to be involved in any showcase of new talent and new works, and this is no exception!
Sponsored by Sh-K-Boom and TheaterMania, in association with New World Stages.
Additional support provided by Roy Arias Studios
