NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation
NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation (NNBS) is a performance contest designed to identify talented young musical theater performers and give them vital industry exposure.
Proudly supported by The ASCAP Foundation, New World Stages and Broadwayworld.com
NEW YORK, NY (October 15, 2012) – Alexis Fishman has been chosen the winner of The7th Annual NYMF Next Broadway Sensation (NBS) Over 200 people auditioned for NYMF’s Next Broadway Sensation.
Australian Alexis Fishman is a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (Hugh Jackman’s Alma Mater), Alexis comes to New York from Australia with an extensive list of credits. She originated the role of Mary O’Brien in the world premiere of Dusty - The original pop Diva and was nominated for a Helpmann Award (Australia’s Tony Equivalent). Other favorites include Spiderwoman in Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Troupers for the Sydney Theatre Company. Her New York credits include The Hatpin for NYMF 2008 and Faultlines for Ruffled Feathers. Alexis is also the creator and star of Der Gelbe Stern, co-written by James Millar, which debuted at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2011 followed by an Australian tour.
The eight finalists for NYMF’s Next Broadway Sensation were: Daniel Belnavis, Max Chernin, Joel Dommel, Alexis Fishman, Adam Kaplan, Charlotte Munson, Shannon O'Boyle, and Josephine Spada.
Lindsay Mendez(Godspell, Dogfight) hosted the NBS heats in which the eight finalists were selected and Karen Mason(Mamma Mia!, Sunset Boulevard) hosted the Grand Finale on October 12th.
The finalists were chosen from a mix of audience votes, online votes at BroadwayWorld.com, and a panel of industry judges that included Tony nominated actors Celia Keenan-Bolger (Peter and the Starcatcher) and Tony Sheldon (Priscilla Queen of The Dessert), composer Ryan Scott Oliver (35mm), casting director Michael Cassara and ASCAP's Director of Musical Theatre Michael Kerker.
Judges at the grand finale included producer Ken Davenport (Godspell), composer Lucy Simon (The Secret Garden) and actress Donna Lynne Champlin (Billy Elliot).
The winner of Next Broadway Sensation gets a solo concert produced by NYMF and Sh-K-Boom Records, as well as performance opportunities throughout the 2013 Festival season.
And a big thanks to those that sang their hearts out and made this years competition one of the toughest yet!
About NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation (NBS)
NYMF held an open call this past week for Season 7 of our Next Broadway Sensation contest. Based on the level of talent that turned out, this year's competition is going to be fierce!
Nearly 200 people turned out to compete for the title of NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation, and we've narrowed the field to 20 semifinalists. Over several rounds of competition during the next month, the winner will be chosen from a mix of audience votes, online votes at BroadwayWorld.com, and a panel of industry judges. Already confirmed to be part of the judging panel are Tony®-nominated performers Celia Keenan-Bolger and Tony Sheldon, composer Ryan Scott Oliver, casting director Michael Cassara, ASCAP's Director of Musical Theatre Michael Kerker, producer Ken Davenport... and more to be announced!
In addition to the proverbial crown (and the chance to say "I'm a sensation" with no irony whatsoever), the winner gets a solo concert produced by NYMF and Sh-K-Boom Records, as well as performance opportunities throughout the 2013 Festival season.
The journey begins with an audition open to anyone 18+ who has not yet performed on Broadway. Over two days, a panel of industry professionals will oversees auditions and will select 20 entrants to take part in NYMF's 8th annual Next Broadway Sensation Series (NNBS).
Those selected will be invited to perform at one of two heats where judges this year will include Tony® nominated performers Celia Keenan-Bolger and Tony Sheldon, composer Ryan Scott Oliver, Casting Director Michael Cassara, The Director of Musical Theatre at ASCAP Michael Kerker, Producer Ken Davenport and many more — Judges provide each contestant with detailed feedback and constructive advice and will be asked to select 2 winners from each heat who will move on to the Grand Final. An additional 2 performers (4 total from each heat), will also be selected to move on to the Grand Final. One will be selected by votes from the live audience at each heat and the other will be selected by voting as polled on Broadwayworld.com, where every stage of the competition is aired on the internet.
The winner of this years series will be awarded a solo showcase concert at a well known live music venue in New York, which is produced by NYMF and Grammy Award winning producer Sh-K-Boom Records, and promoted by Broadwayworld. The concert will see them paired with a professional Music Director and Director to stage their show. The winner will also receive other performance opportunities throughout the year at various NYMF events as part of the 10th annual Festival in 2013!
In an exciting first, the 8 Grand Finalists this year will be asked to return the week following their heat, to take part in a special concert produced by NYMF and The ASCAP Foundation in which all 8 finalists will be paired with prominent ASCAP Music Theatre Composers to perform songs by the composers, who will also be on hand to discuss their work. The lineup for this exceptional night of entertainment will include John Bucchino, Adam Gwon, Ryan Scott Oliver, Daniel Mate, Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond and the evening will be hosted by Grammy® and Oscar® winning composer Stephen Schwartz!
The following week, winners will take part in the NNBS Grand Final event, where one lucky winner will be selected as the 2012 Next Broadway Sensation.
A well-known musical theater performer hosts the NNBS series. Past hosts have included: Andrea McArdle, Kate Shindle, Susan Blackwell, and Diana DeGarmo.
Alums of the contest have subsequently appeared on Broadway in the casts of South Pacific, American Idiot, West Side Story, and Hair.
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