National Music Theater Competition Auditions Underway

The first National Association of Teachers of Singing National Music Theater Competition (NMTC) is progressing toward  the semifinal and final rounds, which will take place this summer at the NATS 52nd National Conference in Orlando, FL.

The NMTC is the first national competition for music theater artists and is the first time NATS has created an additional national level artist competition since the formation of the NATS Artist Awards in 1955. IT is unique in that it is aimed at the emerging music theater artist.

 

Last week auditions were held in New York City.  NATS would like to thank everyone who auditioned for making this first National Music Theater Competition such a strong one. “The singing was strong as well as the acting and the judges were impressed with the overall level of talent,” said Allen Henderson, Executive Director of NATS.

The contestants who were selected to move to the next round of the competition are:

  • Billy Marshall
  • Darcy Yellin
  • David Johnson
  • Leanna McGiboney
  • Linedy Genao
  • Michael Maliakel

Alternates are:

  • Britany Caughell
  • Jim Hogan

Thank you to the judges for the New York auditions:

  • Duncan Stewart of Duncan Stewart Casting--Duncan currently casts for all versions of Chicago in production around the world, does a lot of casting for Royal Caribbean and is currently casting Pippin for its return to Broadway.
  • Jim Daly is an agent with the BLOC Agency here in NYC.
  • Frank Schiro teaches and coaches at NYU as well as at a number of other places and is leaving next week to teach and coach music theater in China.
  • Paul Johnson was our accompanist and is with CAP21.

Applicants were given the option to audition online or live at one of three locations in Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles.  Singers who make it to the finals must prepare a 20 minute program of music theater repertoire that shows the breadth of their talent.  Unlike most music theater auditions that require singers to prepare 16 or 32 bar excerpts, this competition requires them to prepare entire selections and show themselves to be a complete performer. Singers are competing more than $10,000 in cash and prizes offered to the top three contestants.

MNTC sponsors include Hal Leonard Corporation, Stage Door Access, and ArtsApp.