The online and Chicago audition rounds of The first National Association of Teachers of Singing National Music Theater Competition (NMTC) are complete!

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. Singers are competing more than $10,000 in cash and prizes offered to the top three contestants.

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.

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

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

• John Haas
• Alison Morooney
• Jacob Watson
• Chelsea Davidson
• Brad Frenette
• Ronna Mansfield

Auditions were held in Chicago on May 25, 2012.  NATS extends thank yous to everyone who auditioned. “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:

• Matthew Edquist
• Colleen Longo
• Case Nafziger
• Mikki Sodergren
• Heather Hussey
• Amanda Horvath

Alternates are:

• Maddy LaRoche
• Harter Clingman

Thank you to the judges for the Chicago auditions:

Melissa Foster who teaches music theater voice at Northwestern University is also a professional studio vocalist, with recordings on the RCA, Sire, and Universal Records labels.  She is also an active voice teacher in Chicago and New York as well as music director for the North Central College Summer Music Theater Program, and artist and facilitator for the Music Integration Program with the Chicago Public Schools and The Music Institute of Chicago.  Foster¹s past positions have been conductor/associate conductor for several major choral groups, including the Women's Chorus at North Park University and Cantores Minores Chicago, one of the nation¹s outstanding boy choirs.  Foster has presented master classes at the Summer Vocal Institute, FAME Arts Camp, Broadway Bound, IMEA, NHSI Summer Workshop Programs, and the MYA Summer Opera and Music Theater Workshop.  In 2005, she was a guest vocal coach for a production in the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

Sam Samuelson - Aside from co-owning The Wilmette Theatre, Sam is an agent for Film, Television and Theatre at Stewart Talent and established Stewart Talent in New York. Prior to the life as a theatre owner and an agent, Sam was an actor. He has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in National and International Tours and Regionally. He is the first recipient of the Young Alumni Award for Excellence in the Entertainment Industry from The University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music .Sam has lectured and taught at Northwestern University, Carnegie-Mellon University, The Hilberry Repertory at Wayne State University, Loyola University Chicago, Roosevelt University, DePaul University, The University of Cincinnati, The
University of Massachusetts's and other Universities in the Chicago area.

Andy Hite began his affiliation with the Marriott Theatre as an actor in 2000. Two years later he joined the artistic team as Assistant to the Artistic Director, and is now ecstatic to hold the position of Artistic Director. As Artistic Director he has had the pleasure to oversee 2008¹s critically acclaimed Les Misérables which won the Joseph Jefferson award for Best Musical Production. Other highlights include Footloose, Oliver, Into the Woods, Shenandoah, The Full Monty, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Hairspray, and Fiddler on the Roof all to audience and critical acclaim. Prior to joining the Marriott Theatre, Andy enjoyed an award winning acting career in Chicago and was fortunate to be able to work with companies such as Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, Northlight Theatre, The Auditorium Theatre and, of course, the Marriott Theatre.  Mr. Hite also teaches acting and audition workshops for musical theatre.

Dan Stetzel was our accompanist and teaches and coaches at Roosevelt University in Chicago.