NYMF Kicks Off 2013 Next Broadway Sensation Competition Tonight; Sets 2014 Next Link Deadline

The 2013 NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation Competition returns for its eighth year and will take place at New World Stages (340 W. 50th Street) beginning tonight, September 27th.

NYMF held open auditions last week for Season 8 of the annual talent contest. Nearly 200 hopefuls turned out to compete for the title of NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation, and the field has been narrowed down to 20 semifinalists, who will compete in two heats at New World Stages.

This year's judges include Tony Award winning actress Beth Leavel, casting director Michael Cassara, ASCAP's Director of Musical Theater Michael Kerker, Tony Award winning producer Jamie Cesa, agent Di Glazer and composer Ryan Scott Oliver. In addition to casting votes, the judging panel will offer live performance advice to the contestants.

Tickets for all events are only $10 in advance and $15 at the door, and can be booked online at www.nymf.org or by calling (212) 352-0255.

Heat 1: Friday, Sept 27 at 11pm

features Stewart Alden, Isaac Benelli, Jane Bruce, Gina Cucci, Angela Jeffries, Kara Lewis, Damian Norfleet, Celeste Rose, Lincoln Ward, and Noah Zachary.

Heat 2: Saturday, Sept 28 at 11pm

features Anthony Chatmon, Joseph DePietro, Andrea Enright, Ben Holtzman, Bruce Landry, Erica Lustig, Susanna Rizzo, Deena Sydney, Jacob Watson, Brook Wood.

NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation 2013: Grand Finale: Friday, Oct 11 at 11pm:

Eight finalists compete for the title of NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation.

Produced by NYMF in association with BroadwayWorld.com and New World Stages, with support from the ASCAP Foundation's Irving Caesar Trust, this talent competition seeks to find the newest musical theatre star. The winner of the competition will receive a special solo concert, co-presented by NYMF and Grammy Award-winning producer Sh-K-Boom Records, as well as a photographic package courtesy of Seth Walters Photo and Video.

In addition to the program this year, NYMF will also partner with the ASCAP Foundation to present a Showcase Concert featuring all eight NNBS finalists performing the works of prolific musical theatre composers. Following their selection as finalists, each performer will be paired with a composer or composing team with whom they will collaborate to select and prepare a song for the Showcase the following week. Composers appearing at the concert will include John Bucchino, Adam Gwon, Ryan Scott Oliver, Georgia Stitt and Michael Patrick Walker, along with song-writing duos Kait Kerrigan / Brian Lowdermilk, Michael Kooman / Christopher Dimond and Nathan Tysen / Christopher Miller.

NEXT BROADWAY SENSATION/ASCAP Foundation SHOWCASE CONCERT: Thursday, October 10th at 7pm

Tickets for all events are $10 in advance and $15 at the door, and can be booked online at www.nymf.org or by calling (212) 352-0255.

Early Bird Deadline for submissions to NYMF's Next Link Project is October 3rd.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) is currently accepting submissions for their 2014 Next Link Project. Submissions will be accepted throughFriday, November 1st. Those who submit materials by Thursday, October 3rd will receive an "early bird discount" of $20 off the standard $75 application fee. The New York Musical Theatre Festival's eleventh annual festival will run July 7 - July 27, 2014. For more Next Link Project info and submission guidelines, visit www.nymf.org.

Past Next Link Productions at the New York Musical Theatre Festival have included: Fat Camp, Yank!, Flight of the Lawn Chair Man, Frog Kiss, and F*cking Hipsters!

The Next Link Project is NYMF's primary writer service program. It empowers emerging musical theatre writing teams by providing entrepreneurial training, career networking opportunities, dramaturgical support, and other services, culminating in a subsidized production in the Festival. In 2014, NYMF will accept 10 shows into the Next Link Project.

Next Link Project participants receive the following benefits:

- A subsidized production slot at NYMF 2014 (including savings in production fees, and discounted technical and marketing support)

- Dramaturgical support

- Seminars and workshops geared toward helping them successfully prepare, present, and promote their NYMF production

- Access to exclusive industry networking events

Authors submitting to The Next Link Project need to provide a demo recording of at least 75% of their songs, a 2 page synopsis of the show, a 15-page script sample (15 consecutive pages, including lyrics for at least one songs), a complete script, and, if applicable, proof of rights to adapt underlying material. You may submit your show if you are a writer with or without representation, as long as the show has not received a professional New York production. Scripts should be ready for developmental production and the widespread exposure that NYMF provides. All entries undergo double-blind evaluations by several members of NYMF's reading team, with finalists referred to a Grand Jury of leading theater artists and producers. To submit your, visit: http://nymf.org/submitashow.