Broadway/San Diego Announces the 2016 Ben Vereen Awards Competition, 5/29

Broadway/San Diego has announced the 2016 Ben Vereen Awards®, a San Diego high school musical theatre competition on May 29th in which twenty nominated San Diego County High School Students will compete - ultimately sending two talented students to The National High School Musical Theatre Awards® in New York this June. The San Diego Ben Vereen Awards® is sponsored by San Diego County Credit Union® and this year, 24 San Diego County high schools are participating with 26 performances being adjudicated between the Fall and Spring semesters.

Performances are currently being scored in a competitive Tony® Awards style adjudication process, to find the very best of high school musical theater talent in San Diego County, to present these talented young performers with a unique scholarship opportunity to advance their educations and careers in the genre of musical theater.

Leading up to the awards, nominees will take part in a week-long intensive consisting of individual coachings on competition songs for the BVA contestants from the students in the SDSU Master of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Program, a workshop from the cast of the National Touring Production of "Newsies," and an exclusive workshop for BVA contestants led by Ben Vereen himself.

Categories this year include:

Best Actor

Best Actress

Best Musical Production

Student Health Initiative Essay Contest

Best Drama Teacher

The legendary stage and screen entertainer, Ben Vereen will attend the event and present this year's new category, the Student Health Initiative Essay Contest. All San Diego County high school students were invited to enter their essays entitled "The Moment I Changed My Life for the Better." The focus of the essay is on key topics of obesity, diabetes, low self-esteem or bullying, and was submitted in either written or video formats.

Upon confirming his involvement, Vereen said, "I am so pleased to be working with Broadway/San Diego and the community again this year on something that's dear to my heart; helping our young people to change their life for the better through the performing arts".

Vereen will also co-host a pre-show VIP meet-n-greet prior to the May 29th competition. "I'm hoping that the national high school champions will come from MY region, and look forward to supporting their journey," said Vereen.

The San Diego high school competition of The Ben Vereen Awards® will be held at the Historic Balboa Theatre in Downtown San Diego on Sunday, May 29th. It will include twenty leading female and male nominees, along with awarding Best Musical, Best Drama Teacher and the top 5 Best Essay winners.

The winning Best Actor and Best Actress performers will be flown to New York for a week of intensive training before they compete in the national finals, The National High School Musical Theatre Awards®, on a Broadway stage for $10,000 toward a college scholarship on Monday, June 27, 2016.

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WHEN: San Diego Ben Vereen Awards

Sunday, May 29th at 6pm

WHERE: Historic Balboa Theatre - 868 Fourth Avenue @ E Street

WEBSITE: www.benvereenawards.com

TICKETS: Balboa Theatre box office, Ticketmaster, and online at www.benvereenawards.com

$15 Student Admission

$35 General Admission

$75 Includes Competition & a Pre-show VIP Reception