Metropolitan Room Announces MetroStar Talent Challenge

New York's Metropolitan Room is accepting applications for this year's 2012 "MetroStar Talent Challenge" through June 30. The jury and audience-voted, elimination-round singers competition runs for seven consecutive Mondays, from July 9 through August 20. Marissa Mulder is the current MetroStar.

Open to solo singers and vocal duos of all ages, backgrounds and styles that have not played a major engagement at The Metropolitan Room, "MetroStar" offers a career-boosting package of prizes and professional encouragements including a fully produced primetime Met Room engagement and live recording. (The club invites prominent professionals and artists to collaborate with the winner.) The two runner-ups open for the winner and receive demo recordings of their appearances.

Marissa Mulder, last summer's fourth annual "MetroStar Talent Challenge" winner, drew adoring notices in her major engagement at the club in March. Writing in The New York Times, Stephen Holden called her "an engagingly sunny cabaret singer… [who] has a voice with a bounce and a twinkle."

This year, the acclaimed singer, actor and director Eric Michael Gillett joins the contest's permanent jury, which includescabaret writer Roy Sander (the chairman), the critic Rob Lester and the Metropolitan Room's booking manager Tanya Holt. Sander and Lester have served on the permanent jury from the beginning. After the contest's three weeks of trials (July 9, 16, 23), the permanent jurors are joined by different weekly guest jurors, drawn from the media, theatre and cabaret. Tom Gamblin returns for his third season as the contest's onstage host. In addition to Gamblin and Holt, the contest's producers include Joseph Macchia.

To apply, performers must submit an application accompanied by a CD or recording (either by mail or via e-mail). For details and downloadable application form, visit www.metropolitanroom.com

"MetroStar" encourages singers to present well-rounded stage performances in which creativity, innovation and authenticity are prized over vocal fireworks.

The 2012 MetroStar Talent Challenge, the fifth annual edition, takes place on seven consecutive Mondays from July 9 to August 20. All shows are all at 7pm; the cover charge for all shows is $20, with a two-drink minimum. Hailed as "the best of New York's smaller clubs" by The New York Times, the Nightlife, MAC and Bistro Award-winning Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, celebrated its sixth anniversary this month. For reservations call 212/206-0440 or to order online visitwww.metropolitanroom.com