ABC Discovers Announces 16th Annual Los Angeles Talent Showcase

ABC Talent and Casting presented the 2017 ABC Discovers: Los Angeles Talent Showcase at the El Portal Theatre for the Performing Arts in North Hollywood, California. Part of Disney|ABC Television Group's ongoing commitment to create opportunities for undiscovered talent, the showcase featured actors performing original one-act scenes to an audience of entertainment professionals. Following the Showcase, actors were awarded a prestigious mentorship from the ABC Casting department.

Ayo Davis, senior vice president, Talent and Casting, ABC Entertainment, said, "The Talent Showcase provides emerging actors an incredible opportunity to connect with a team of top industry professionals for mentorship and support to further develop their craft and auditioning skills. We are, once again, working with a terrific group of actors who all have the potential to be the next breakout star."

This year's performers included Anisha Adusumilli (Toledo, Ohio), Tristan Bailey (Charlotte, North Carolina), Enisha Brewster (Long Island, New York), Lincoln A. Castellanos (Indio, California), Jake Choi (Queens, New York), Kunal Dudheker (Huntington Beach, California), J. Michael Evans (Haverford, Pennsylvania), Lauren Gaw (Houston, Texas), Lucy Keith (Los Angeles, California), Olivia Liang (Diamond Bar, California), Dawan Owens (Baltimore, Maryland), Kelsey Packwood (Seattle, Washington), Marissa Strickland (Los Angeles, California) and Rahjul Young (Lansdowne, Pennsylvania).
The actors performed scenes written by Nina Rose Carlin (Manhasset, New York), David L. Kimple (Merritt Island, Florida), Joe McQuillen (New Richmond, Wisconsin), Serah Pope (Portland, Oregon), Ian Quinlan (Queens, New York), Nick Schober (Los Angeles, California) and Kenneth Yovanovic (New York, New York, and Los Angeles, California).

This year's scenes are directed by creative director Sue Hamilton (Los Angeles, California), Eli Gonda (Los Angeles, California), Stefanie Black (Allentown, Pennsylvania) and Rebecca Murga (Chicago, Illinois).
The ABC Discovers: Talent Showcase is a rigorous audition and rehearsal process in which ABC casting executives work with the actors to put on a one-night live performance, industry-only event attended by producers, agents, casting directors and entertainment executives. To date, 40 Talent Showcases in Los Angeles and New York have been produced, and ABC Talent and Casting has mentored 552 actors.

Past participants have successfully navigated the entertainment industry to become some of the most notable stars of this generation, including Academy Award®-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o of "12 Years a Slave"; Gina Rodriguez, 2015 Golden Globe Winner for Best Actress in a Comedy, "Jane the Virgin"; Chadwick Boseman of "Black Panther" and Randall Park of "Fresh Off the Boat," among many others.

ABC Discovers is a series of landmark initiatives created by ABC Talent and Casting that identify, develop and mentor talent from around the world through programs such as the Talent Showcase, Digital Talent Competition, Global Talent Initiative, Actor Audition Workshop Week and the High School Initiative.

Disney|ABC Television Group's commitment to discovering and nurturing diverse talent is exemplified through many different programs including the Disney|ABC Writing Program, Disney|ABC/DGA Directing Program and National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) Writing Workshop. Many of the actors selected were submitted through showcase partners SAG-AFTRA, Actor's Equity Association and Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, as well as theatre companies and organizations throughout the country.

Photo credit: ABC/Gregory Zabilski

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