ABC Talent & Cast to Present 2015 LOS ANGELES TALENT SHOWCASE

ABC Talent and Casting will present the 2015 ABC Discovers: Los Angeles Talent Showcase, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10th at the El Portal Theatre for the Performing Arts in North Hollywood, California. Part of Disney | ABC Television Group's ongoing commitment to create opportunity for diverse talent, the live performance will feature actors performing original one-act scenes to an audience of entertainment professionals.

Keli Lee, Executive Vice President, Talent and Casting, ABC Entertainment said, "For 14 years the Showcase has given diverse artists of various backgrounds a platform to spotlight their abilities. We're thrilled they will get to share their gifts again with an audience of industry professionals and creative visionaries in Los Angeles and New York who have the power to bring their talents to much wider audiences."

This year's talented performers include: Sam Adegoke (Lagos, Nigeria), John Berchtold (Mays Landing, New Jersey), Stephen Chang (Los Gatos, California), Andrea Cortés (New York City, New York), Claudia Doumit (Sydney, Australia), Ali Ghandour (Azusa, California), Anita Kalathara (White Plains, New York), Hillary Anne Matthews (Orinda, California), Santina Muha (Toms River, New Jersey), VyVy Nguyen (Anaheim, California), Sol Rodriguez (Argentina), Kevin Sifuentes (Dallas, Texas), Dhruv Uday Singh (Mumbai, India), and Nathaniel Stroud (Miami, Florida).

The actors will perform scenes written by Giles Clarke (Longwood, Florida), Joseph P. Gerbino (West Palm Beach, Florida), Joe McQuillen (New Richmond, Wisconsin), Mike Revenaugh (Utica, New York), Ari Scott (Northport, New York) and Jude Weng (San Francisco, California).

This year's scenes are directed by Creative Director Sue Hamilton (Los Angeles, California),
Jaffar Mahmood (Toms River, New Jersey), and Jude Weng (San Francisco, California).

Now in its 14th year, ABC Discovers: Talent Showcase in Los Angeles and New York continues to serve as a launching pad for discovering new talent, 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 "42," Randall Park of "Fresh Off The Boat," Cornelius Smith, Jr. of "Scandal," Pedro Pascal of "Narcos," Jesse Williams of "Grey's Anatomy," and "Dancing with the Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba. The 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, where more than 400 producers, agents, casting directors and entertainment executives attend. Following the Showcase, ABC Casting continues to champion and work with the actors throughout the next year by providing mentorship and acting opportunities on television. To date, 36 Talent Showcases in Los Angeles and New York have been produced, and ABC Casting has mentored nearly 500 actors.

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

The Disney | ABC Television Group's commitment to discovering and nurturing diverse talent is exemplified through many different programs, including ABC Discovers: Talent Showcase, Disney/ABC Writing Program, Disney/ABC/DGA Directing Program, The Production Associates 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.

Image courtesy of ABC