Erica Lustig Brings THIS IS 30 to 54 Below Tonight
54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, and The New York Musical Theatre Festival(NYMF) will proudly present the winner of the 2013 "NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation," Erica Lustig, in a special one-night-only concert tonight, March 11, 2014. The talented Florida native took the competition by storm when she walked away as the winner of this highly competitive program, which has become not only a highlight of the NYMF season, but a New York musical theatre tradition among those in the know.
In her NYC cabaret debut, Erica presents "This is 30," the musical tale of a girl with the eating habits of a toddler, the backaches of an old-timer, and the spirit of a teenager, who has unexpectedly found herself trapped in the body of a 30-year-old. In this intimate evening full of wit, heart, comedy (and of course, fierce belting), Lustig will venture on a lighthearted journey featuring some pop favorites, jazz and Broadway tunes, as well as a few special self-penned originals. Whether you've yet to hit your 30th year or you're long past, you'll want to laugh along with this incredible talent!
Joining Erica will be Jacob Watson, the grand finalist of NYMF'S Next Broadway Sensation competition, who will share a few songs inspired by the move to his dream home, New York City.
Also sharing the stage will be music director Andrew David Sotomayor with band members David White (bass) and Hiroyuki Matsuura (drums), as well as back-up vocalists Amber Hurst-Martin, Khadijah Rolle, and Candice Corbin.
Erica Lustig in "This is 30" plays at 54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on March 11, 2014 at 9:30 pm. There is a $25-$35 cover charge and $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at http://54below.com/artist/erica-lustig/. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 pm are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.
Erica is the 2013 winner of the NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation Competition. Prior to competition, Erica was last seen touring internationally with "Hair" the musical. She has been seen Off-Broadway in "National Pastime" and "Odyssey." Other favorite credits include Audrey in "Little Shop of Horrors," Hermia in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and Columbia in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." When not performing in shows, Erica works in piano bars around NYC. She is very excited to make her New York City cabaret debut with "This is 30"! For more info: www.EricaSings.com.
NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation (NNBS) combines singing competition and master class to discover the stars of tomorrow and give them their big break today. While receiving coaching from some of musical theatre's leading artists and hottest emerging writers, performers compete to claim the ultimate prize: their very own solo concert produced by NYMF.
Contestants have gone on to appear in numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, including American Idiot, Dogfight, F#%king Up Everything, Hair, Les Miserables, South Pacific, West Side Story, and more.
NNBS auditions are open to any adult performer who has not yet appeared on Broadway. From hundreds of auditioners, twenty contestants are chosen to compete in a series of performance heats, singing for a live audience and a panel of industry judges who provide guidance and feedback to the contestants. Past celebrity judges have included Jonathan Groff, Marc Shaiman, Tom Kitt, Andrea McArdle, Lucy Simon, and Gavin Creel, among others.
The contestants' performances are also featured online at BroadwayWorld.com, allowing them to reach a far broader fan base, which is especially important as online votes and live votes together determine the winners of each round in the competition.
After the contestants are whittled down to a smaller group of Grand Finalists, each performer is assigned a mentor from among the most prominent new theatre composers. Then, working directly with those writers, the Finalists perform a special showcase concert sponsored by the ASCAP Foundation.
After one final round of competition, a contestant is crowned NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation and begins planning his or her personal showcase concert, to be held several months later at Broadway's hotspot, 54 Below!
54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is the new performance venue in the grand tradition of New York City nightlife. A few blocks from the heart of Times Square and just below the legendary Studio 54, 54 BELOW is a classically designed state-of-the art nightclub in the theatre district that hosts audiences with warmth and style. The venue provides a food and beverage menu from early evening through the wee hours of the morning that is worthy of the world-class entertainment on the stage. Located at 254 West 54th Street, 54 BELOW features up to three shows nightly with cover charges ranging from $15-$95.
