NSAL Has Announced Musical Theatre Competition Applications

The National Society of Arts and Letters Florida East Coast Chapter recently unveiled their new website (www.nsalfloridaeast.org) featuring the 2020 competition and scholarship applications. This year's key National competition is in musical theatre and local applicants can apply now for a chance to win $2,000 plus an all-expense paid trip to Chicago to compete for a $15,000 first prize. Additionally, applications are now open for a Piano and Strings Duo competition along with the Naomi Rabb Winston 2-D Art Scholarship and the Shirley Rabb Winston Classical Voice scholarship. All criteria, rules and application deadlines are on the website.

""NSAL is an outstanding organization that champions young performers through scholarships, competitions and mentoring," explained Judi Asselta, President. "Throughout the year, our chapter offers a variety of opportunities for local emerging stars to be noticed by acclaimed artists, win monetary awards and advance to national competitions, which have been the springboard to success for many famous performers. This year, National spotlight competition is musical theatre, and we are very hopeful about our prospects as locally we have a very robust theatre community."

Applications for the local musical theatre competition are due March 9, 2020. The local competition, in front an esteemed panel of judges, will be held on March 21, 2020 starting at 9am at Amarnick-Goldstein Hall at Lynn University in Boca Raton. This event is being chaired by Marcie Gorman, Producing Artistic Director & CEO of MNM Theatre Company and Shari Upbin, acclaimed director and producer.

"This is a fabulous opportunity for a young local talent to make their mark on the national stage," said Marcie Gorman. "Performing in Chicago will provide a chance to shine in front of the musical theatre community and be mentored by notables in the genre."

Applications for the local competition are due by March 9, 2020. Applicants must prepare two vocal selections from stated categories, in addition to a monologue. Prizes will be awarded for 3rd place of $750, $1,000 for 2nd place and $2,000 for 1st place, plus an all-expense paid trip to Chicago from May 20-24 to compete at Nationals.

"We are looking forward to an entertaining and thrilling competition this March," said Shari Upbin. "The winners will be chosen that day, and then Marcie and I will begin working with the first-place winner to perfect their performance for Nationals."

The National Society of Arts and Letters has discovered an array of stars including actress Shirley MacLaine, opera singer Jessye Norman, Broadway great Megan Hilty. NSAL Florida East Coast Chapter has added to the list of international notables by discovering opera singer Nadine Sierra, an NSAL local and national winner in 2008. Raised in Fort Lauderdale, Sierra has gone on to global acclaim with innumerable standing ovations at famed houses including La Scala and The Met. This local chapter also discovered opera singer, Jeffrey Buchman, National First Place winner in 1997 who has gone on to be one of the country's premier operatic directors.

Currently, the local chapter's website features several other scholarships and competitions, with all details and deadlines on the website. In addition, The Florida East Coast chapter partners with several South Florida universities including Lynn University and Conservatory; Florida Atlantic University; New World School of the Arts and University of Miami Frost School of Music to award annual scholarships to deserving students in various artistic disciplines.

Each year, the local chapter awards scholarships and honors competition winners at The Star Maker Awards. This fundraising event will be held on April 19, 2020 at 6pm at The Wick Theatre in Boca Raton and will also honor the legendary performer Avery Sommers. Tickets are $250 per person at www.nsalfloridaeast.org