Thespians B'way Challenge Offers Trip To Broadway Dreams Summer Intensive

"Thespians" (The Movie), a documentary that features high school theatre talent, has partnered with the nation's premier not-for-profit Broadway training organization, Broadway Dreams Foundation, to offer a summer contest, Thespians Broadway Challenge. The contest grand prize winner will win an all expenses paid trip to Philadelphia, Pa., from August 1-7, 2011, for the Broadway Dreams Summer Intensive to learn from and perform with Broadway stars.

To enter the Thespians Broadway Challenge, anyone age 13 years or older can upload a video to the ThespiansTheMovie Facebook page up to 90 seconds in length performing either (1) a monologue, (2) dancing, or (3) singing. Uploading and voting will start June 15, 2011 and last until July 15, 2011, at 11:59 p.m. Each video will have the opportunity to receive votes for an "encore." The top 20 videos with the most votes will move into an "encore" stage and be adjudicated by three representatives from Broadway Dreams Foundation. These judges will determine the top four prize winners.

Fourth place winner will receive a screening of "Thespians" (The Movie) with 100 of their closest friends followed by a Q&A with the director, Warren Skeels; 3rd place winner will receive a 30 minute Skype chat with lyricist and composer of "Altar Boyz," Michael Patrick Walker; 2nd place winner will receive a 30 minute Skype chat with theatrical musical casting director, Rachel Hoffman, whose credits include "Rent," "Wicked," "The Color Purple," and "Hairspray." The 1st place "Grand Prize" winner will receive an all expenses paid trip for a Summer Intensive Workshop at Broadway Dreams Foundation in Philadelphia, Pa., from August 1-7, 2011. Winners will be announced in a special video posting on ThespiansTheMovie Facebook page on July 22, 2011.

"This is an exciting way for us to create a wonderful opportunity for some talented artists and bring awareness to a small film like ours in the process," said Skeels, the director of "Thespians," an award-winning documentary that highlights the impact of theatre arts on students. Matt Soergel of the Florida Times-Union called it "A flat out triumph," while Broadway Dreams Foundation executive director, Annette Tanner, considers it, "One of the most heartfelt wonderful movies I have seen." Tanner is equally excited about the contest and the partnership. "A contest like this helps expand the awareness of the opportunities that our organization presents for participants to train and perform with Broadway stars," Tanner said.

Visit facebook.com/thespiansthemovie for complete details about the rules and regulations and to watch the Thespians Broadway Challenge video. To learn more about the Broadway Dreams Foundation visit mybroadwaydreams.com.

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