Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, together with presenting sponsor, The Children’s Trust, announce the fourth annual launch of Young Talent Big Dreams, the most widespread local youth talent contest in Miami-Dade. Kids between the ages of 8-17 will compete for prizes ranging from performing arts scholarships to cash awards and performance opportunities, to tickets to local attractions and theatres. The countywide competition begins on Feb. 15th, with preliminary auditions that will take place through April 6th at four local theatres, and concludes with the semifinals on April 26th and 27th and finals on May 3rd. The competition will feature a total of six individual categories including; pop/rock/rap vocals, musical theatre/jazz standards/classical vocals, dance, musical instrument, original spoken word and original vocal and/or instrumental composition, and group categories of six or less members including; dance, musical instrumental and rock/pop/jazz bands with vocals. Participation is free of charge and limited to residents of Miami-Dade County.
Seven preliminary auditions will take place in diverse locations throughout Miami-Dade, including the Miracle Theater, Betty T. Ferguson Recreation Complex, South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center and the Little Haiti Cultural Center. Participants may compete in one individual and one group category only, and those who pre-register will be given priority audition times.
“It’s exciting to see competition alumni progress to nationally televised competitions or when they become accepted into performance conservatories at Alvin Ailey and other places, but even more gratifying is when children who don’t win on the first or even second try keep coming back undeterred,” said Charles Auslander, CEO of The Children’s Trust. “This says a lot about the nurturing environment we have tried to create with Actors’ Playhouse to inspire this kind of perseverance and confidence.”
Young Talent Big Dreams is modeled after the many reality TV talent shows that have gained popularity in recent years. Judges will include a host of local celebrities and professionals from the performing arts community. Each act will be allotted up to one minute during their preliminary audition performance and two minutes for the semifinal and final round performance. Two contestants or more in each performance category from each preliminary audition location may be invited to compete in the semifinals and up to three contestants in each category in the semifinals will move on to compete in the finals. There will be a maximum of nine winners and one grand-prize winner chosen during the finals.
“We are thrilled to offer this extraordinary opportunity to talented youth in our community,” said Barbara S. Stein, Executive Producing Director of Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. “Every one is a winner in this contest because they receive an audition experience on a professional stage, which gives the young artist confidence to further develop their individual performance skills. Those young people who succeed in their categories will explore arts opportunities for career development with wonderful prizes that are offered through the competition.”
Participation in Young Talent Big Dreams requires parental consent. Performers may pre-register online and will be seen before non-registered performers. Detailed information including the audition schedule, competition rules, and registration forms, please visit www.actorsplayhouse.org or call 211. To learn more about The Children’s Trust, please visit www.thechildrenstrust.org.
About Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
Actors’ Playhouse is the nonprofit resident theatre company and managing agent of the historic Miracle Theatre on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Actors’ Playhouse, which has brought home 77 regional Carbonell Awards for artistic excellence, is a Florida Presenting Cultural Organization and one of 22 major cultural institutions in Miami-Dade County. In addition to its Mainstage season, Actors’ Playhouse offers a year-round season of Musical Theatre for Young Audiences, a National Children’s Theatre Festival, a Theatre Conservatory and Summer Camp Program, as well as educational arts outreach programs for underserved youth, and has initiated a Young Talent Big Dreams contest for children in partnership with The Children’s Trust.
About The Children’s Trust
The Children’s Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County.
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YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS PRELIMINARY AUDITIONS DATES AND LOCATIONS:
Saturday, February 15, 2014, 1 – 7 p.m.
THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Sunday, February 16, 2014, 2 – 6 p.m.
THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Saturday, March 1, 2014, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
BETTY T. FERGUSON RECREATION COMPLEX, 3000 NW 199th Street, Miami Gardens, FL 33056
Sunday, March 2, 2014, 1 – 5 p.m.
SOUTH MIAMI-DADE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER, 10950 SW 211th Street, Cutler Bay, FL 33189
Saturday, March 22, 2014, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
LITTLE HAITI CULTURAL CENTER, 212 NE 59th Terrace, Miami, FL 33173
Saturday, April 5, 2014, 1 – 7 p.m.
THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Sunday, April 6, 2014, 2 – 6 p.m.
THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS SEMIFINALS DATES AND LOCATIONS:
Saturday, April 26, 2014, 7 p.m.
THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
Sunday, April 27, 2014, 3 p.m.
THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS FINALS Finals sponsored by Wells Fargo
Saturday, May 3, 2014, 7 p.m.
THE MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
