#SearchForABroadwayTwitterStar

#SearchForABROADWAYTwitterStar

History:

My dears -

Earlier this year i started an online competition called #searchforatwitterstar - to find my Twitter 'westendleadingman and westendleadinglady'. The idea of the contest was to allow people from anywhere to submit videos of themselves singing a musical theatre song via youtube. They then posted me the link on twitter, which me and my judges (@AnneVosser, @PolyWallyDoodle & @GemmaLowyHamil) watched and commented on. It was a marvellous way of finding and allowing new talent to shine.

The idea behind the contest was to allow absolutely anyone with a passion for musical theatre to send in examples of themselves singing in a way which gave them total control. They could decide what to sing, what to wear, where to sing, how to sing - they had total creative control. While i think television talent contests are marvellous and have their place i don't like the way that the contestants are shaped, changed, and moulded into a different product. The thing that makes artists truly brilliant is their individuality. Also on television the editors, directors and producers decide how everyone is portrayed - and my contest allowed the contestants to decide this. They have total control.

Fast forward a couple of months and we had over 650 entries from all over the world - and i was approached by the lovely Tony Green (@MrTonyGreen) to do a live final on July 9th at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue - it was very exciting indeed.

My judges and i watched and commented on every single entry - and between us decided who should go through to the quarter finals. After the 40 quarter finalists were chosen we then opened the online voting and let the public decide who got through to the semi final, and final. It was a very thrilling time.

The #searchforatwitterstarLIVE (@sfatsLIVE)  final at the Lyric was marvellous - hosted by @realaled; judged by @mikedixonmusic, @davidkingshows, @GemmaLowyHamil and @LouiseDearman; and special guests @kerryjaneellis1, @JonLee321 and @TimDriesen. It was a hugely successful show and celebration of musical theatre talent - and the first ever entire 'live tweeting event'. From it we found our winners: @FelipeBejarano and @KaraBayer.

Website for #searchforatwitterstar -
http://www.searchforatwitterstarlive.com/index.php

And to view entries for this competition and messages of support:

#sfats messages of support
#sfats entries 1
#sfats entries 2
#sfats entries 3
#sfats entries 4

Winners:
Felipe Bejarano
Kara Bayer

International winner:
Billy Flood (@bflood28)

The show and contest was so successful we are hoping to make it a yearly event - and has been nominated for 'Theatrical Event Of The Year' at the Broadwayworld.com awards.

#searchforaBROADWAYtwitterstar

So, now i am searching for my 'Broadway twitter star'. I have been talking with a Broadway producer, and we both want to find, and support new talent.

To enter, you need to be based in USA, and send me a link to a video of you singing a musical theatre song. Please title your video with '@westendproducer #sfabts' followed by your name and song title. I will then watch, and over the weeks my judges and i will comment on the entries, and discover our new online 'Broadway Star' - my @broadwayleadingman and @broadwayleadinglady.

Remember - you have total control. You can sing any musical theatre song, any way you like. Try and make sure the sound quality is good so we can properly judge your voice.

Send your video link on twitter to my twitter name - @westendproducer. And in your tweet to me please make sure you use the hashtag #searchforaBROADWAYtwitterstar.

A contest born on twitter, a contest judged on twitter, a contest won on twitter, dear.

Kindest
WEP
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