(Broadway calls!) May 12, 2006…..More than 30 Wagner Theater majors auditioned for two performance spots on CBS television’s ‘The Early Show.” The Early Show features celebrity interviews and light entertainment and news pieces. It broadcasts from 5AM to 9AM, Monday through Friday alongside NBC's The Today Show and ABC's Good Morning America., with an audience of 4.5 million viewers. Two winners will be chosen from the Wagner participants who will then go on to compete against contestants from the theater departments of Michigan State, Northwestern University, Arizona State and Florida State. The performances of the winners from each college will be broadcast the week of May 29th through June 2nd with each day featuring a different college. Wagner’s participants began to gather yesterday morning to meet with Prof. John Jamiel to go over procedures and to get some last minute rehearsal time in with accompanist, Fred Tessler. Early Show producer, Joe Long spoke briefly with the student s before introducing Broadway casting agent and producer Bernie Telsey who recently casted Broadway hits “Sweeney Todd” and “The Wedding Singer” and the film version of the Broadway hit, “RENT.” Telsey, sensing the nervousness of Wagner’s contestants, immediately put everyone at ease by assuring them that they were “already winners” having been chosen to come audition. In groups of six, the students were brought to the “set” (the rehearsal room in Main Hall’s basement) and were given opportunity to sing 12 bars from 2 songs apiece. Among others, students Saro Baldalian, David Rahner, Brandon Riley, Ryan Latour, Kristen Sheola, Cheryl Yanelli, Marisa Giacalone and Brianna Horne gave incredible performances. “It’s going to be very difficult to choose,” Telsey said. “They’re all terrific.” CBS will alert the winners from each college sometime next week. The 2 finalists, picked from the 10 semi-finalists, will perform live during the CBS broadcast of “The 60th Annual Tony Awards,” Sunday, June 11th. The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards® got their start in 1947 when the Wing established an awards program to celebrate excellence in the theatre. Named for Antoinette Perry, an actress, director, producer, and the dynamic wartime leader of the American Theatre Wing who had recently passed away, the Tony Awards made their official debut at a dinner in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria hotel on Easter Sunday, April 6, 1947.
Theater Majors Audition for CBS’ “The Early Show
May 12, 2006
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