The Liberty Performing Arts Theatre (LPAT) is accepting entry forms from Kansas City area musical acts for the 6th New Musician Showcase. All acts must submit their entry form no later than 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2009.
The Showcase is a live competition that highlights emerging musical talent from the Kansas City metro area. It also provides the winning act a chance to design, market and present a full-scale live concert.
There are no entry fees. Only a completed entry form and a successful demo audition are required to perform on the Showcase. Entry forms are available online at www.ci.liberty.mo.us/LPAT, or by calling 816.439.4371.
Other important entry details include the following: a) all music must be created live on stage, without backing tracks or sequences (no karaoke); b) the average age of all musicians in an act must be at least 15 (there is no upper age limit); c) acts must be available to perform on the Showcase date, Saturday, July 11, 2009.
Each act that successfully passes the demo audition phase may perform for up to 20 minutes on the Showcase. Audience applause will determine the “most popular” winner of each evening. The winner of the grand prize, however, will be determined by point scores awarded by a panel of judges. The grand prize is a Concert Package provided by the LPAT. The Package includes use of the LPAT, its ticketing services, technical personnel, sound equipment and lighting systems, valued at more than $1,400. The Package also provides the winning act with ample stage time and production assistance.
Although the prizes are an important factor, the real reason for the Showcase is to give ‘hands-on’ experience for musicians. Musicians will be exposed to many of the elements of concert production, such as sound checks, staging, lighting, auditioning, and contracts. The Showcase also provides musicians the opportunity to perform their best music on stage with the lights, the sound, the audience and the pressure.
In its five years, the New Musician Showcase has attracted performers from throughout the metropolitan area who represent a wide variety of musical genres. In the past two years alone, bluegrass, country, jazz, pop, alternative, rock, hard rock and classical performers have come to Liberty for the Showcase from Lane, Kan., Lee’s Summit, Mo., Oakview, Mo., Kansas City, Kan., Kansas City, Mo. Independence, Mo., Olathe, Kan., Overland Park, Kan., Gladstone, Mo., and Platte City, Mo.
The LPAT is located at 1600 S Withers Rd in Liberty, Mo., just six minutes northeast of Worlds of Fun. Area music-minded businesses wishing to sponsor a portion of the Showcase should contact the Theatre at 816.439.4371.