Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, together with presenting sponsor The Children’s Trust, are proud to announce audition dates for the 13th anniversary of Young Talent Big Dreams – the most widespread, local FREE youth talent competition in Miami-Dade County. Kids between the ages of 8-17 are invited to showcase their talents and compete for prizes ranging from cash awards and performance opportunities to performing arts scholarships sponsored by SouthState Bank and the Coral Gables Rotary Club. The grand prize winner will receive $500 in cash provided by Actors’ Playhouse, and four tickets to Universal Orlando along with a hotel stay for two nights courtesy of WSVN 7News.
Preliminary auditions will take place March 18 through April 23 at four local theatres. It concludes with semifinals on May 6 and 7, and finals on May 13 at the Miracle Theatre. A total of six preliminary auditions will take place in locations throughout Miami-Dade, including the Miracle Theatre, the Dennis C. Moss Cultural Arts Center, Miami Arts Studio, and Sandrell Rivers Theater. Participation in the competition is free of charge and limited to residents of Miami-Dade County who are between the ages of 8-17 at the time of the final competition.
The talent 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. Categories for groups of six or fewer members include dance, musical instrument/bands and vocal groups. Participants may compete in one individual and one group category only, and those who preregister will be given priority audition times.
Each act will be allotted up to one minute during their preliminary audition performance and two minutes for the semifinal and final-round performances. There will be a maximum of nine winners and one grand prize winner chosen during the finals.
“Miami is home to so much emerging talent and every year we welcome these performers to our theatre for the annual Young Talent Big Dreams competition,” said Barbara S. Stein, Executive Producing Director of Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. “Over the past 13 years, with the support of our partners at The Children’s Trust, we have been able to watch many of our competitors move on to have successful careers in the arts and look forward to the continued growth of this program.”
“This competition is always one of the highlights of our year. The entire experience, from watching the auditions to the final performances on stage, brings me joy. I love to watch how they grow as the competition progresses,” said James R. Haj, The Children’s Trust president and CEO. “It is also a formative experience for the entire family because they’re also learning how to support and nurture talent at home and its rewarding to see them celebrating together.”
Last year’s winners include Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious of SAH Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, Diliany Solano of New World School of the Arts, Irene Lee of Miami Palmetto Senior High School, Natalie Quintana of Miami Springs Senior High School, Kaitlynn Abbott of Miami Arts Studio, Terrain Small of Miami Norland Senior High School, Joshua Safont of Miami Arts Studio, and Amici, a group comprised of Jessica Olivera of School for Advanced Studies and Maria Luisa Sanchez Agelvis of Miami Arts Studio.
Past winners of the competition also include Zachary Roy who reached the semifinals on Season 15 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent and recently played the role of Young Emilio in Actors’ Playhouse’s production of On Your Feet! and Joana Martinez who achieved a Top 10 placement as part of “Team Gwen (Stefani)” on Season 17 of NBC’s The Voice. Other notable alumni include Angelina Green who went on to earn the coveted golden buzzer from judge Heidi Klum on Season 12 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent and starred in Nickelodeon’s musical event “California Dreaming,” and Gino Cosculluela who brought home the third-place title on Season 16 of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance and starred on Broadway as Tommy Djilas in The Music Man alongside Hugh Jackman.
Participation in Young Talent Big Dreams requires parental consent. Performers may preregister online and will be able to audition before nonregistered performers. For detailed information, including audition schedule, competition rules, and registration forms, please visit www.actorsplayhouse.org.
YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS PRELIMINARY AUDITIONS
Saturday, March 18, 2023, 2-6 p.m.
MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile,
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Sunday, April 2, 2023, 2-6 p.m.
THE DENNIS C. MOSS CULTURAL ARTS CENTER, 10950 SW 211th Street,
Cutler Bay, FL 33189
Saturday, April 8, 2023, 2-6 p.m.
MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Sunday, April 16, 2023, 2-6 p.m.
SANDRELL RIVERS THEATER, 6103 NW 7th Avenue, Miami, FL 33127
Saturday, April 22, 2023, 1-6 p.m.
MIAMI ARTS STUDIO, 15015 SW 24th Street, Miami, FL 33185
Sunday, April 23, 2023, 3-8 p.m.
MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile,
Coral Gables, FL 33134
YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS SEMIFINALS
Semi-Final 1: Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 7 p.m.
Semi-Final 2: Sunday, May 7, 2023, at 3 p.m.
MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS FINALS
Saturday, May 13, 2023, at 7 p.m.
MIRACLE THEATRE, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
About Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
Actors’ Playhouse is an award-winning nonprofit regional professional theatre company celebrating 35 years of artistic excellence. Located in the historic Miracle Theatre on Miracle Mile in downtown Coral Gables, Actors’ Playhouse is a Florida Presenting Cultural Organization and one of 13 major cultural institutions in Miami-Dade County. The company produces five Mainstage and four professional Children’s Theatre productions annually, a year-round Theatre Conservatory and Summer Camp Program, educational arts outreach programs, and the Young Talent Big Dreams countywide youth talent contest in partnership with The Children’s Trust. To learn more about Actors’ Playhouse, visit www.ActorsPlayhouse.org
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 by making strategic investments in their future. For more information visit www.TheChildrensTrust.org.
Media Contact:
Natalia Zea
Chief Public Policy & Community Engagement Officer, The Children’s Trust
natalia@thechildrenstrust.org