May 30, 2019
Contact Jen Roberdeau at 608-796-3738 or jaroberdeau@viterbo.edu
Overture Center contact: Sarah Knab 608-258-4438
Photos and video available upon request.
VITERBO UNIVERSITY TO PARTNER WITH OVERTURE CENTER TO HOST LOCAL AUDITIONS FOR RISING STARS COMPETITION
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Overture Center for the Arts in Madison announced today that the 2019 Rising Stars talent search, completely free for participants, will expand in Wisconsin through partnerships with The Grand Oshkosh, The Grand Theater in Wausau, and Viterbo University Fine Arts Center in La Crosse. Online registration for the statewide program begins Saturday, June 1 at 10 a.m.
This will mark the first time that local auditions for the Rising Stars program will be held in La Crosse. “This is an exciting opportunity for Viterbo University to offer auditions in our region and highlight the talent of local artists,” said Michael Ranscht, director of the Fine Arts Center. “We have a wealth of talent and creativity in the Coulee Region, and this is a great way for us to share that with the rest of the state.”
“We’re excited to announce this year’s Overture’s Rising Stars program is expanding statewide with partners in Oshkosh, Wausau, and La Crosse,” commented Overture’s President and CEO, Sandra Gajic. “Our goal is to discover, develop, and celebrate the wealth of diverse talent in Wisconsin and provide more performance opportunities for local artists. Through the audition, callback, workshop, and final performance in our state-of-the-art Overture Hall, artists from all disciplines will have the opportunity to grow and share their art with others.”
grand prize winner will receive a $1,000 prize, booking opportunities, a digital marketing consultation, and the chance to perform at the Overture Center during the 2020-21 season.
Auditions will be held at four statewide locations, each with a panel of local celebrity judges (to be announced). Acts selected from the preliminary auditions will be invited to The Callback on Saturday, Aug. 17. The Workshop on Sunday, Aug. 25 will give those moving on another opportunity to perform and receive constructive feedback from industry professionals before they head to The Finals at Overture Center on Saturday, Sept. 14. The finalists will come together on the grand Overture Hall stage to perform for the community, win cash prizes, be seen by talent buyers, and more.
2019 Overture’s Rising Stars Statewide Schedule:
The Auditions
Saturday, July 13 at The Grand Oshkosh, Oshkosh
Saturday, July 20 at The Grand Theater, Wausau
Saturday, July 27 at Overture Center for the Arts, Madison
Saturday, Aug. 3 at Viterbo University Fine Arts Center, La Crosse
To register, visit www.overture.org/Risingstars.
The Callback
Saturday, Aug. 17 in Overture Hallat Overture Center for the Arts, Madison
The Workshop
Sunday, Aug. 25 at Overture Center for the Arts, Madison
The Finals
Saturday, Sept. 14 in Overture Hallat Overture Center for the Arts, Madison
This project is supported by Arts Access, a component fund of the Madison Community Foundation, Madison-Kipp Corporation, and Dane Arts with additional funds from the Edres Mfg. Company Foundation, The Evjue Foundation, Inc., charitable arm of The Capital Times, the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation.
THE GRAND THEATER in Wausau has brought the best of the performing arts to North Central Wisconsin since 1927. With a mission to entertain, educate and enrich the community, The Grand works to develop a lifelong appreciation for the arts and enhance the quality of life in the region. grandtheater.org
THE GRAND OSHKOSH, built in Oshkosh in 1883 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a collaborative and innovative leader in providing entertainment, social, and educational opportunities for the community. The Grand hosts more than 100 public performances each season, featuring both nationally touring and regional artists. thegrandoshkosh.org
VITERBO UNIVERSITY FINE ARTS CENTER As a regional arts center, the mission of the Viterbo University Fine Arts Center is to educate, stimulate, inspire, and challenge the university and local communities through the presentation of diverse and quality programming. Built in 1971, the Fine Arts Center hosts over 80,000 guests each year for a variety of events, including performances, lectures, conferences, and more. viterbofineartscenter.com
OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS in Madison features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, ten resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in nearly 600,000 educational and artistic experiences each year. With the vision to provide “Extraordinary Experiences for All,” Overture’s mission is to support and elevate our community’s creative culture, economy and quality of life through the arts. overture.org
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