All Shook Up's Cheyenne Jackson and Chatterbox host Seth Rudetsky judge the competition, which begins at 8 PM. Written and conceived by Jeffrey Self, the evening features direction by Ryan J. Davis with musical direction by Eric Svejcar. The competition will benefit the Ali Forney Center.
Contestants include Nick Adams (Pirate Queen), Ward Billeisen (Curtains), Frankie James Grande (Mamma Mia!), Kenway Kua (Wicked), Tyler Maynard (Mary Poppins), Paul McGill (A Chorus Line), Arbender Robinson (Hairspray) and Nick Sanchez (Tarzan).
Contestants, according to a press release, "will compete for the title crown through talent, interview and swimsuit competitions. Each of the contestants will go head to head in front of celebrity judges [Jackson and Rudetsky] but ultimately, the final vote is in the audience's hands."
The pageant boasts original songs by The Drowsy Chaperone's Lisa Lambert, Glen Kelly, Caligula's Eric Svejcar, Ben Cohen and Sean McDaniel.
Producers are Ryan J. Davis, Nick Malone and Jeffrey Self, in association with Tim Hur. Tovah Feldshuh received Tony Award nominations for her work in Golda's Balcony, Yentl, Sarava and Lend Me a Tenor. Her theatre roles have also garnered the actress four Drama Desk Awards, four Outer Critics Circle Awards, an Obie and a Theatre World Award.
Cheyenne Jackson, who was seen in the film "United 93," has appeared on Broadway in All Shook Up, Aida and Thoroughly Modern Millie. He starred in the premiere cast of Altar Boyz, and his regional credits include West Side Story, The Most Happy Fella, Children of Eden, Hair, Carousel, Damn Yankees and Kismet. Jackson is a member of the Broadway Inspirational Voice and was recently seen Off-Broadway in The Agony and the Agony.
Creator and host of Seth's Broadway Chatterbox, Seth Rudetsky has served as a pit pianist and/or conductor for such Broadway shows as 42nd Street, The Full Monty, The Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia! and The Producers. He also conceived the idea for the recent all-star The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas concert to benefit the Actors' Fund of America as well as the five previous benefit concerts, Hair, Chess, Funny Girl, On the Twentieth Century and Dreamgirls. Rudetsky was a member of the comedy writing team for "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" for two years, and his awards include the Duplex's Stars of Tomorrow, the Backstage Bistro and the Funniest Gay Male in New York. He was also the author and star of the recent one man, GLAAD nominated show Rhapsody in Seth, and his new tome — "The Q Guide to Broadway" — was published by Alyson Books. Rudetsky has been seen on "Law & Order" and "All My Children" and writes a weekly column for Playbill.com.
Tickets, priced $50-500, are available by visiting www.mrbroadway.org. New World Stages is located in Manhattan at 340 West 50th Street.
