Segerstrom Center for the Arts Opens Submissions for OC CENTER STAGE

Starting today, Segerstrom Center for the Arts is accepting submissions for its county-wide talent competition, OC Center Stage. In a period of uncertainty and social distancing, this is the perfect time to become Inspired, brush up and rehearse act, and submit your entry for an opportunity to be among Orange County's rising stars. If you sing, dance, play an instrument or perform impromptu music sessions off your balcony, they want to hear from you. Audition for your place on the Argyros Stage without leaving home! Applications are available online and video submissions are accepted through the Center's website from April 9, 2020 to June 1, 2020. Ten finalists will be selected. Once we receive the word that we can gather again, we'll schedule the live performance where they'll compete for First, Second and Third Place on the stage of the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza in front of a live audience and panel of judges.

The arts have a beautiful way of bringing people together no matter the distance, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts is looking forward to discovering and showcasing talented performances from around Orange County during this second competition.

Last year, more tan 120 submissions were received and twelve finalists competed for the top prize. Local hip-hop dance group Kingsman Coed wowed the crowd with their high-energy performance and took home the $1,000 grand prize. Eleven-year-old Ayn Liu from Irvine stunned the audience and judges with her striking vocal talent while accompanying herself with her ukulele. Her voice drew comparisons to Adele. She was awarded the first runner-up prize of $750. Shortly after her win at the Center, Liu was discovered by a casting agent for NBC's TV show Little Big Shots and headed straight to Hollywood! Ayn shared, "It meant so much to play at Segerstrom because I've watched so many great artists like Diana Krall and Jake Shimabukuro perform here". Third place went to Undecided Future, an OC band that is no stranger to a live stage. The band has already received recognition as the 2019 recipient of the Young Entertainer's Award and as the 2017 winner of Ryan Seacrest's global music competition, Best Cover Ever, where they shared a performance with Jason Derulo.

When we are able to gather again, OC Center Stage 2020 is sure to bring the magic back with new talent discoveries in Orange County. For now, we invite all aspiring local artists to show off your moves, share your performance, and let your art help bring Orange County together! The grand prize winner will receive $1,000, second place will be awarded $750, and third place will win $500. Additionally, all finalists will receive a stipend: solos and duos will receive $150 for performing, and groups of three or more will receive $300. OC Center Stage is open to residents of Orange County who are at least eight (8) years old and who are non-professionals (you may not generate your full-time income from performing). Full content rules are available below and on our website (www.scfta.org/occenterstage).

Tips and Tricks for Video Submissions

Now's the time to send in your submission for OC Center Stage 2020! If you're not sure where to start, here are a few best practices for creating your submission video.

Submissions are judged on creativity, originality, technical ability and audience appeal. But the most important piece? Give us a sense of YOU performing live. Lyric videos, audio files, or music videos that do not show you performing can't show us how great you might look on our stage! For vocal submissions, please do not use vocal backing tracks.

Videos do not need to be professionally shot. The best videos show YOU off. When filming a video, consider:

Visibility - Does the lighting allow us to see you performing? Is the camera stable? Does it give a clear picture of what your performance will look like?

Sound quality - Are you in a quiet space, or are you unintentionally harmonizing with your neighbor's dog? If you've got a pesky echo, sound may be bouncing off hard surfaces, including floors, walls, and high ceilings. Recording in a carpeted or curtained space may help!

Content - Does your video show the piece you intend to perform if selected? Does it contain any off-color language or subject matter? Is it six minutes or under?

Being a good citizen and practicing social distancing from other members of your performance group? We encourage you to submit a video from a previous performance or get creative through videoconferencing platforms like Zoom.

Still have questions? Contact our Community Engagement team at community@scfta.org.