National Association of Teachers of Singing presents:

National Musical Theatre Competition Finals

NMTC Finals web banner

A special concert event with the next generation of musical theatre stars!

Monday, January 5, 2026
7:30 p.m.

NMTC Finals Student Ticket: $25
NMTC Finals Ticket: $50
Pre-Curtain VIP Reception Ticket: $125

Get Tickets

More than 1,200 singer/actors have participated in previous competitions since NMTC premiered in 2012.
A powerful collaboration between New York professional theatre, the world’s largest network of voice teachers, and visionary investors in musical theatre
The competition cultivates young, diverse, promising talent to carry the banner of musical theatre into the future

Scenes from the 2024 Finals

Scenes from the 2024 Finals
Monday, January 8, 2024 | Neidorff-Karpati Hall at Manhattan School of Music

Celebrating Joan Lader

NMTC 2026 honors Joan Lader — a distinguished voice teacher and coach whose four-decade career has guided countless singers and actors across Broadway, film, opera, and popular music.
Her expertise in vocal health and artistry has earned her the Tony Award Honors for Excellence in Theater (2016), the Estill Lifetime Achievement Award (2025), and recognition as an “Unsung Hero” by the American Theatre Wing (2023).
Through her many workshops, educational programs, and publications, Joan’s influence continues to inspire and impact the next generation of performers and teachers.

The 2026 NMTC has received the most entries since the competition premiered in 2012. Please consider supporting these talented musical theatre performers with a gift to the NMTC Fund.

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Notable NMTC Alumni

Past participants of the NATS National Musical Theatre Competition (NMTC) have gone on to be in major Broadway productions, including Aladdin, Dear Evan Hansen, On Your Feet, Bad Cinderella, Phantom of the Opera, Hello, Dolly!, Carousel and more.

Read their stories

It’s About Singers and Their Teachers!

From thenewsmovement: The NATS National Musical Theater Competition is a biennial event that spotlights the next generation of aspiring Broadway stars. In 2024, the competition honored the impact of voice teachers on their students and the theater industry, and named the first place prize after Florence Birdwell, the late voice teacher of Broadway greats like Kelli O’Hara and Kristin Chenoweth.

We chatted with Broadway stars Kelli O’Hara (Days of Wine and Roses, The King and I) and Michael Maliakel (Aladdin) about how their voice teachers shaped their careers, and stuck around to see who was crowned this year’s NATS winner. Could we have witnessed the start of a bright new Broadway career in the making?!

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Campaign Leadership

Sue Matsuki – Committee Chair
Tiffan Borelli
Lisa Reagan Love
Catherine McDaniel
Kelly Gabrielle Murphy
Cassie Okenka
Frank Ragsdale
Matt Redmond
Katie Travis
Alisa Belflower – Vice President for Auditions
Allen Henderson – NATS Executive Director
Jen Jimenez – NATS Development Director
Kelly Balmaceda – NATS Director of Events and Programs

Thank You to Our 2025 Donors and Sponsors

Our deepest gratitude goes to the donors whose generosity and belief in the power of musical theatre have enriched the National Musical Theatre Competition and empowered the next generation of talented performers.