The Morris Educational Foundation (MEF) has announced that registration is now open for auditions for its thirteenth annual talent show, Morristown ONSTAGE! The show will showcase the best amateur talent from Morristown, Morris Township & Morris Plains. The event will be held on February 26, 2020 at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey. 

Four distinguished arts and entertainment professionals will judge the competition. Again this year there will be a $1,000 cash prize for 1st place for contestants ages 19 and over, $1,000 cash prize for 1st place for contestants ages 18 and under, a $500 award for the “Audience Choice” Winner which is a “text-to-vote” at the end of the show, and a $250 Rossoff Rising Star Award for talent training chosen by the Morristown ONSTAGE Steering Committee. 

Auditions are open to anyone who lives, works, trains or goes to school in the towns of Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains. Alumni of Morristown High School are also invited to audition. Groups who have at least one member who lives, works, trains or goes to school in the towns of Morristown, Morris Township or Morris Plains qualify to audition. 

Auditions will take place on December 14, 2019 at Morristown High School. Anyone interested in auditioning must register at the event’s website, www.morristownonstage.com. The deadline for registering for auditions is December 7, 2019. The audition fee is $25. 

“We are very excited to celebrate 13 years of extraordinary talent in our community and 13 years of Morristown ONSTAGE raising money to fund initiatives supporting the students in the Morris School District. We have raised over $845,000 over the last 12 years, all of which goes directly to our fantastic school district to support our students. We hope to raise a record amount again this year,” said Melanie Smith, Morristown ONSTAGE event chair and member of the Morris Educational Foundation Board of Trustees. “We are also very excited to have Morristown Medical Center Atlantic Health System renew its pledge to be our Education Champion Headline Sponsor for 2020.” 

Last year’s event was emceed by Tara Bernie, who was awarded an Emmy for her work as the Senior Correspondent on DailyMailTV. She is also a five-time Emmy nominee for her past work as a Senior Producer at Access Hollywood. She will be returning this year to reprise her role as emcee. Smith added, “You won’t want to miss this year’s show. This year’s theme is 20/20 Seeing Is Believing and we will celebrate vision, hope and achievement.” 

“The Morris Educational Foundation is very excited about Morristown ONSTAGE. We are proud to give our community’s local amateur talent an opportunity to perform in front of their hometown, and in an outstanding venue, the Mayo Performing Arts Center.” said Patty Haralampoudis, Chairperson of the Morris Educational Foundation. “The event is always a sell- out, so be sure to get your tickets as soon as they go on sale in early 2020.” 

“The Morris Educational Foundation is an integral part of the Morris School District and this fundraising event will further the Foundation’s ability to distribute financial and other resources to and for the Morris School District for enrichment programs and other projects aimed at enhancing the quality of education and educational opportunities for students in the district,” added Smith. 

Last year, the event raised over $175,000 for the Morris Educational Foundation. Tickets for the show will go on sale in early 2020 through The Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown. 

The Morris Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that seeks to attract private resources to support a variety of educational programs and initiatives in support of the Morris School District. Through effective solicitation and distribution of funds, the Morris Educational Foundation helps enable the District to continue to be the model of visionary social and educational leadership it has been since its inception. For more information, visit the website at www.morrisedfoundation.org.