The National Musical Theatre Competition (NMTC) was launched in 2011 as the first national biennial competition for emerging musical theatre performing artists. The top 24 national semifinalists compete at the 2026 NMTC semifinal and final rounds in New York City, due to the proximity of the industry’s elite professionals in musical theatre. The 2026 Florence Birdwell Prize winner (first place) will receive more than $10,000 in cash and prizes plus a concert at the 2026 NATS National Conference in San Antonio. The Linda J. Snyder second prize will be awarded $3,500 cash and additional prizes. The third, fourth, and fifth prizes include the Louise Lerch Award ($2,500), the Bill Hayes Award ($1,500), and the inaugural Adam Guettel Award ($500) respectively. Learn more at nats.org.
