PRODUCTION BEGINS MARCH 5 ON THE NEXT BEST THING: WHO IS THE GREATEST CELEBRITY IMPERSONATOR? (FKA THE IMPOSTER), AN HOUR-LONG WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE SERIES SLATED FOR SUMMER 2007 ON ABC
From producers Peter Engel and Barry Katz (both of Last Comic Standing), The Next Best Thing: Who is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator? (fka The Imposter) begins production March 5, 2007, with auditions in Los Angeles, CA. The hour-long alternative series on the search to find the best celebrity impersonator is scheduled to air this summer on the ABC Television Network.
Auditions will be held in four cities Los Angeles (March 5-6), Las Vegas (March 11-12), New York (March 20-21) and Orlando (March 28-29). Contestants advancing from the regional auditions will move on to the semifinals. Ten contestants will emerge from the semis, and America will vote to crown The Next Best Thing. Locations of semis and finals TBD.
Audition Locations:
Los Angeles, March 5-6: Tribune Studios
5800 Sunset Blvd., Studio 9C
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Las Vegas, March 11-12: Rain Nightclub
Palms Casino Resort
4321 W. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89103
New York, March 20-21: Carolines on Broadway
1626 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
Orlando, March 28-29: Disney MGM Studios
Sounds Dangerous Theater
3111 World Drive
Orlando, FL 32830
Michele Merkin (Food Call, Extreme Dodgeball) will host. Actress-comedian Lisa Ann Walters has been signed as a judge. The other two judges will be named at a later date.
The Next Best Thing is produced by Peter Engel Productions Inc. and New Wave Entertainment. Peter Engel and Barry Katz serve as executive producers. Also executive-producing is the team of Fax Bahr and Adam Small (The Jamie Kennedy Experience, Mad TV). Peter Engel has produced over 1000 episodes of weekly entertainment, including the teen megahit Saved by the Bell.
New Wave Entertainment is a premier content development and production enterprise and one of the entertainment industrys largest entertainment marketing and creative services agencies. Burbank-based New Wave is owned by principals Paul Apel and Alan Baral.
Editors note: Additional casting info will be available on www.nextbestthingshow.com and www.abc.com.
