Entertainment

12th Annual World Championships of Performing Arts WCOPA Starts on July 20

12th Annual World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) has been set on July 19 – 27, 2008. Former Grand Champions Jed Madela and Aria Clemente to perform at both Opening Ceremony (at the famous Universal CityWalk on Sunday, July 20, 9:30 a.m.) and Grand Finals (at the Bonaventure Hotel on July 25, Friday at 6:30 p.m.) with more than 40 countries to participate for the Parade of Nations

Hollywood, California (July 2008) – Cited as the official “World Talent Championships” for aspiring performers and entertainers - hundreds of singers, actors, dancers, jugglers, and others (you name it) from all parts of the world, will compete in Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world, for the 12th annual World Championships of Performing Arts competition which will take place from July 19 through July 27 at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown, Los Angeles.

According to Griff O’Neil, competition president and a former executive of the Miss Universe Pageant, “More than 40 countries will participate and vie for the ‘Gold’ plus $50,000 in scholarships awarded by the School for Film and Television in New York . This is the only truly Olympic-style talent competition ever created and we have been planting seeds for the past twelve years. Past talents and winners are aggressively making a name in the Hollywood industry and this time, we are once again ready to show off our spectrum of talents, both junior and adult divisions.”

On July 20, popular TV Host and three-time Emmy winner Bob Eubanks will once again emcee the Opening Ceremony to be held at the famed Universal CityWalk (now held for the second time). The big event which will be covered by local and international press will have its traditional Parade of Nations to be participated by talent competitors coming from more than 40 countries plus special celebrity guests and past winners of WCOPA. The exciting finals will be staged at the beautiful Grand Ballroom at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel on Friday evening, July 25.

Two Grand Champion Performers of the World who are both from the Philippines , Jed Madela (2006 Over-All Grand Champion Performer of the World) and last year’s Junior Grand Champion Performer of the World, Aria Clemente, are both singing at the Opening Ceremony and Grand Finals Gala Event. Other past WCOPA winners, The Winston Sisters (won 22 Gold medals out of 39 medals from year 1997, 1998, and 1999) and 2003 multi-Gold winners Limones Brothers will also perform.

To be inducted as this year’s Achievement Award Honoree is award-winning actress, designer and role model Jaclyn Smith (Charlie’s Angels, Shear Genius, Jaclyn Smith Home). Among past honorees include Grey’s Anatomy star Justin Chambers (last year’s honoree), music composer Steve Dorff, successful voice teacher Seth Riggs, Reba McIntyre, actor Dean Cain, singer Jennifer Holiday, designer Oleg Cassini, stylist Jose Eber, award-winning choreographer Debbie Allen, fashion consultant Mr. Blackwell, and tv host Bob Barker, actress Dee Wallace Stone, talent agent Thor Bradwell, Tony award-winner Gordon Harrell, music composer and album producer Shele Sondheim, actors Michael Copon and Randy Wayne, singer, among others.

Six categories of competitions and over a hundred judges from entertainment industry will be involved before the main prizes, “Junior and Senior Grand Champion Performers of the World,” are announced at the Finals. Included in the competitions are dance, vocal, modeling, acting, instrumental and variety arts. Each “act” is allowed 60 seconds to showcase their skills in the final competition.

For more information: http://www.worldchampionships.tv

JUDGES FOR GRAND FINALS on July 25, 2008, Friday
Bonaventure Hotel, downtown, Los Angeles

1. Tess Taylor - Founder and President of the National Association of Record Industry Professionals (NARIP). An eminent keynote speaker, a music and record industry career strategist who launched numerous projects and companies in the USA and abroad, and consultant for MySpace.com, The Walt Disney Company, BMG Entertainment, Sony, Concord Records.

2. Allen Osborne - In his 20-year career, Allen has represented many supermodels including Kirsty Hume, Marcus Schenkenberg, Tyson Beckford, Tyrese Gibson to name a few. After many years as the men’s director at Wilhelmina, he left to open his own men’s division at Vision Model Management where his models have worked for Prada, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Versace, Tommy Hilfiger and Abercrombie and Fitch.

3. John Ehmann - As A&R Coordinator at J Records and RCA Music Group, John continuously searches for new talent and material for J’s talented roster. Like many successful executives in the music industry, he started as an intern in the A&R department and quickly become an asset by contributing to projects with Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Monica, Baby Bash, Cassidy, and Jazmine Sullivan.

4. Anita Mann - Six Emmy nominations, two Emmy Awards and honored by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as one of America’s top choreographers and live show producer. Her countless credits include The Academy Awards, The Golden Globe Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, Miss America Pageant, The People’s Choice Awards, The Emmy’s.

5. Sam Harris - The first STARSEARCH winner! In addition to worldwide concert tours and release of million selling recordings, he has starred on Broadway in Grease, The Producers, Hair, Cabaret, Pippin, The Jazz Singer and many others. He co-starred in CBS hit TV series The Class.

6. Amanda Dykema - Amanda is aggressively searching for outstanding models! She began her career in fashion working for retail brands such as Guess? and Bebe, and major retailers such as Macy’s. She then joined Ford Models booking models from all over the country before accepting her current position as senior agent position with the women’s division of LA Models.

7. Bruce Newberg - One of the busiest and most successful casting directors in town with hits that include TNT’s The Closer, CBS’ The Class, and feature films such as The Sisters, The Maker, When The Party’s Over and many others.

8. Dimitri Diatchenko - 2003 WCOPA world acting and instrumental winner. His fast-track career includes rave reviews in numerous films, commercials and TV shows such as: Criminal Minds, Shark, The Suite Life, The Riches. You saw him recently in Steven Spielberg’s smash hit film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Skull with Harrison Ford, and he next co-stars with Tom Arnold in the film Remarkable Power which features his original solo guitar composition on the soundtrack.

9. Evan Peters - Evan began his career in the music industry as an intern in the video department at Interscope Records. This led to his current position in A&R at Geffen Records. Mergers with MCA, Dreamworks, and A&M records added to the roster of Geffen Records and his working with acts as diverse as Weezer, Nelly Furtado, Lifehouse, Rise Against, Papa Roach and more. Evan is also a musician, producer and recording engineer.

10. Kac Young - Producer, writer and director in the Hollywood television industry for over 25 years. Some of her numerous credits include General Hospital, The Showtime Comedy Club Network, Politically Incorrect, Circus of the Stars, The People’s Choice Awards, The Golden Globe Awards, The Genesis Awards and most recently Vice President of Television Production and Development for Universal Studios Hollywood.

11. Larry Wiedemann - An actor for 15 years dividing his time between New York and Los Angeles, Larry changed his career direction. Now with his arsenal of skills acquired from years of working with casting directors, agents, publicists, and producers, he has found a great home at Cunningham, Escott, Slevin, & Doherty where he is an On-Camera Commercial Agent for actors, dancers, and models.

12. Daniel Solis - As Senior Casting Director for the Tokyo Disney Resort, Daniel travels around the world each year auditioning and hiring singers, dancers, actors, and models for live theatrical productions both here in America and abroad. For Disney Entertainment Productions at The Disneyland Resort, he casts the acclaimed productions of Aladdin–A Musical Spectacular, and High School Musical 2–School’s Out, both at Disney’s California Adventure.

13. Tena Clark - Founder/CEO/Chief Creative Officer of DMI Music & Media Solutions combining the power of music, digital entertainment and non-traditional distribution to connect brands to consumers. She is the celebrated composer of songs covering a wide range of the industry: from McDonald’s famous commercial Have You Had Your Break Today to My Best Friend’s Wedding, Where The Heart Is, Hope Floats, Twins, Entertainment Tonight, and Desperate Housewives.

14. Erik DeSando - Founder of Urge Entertainment, an artist’s management and celebrity endorsement, appearance, and branding company, and Executive Producer on BE’s two new sitcoms Say What and Kids Unlimited.. A 15-year veteran who made his reputation representing stars like Eva Longoria, Mario Lopez, Lee Ann Rhimes and others. His clients have appeared as series regulars on shows such as Lost, The George Lopez Show, One Tree Hill, The O.C.

15. Jeff Weber - Producer of over 165 CDs with releases on just about every major label as well as a host of independent labels. His projects have yielded two Grammys, seven Grammy nominations, seventeen top ten albums, two number one albums and an assortment of other honors. His new independent label is called “Imagine That”.

16. Spencer Salley - Acclaimed director at the famed Photogenics Model Agency whose expertise has led to several guest appearances on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” as well as producing his own reality series, Faking It, on The Learning Channel. Some of his stars who have crossed over into film and television are John Holloway on ABC’s Lost and Colin Egglesfield on All My Children.

17. Victoria Morris - Senior Talent Executive at Kazarian/Spencer & Associates. Her Los Angeles office concentrates on representation and grooming of actors, directors and choreographers for Broadway and Regional stages while the New York division represents actors for television, theatre and motion pictures. She has many clients performing on Broadway in Jersey Boys, Wicked, Legally Blonde, Phantom of the Opera, and A Chorus Line.

18. Gordon Harrell - Music Arranger and Supervisor for many Broadway Tony award-winning shows such as Dancin’, 1776, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fosse and Sweet Charity. His musical arrangements for television include Sesame Street, Radio City Music Hall, The Tony Awards, and the Miss America Pageant. And we personally are very proud… he is the composer, producer and arranger of the World Championships’ theme song Building Bridges.

For more information, please contact:

Oliver Carnay -Manager
International Artists PR & Talent Management
3010 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 594 Los Angeles, CA 90010
Email: oliver@iatalent.com
Phone/FAX: (323) 668-2090
Cell No.: (213) 804-8222