Contest Offers $10,000 Prize To Theater Groups

TOMS RIVER, NJ — If you're a theater group, the Jay and Linda Grunin Foundation wants you for their newest competition: the Engage Toms River Giving Tuesday Theater Group Challenge.

The contest is the most recent in its Engage Toms River Challenge series, and offers a $10,000 prize to the winning group.

The contest is open to groups in Ocean or Monmouth counties, but they must be a 501(c)(3) or a school to participate, the foundation said.

Groups who intend to compete must submit an audition video for a chance to perform at the $10,000 Giving Tuesday event, which will take place on Nov. 29 at the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts at Ocean County College.

The top five groups from the audition videos will be chosen to perform a 10-minute scene from a musical comedy of their choice. A $5,000 prize will be given to the adjudicator’s choice the night of the event. Additionally, a $5,000 prize will be given to the winner of the people’s choice award, with voting taking place online, after the night of the performance.

Tickets to the event will be sold at $10 each and proceeds will be given to a nonprofit that is chosen by the winning theater group the night of the event.

"It’s always fun for us to see the talent and creativity that emerge when we run our Engage Toms River competitions," said Jeremy Grunin, executive director of the foundation. “This event is extra special as it ties in Giving Tuesday and the opportunity to make a positive impact and give back to our community.”

Visit www.engagetomsriver.com for more details and to submit your intent to compete and audition video which must be done by midnight on Sept. 15.

The Brick Township High School drama club won a prize of $5,000 from the Jay and Linda Grunin Foundation during the Ocean County Teen Arts Festival for their performance of a snippet of "How to Succeed in Business Without Trying."