UMDB has launched the Breakthrough Actor Showcase – a free global monologue competition for emerging actors, with submissions open now through May 29. Two categories: Dramatic and Comedy. Scripts are provided on the platform. No entry fee, no agent required.
“Community voted — no industry gatekeepers.” For a lot of actors, that’s the whole point.
Every top-three finish comes with cash and a one-year creator deal – the kind of platform access that’s usually reserved for people who already know the right people. And what’s at stake? Beyond the bragging rights, the cash prizes and creator deals make this worth taking seriously.
“There is so much talent out there that never gets a fair shot because they don’t have the connections. We built this to change that — to let the work speak for itself and let the world be the judge.”
— Malcolm Mokwe, Founder, UMDB
Malcolm Mokwe, Founder, UMDBWhat makes this format genuinely interesting is the voting structure. By putting the decision entirely in the hands of the community, UMDB sidesteps the familiar problem of emerging talent being evaluated by the very same industry they’re trying to crack. Whether that model surfaces the most technically accomplished performances or the most magnetic ones is an open question — but it’s a more honest one than most competitions are willing to ask.
Winners are announced July 5. If you know an actor – in Toronto, or anywhere – send them the link. Submissions close May 29 and this one is worth entering.
