Next Tuesday, May 2nd 2006, LVHRD will debut its newest endeavor in to creative competition. ACTHRD: Thespian Royale will pit twelve actors against one another by way of a structured acting tournament. Confronted with limited time, surprise prompts, and a variety of dramatic distractions, Thespian Royale will be an opportunity for New York's rising stars to test their acting abilities before a live audience. Twelve will enter; one will leave.

Each round of ACTHRD will be carefully structured to emphasize the essential characteristics for an accomplished thespian. After each performance, a panel of astute judges will review the performers and determine who will take a step closer to the title of Thespian Champion. Judges include David Cote, Theater Editor of TimeOut New York, Olga Liriano, Casting Director, and a surprise panelist yet to be announced.

Why a competitive acting event, you might ask. Doug Jaeger of thehappycorp sees it as a very natural direction for the LVHRD Foundation. He responds, “Personally, I’ve always been a little bored with theater. I want to see contact acting. I want to know what it looks like when you mix William Shakespeare with Lucha Libre.”

Beauregard H. Montgomery, LVHRD founder, takes a different approach when defining the need for an event such as ACTHRD in the organization’s repertoire. “This tournament will offer a night filled with unforgettable performances, peeling away acting's muddy layers of celebrity, fame, and egoism until raw and careful skill are all that remain.” He continues, “There is a laziness that has permeated the craft, an assurance that those with marketable names and brilliant smiles will always have roles to fill. I will have none of this, and I expect the participants to understand that an average performance does not promise their return. To endure you must impress, to advance you must excel, and to succeed you must ACTHRD.”

Auditions have been underway for several weeks to determine this event’s contestants, and the LVHRD staff is very pleased with the talent pool. Additionally, comedian Dave Hill will serve as master of ceremonies, with Eamon Harkin of Calling All Kids as DJ for the evening.

As with previous LVHRD productions, the location of ACTHRD: Thespian Royalé will remain undisclosed until the day of the event. Non-members who wish to attend the event are are asked to register and purchase tickets in advance at the LVHRD website. General LVHRD Membership is currently closed to the public, but inquiries may be directed to Chantal Strauss. All membership requests will be reviewed and decided on a case-by-case basis.