This year’s delegation to the World Championships of Performing Arts is an all-vocalist team that has performed in international and local theater productions, so we’re sure they’ll stand their ground before Hollywood and Broadway producers in the international talent search, which will be held in Los Angeles on July 25.

The Philippine team includes eight junior contestants (age 15 and below) and seven senior contestants (16 years and above). Among the junior contestants are Catherine Loria, a singer from Tiaong, Quezon; Trumpets Playshop alumna Cherry Palad; Glee Nette Gaddi, Department of Tourism delegate to the 2007 Korea Travel Fair; Fil-Am pop and R&B vocalist Rachel Razon; musical theater actors Marek, Enzo, and Ruiz Sison, who appeared in Children’s Letters to God; and Tippy dos Santos, who played Belle in the Ateneo Children’s Theater production of Beauty and the Beast.

The senior contestants include Dex de Rosa, who has played Thuy in the Australian production of Cameron Mackintosh’s Miss Saigon; singing nurse CJ Concepcion; Milan-based Filipina singer Abe Dorado; Star Records artist King; Marielle Corpuz, a singer from Nueva Ecija; Pinoy Dream Academy scholar Panky Trinidad; and 3rd Avenue vocalist Paolo Ledesma.

More than 75,000 auditioned globally for this year’s WCOPA. Our delegates, Jed Madela and Aria Clemente, were the Over-All Grand Champions of the World in 2005 and 2007, respectively.

Photo: 2008 WCOPA team with directors Carlo Orosa and Oliver Oliveros