JUDGES
Susannah Mars
Susannah Mars is a lifelong performing artist. Ms. Mars makes her home in the Pacific Northwest, and has appeared in over one hundred productions, concerts, and television shows, including Portland Opera’s Sweeny Todd, where she was Mrs. Lovett. She has appeared as Eva in Evita, Margaret in The Light In The Piazza, and Golde in Fiddler on the Roof. Other favorite roles include Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Mother in Ragtime, Mama Rose in Gypsy, and Merideth in Bat Boy. She performed her holiday show Mars On Life for three seasons and also appeared as Diana in Next To Normal, Dinah in The Quality of Life, Julia in Holidazed, Becca in Rabbit Hole, and Karen in Dinner with Friends at Artists Rep, where she is a resident artist. You may also have also seen her on NBC’s Grimm as Drew Wu’s psychiatrist, Dr. Richet, or you might have heard her host Artslandia’s podcast Adventures in Artslandia, including her favorite interview with Mel Brooks, with whom her father collaborated. Ms. Mars is the proud recipient of seven Pacific Northwest Drama Critics awards and two Regional Arts and Culture Council Grants. She also travels to Egypt, serving as an Arts Envoy with the U.S. State Department.
Tim Seelig
Tim Seelig is a conductor, speaker, author and educator. He is the Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and Conductor Emeritus of the Turtle Creek
Chorale in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Seelig holds four degrees, including a Diploma from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas. He has seven books and DVDs on choral technique, several best-sellers, and his memoir, was published in 2020. He made his operatic debut in St. Gallen, Switzerland and had been conducting at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for 30 years.
He has conducted over 50 recordings which have been on Billboard Top Ten and iTunes Top Ten classical charts. His choruses have been the topic of three documentaries. The first PBS documentary was awarded the Emmy for best documentary. The most recent had its world premiere and Audience Favorite at the Tribecca Film Festival and is streaming on Paramount +. He has commissioned major choral works for 35 years. Some of these include the first AIDS Requiem, When We No Longer Touch; Sing for the Cure for the Komen Foundation featuring Dr. Maya Angelou; “Testimony,” by Stephen Schwartz and the 2022 “Songs of the Phoenix” by Andrew Lippa, Stephen Schwartz and Stephen Sondheim. Aside from guest-conducting, he has now traded in his podium for the speaking stage. From winning Moth to his recent TEDx Talk, University convocations to keynotes, he is enjoying facing the audience for a change. Fun facts: he conducted the Guinness Book of World Record’s Longest Choral Concert and carried the Olympic torch as a community Hero. He has not run since. He is the proud grandfather of the amazing Clara Skye, Eden Mae, Cora Rose, Ivy Hope.
Nana Tuckit
Nana Tuckit is a drag entertainer, TikTok influencer, and designer based in Portland, Oregon. Her mix of witty social commentary, original vintage outfits, and dance videos have made her a national sensation. After a lifetime of costume design, dancing, choreographing, and performing, Nana Tuckit was brought to life during the pandemic and lives by the slogan “vintage style, not vintage values”. She has appeared on the annual Portland holiday cabaret Queer Eye for the Magi to rave reviews and is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.