Big Break Palatine 2025 - Quick Info

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TO ENTER: 

• Online registration is open until 9/15/2025 12:00pm CST and can be accessed at www.bigbreakproductions.com.
• All contestants must be 21 and a legal resident of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, or Indiana. A contestant must be at least 21 years old by the end of the season in which they are competing. This rule is new for Big Break (2025). Note, no one under the age of 21 can vote. All minors still must adhere to any venue rules and regulations.
• There is no entry fee for this competition.
• Walk-ins welcome, only on 9/15/2025
   

SUMMARY:

• Contestants will compete against each other through 10 rounds 
• All nights are held at Durty Nellies - 180 N Smith St, Palatine, IL 60067 ("Premises") 
• Through weekly eliminations, one contestant will be deemed the winner during the final round.
  
   

ALL ROUNDS / COMPETITION DATES

• Round 1 will include up to 100* contestants judged on Monday, 9/15/25 (judges voting only)
• Round 2 will include up to 75* contestants judged on Monday, 9/22/25 (judges voting only)
• Round 3 will include up to 35* contestants judged on Monday, 9/27/25
• Round 4 will include up to 30* contestants judged on Monday, 10/6/25
• Round 5 will include up to 26* contestants judged on Monday, 10/13/25
• Round 6 will include up to 22* contestants judged on Monday, 10/20/25
• Round 7 will include up to 16* contestants judged on Monday, 10/27/25
• Round 8 will include up to 14* contestants judged on Monday, 11/3/25
• Round 9 will include up to 10* contestants judged on Monday, 11/10/25
• Round 10 (the “Final Round”) will include up to 5* contestants judged on Monday, 11/17/25
• * = Judges "saves” and Producer decisions could alter these numbers

JUDGING (Rounds 1-2)

• A panel of independent judges will be solely responsible for determining which competitors advance from Round 1 and  Round 2
• The judges’ decisions will be based upon the following three criteria: (1) Ability (2) Stage Presence and (3) Style.
• The judges will award points in each of the three categories on a scale of 1 to 10. (In the event of a tie, the contestant with the higher Ability score will advance. In the event of a further tie, the judges, in their sole discretion, will determine which contestant advances. 

JUDGING (Rounds 3 - Final Round)

• Those contestants who receive the highest number of audience votes on a given night will advance from Round 4 through the Final Round.
• Audience voters will consist of those patrons present at the Premises on a given night and in possession of a wristband.
• Upon entering the Premises, wristbands will only be distributed to those patrons who are 21 years of age or older. At the conclusion of the Competition on a given night, each patron possessing a  wristband will receive a ballot listing all the contestants who performed that night.
• Patrons will be instructed to place their ballots in the ballot box located on the Premises prior to leaving the Premises. Only those ballots contained in the ballot box at the end of a given night will  be used to calculate each contestant’s score.
• In case of a tie during Round 3 through the Final Round, the judges, in their sole discretion, will determine which contestant advances.
• Judges “saves” may also be implemented throughout the competition and will be thoroughly explained throughout the competition. Saves are not mandatory

NOTIFICATION:

• Rounds 1-2: Contestants will be notified, as to whether or not they have advanced to the next Round within 48 hours of the end of the full Round, by e-mail.
• Rounds 3-10: Results will be announced at the end of each night.

PERFORMANCE GUIDELINES

• Contestants must be able to attend all ten rounds of the Competition.
• Use of props must be pre-approved by Producer.
• Lyrics will not be provided on screen or otherwise - nor can a contestant read from phone/paper.
• Rounds 1-2: Contestants must sing a cappella, but may choose any song not prohibited by the decency standards stated in the general guidelines and will have up to one minute to perform.
• Rounds 3-10: Contestants can sing with a background track, musical accompaniment (ONLY if they play instrument by themselves), or a cappella (exception will apply if a “Live Band” theme is implemented

COMPETITION THEMES

• For certain rounds within the Competition, the songs contestants perform must be selected within certain defined criteria (“theme weeks”)
• Further details will be forwarded to the accepted contestants at the onset of the Competition. 

GRAND PRIZE:

• (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000.00.  

Click Here to Register