Jacob Wagner and Audry Van Houweling tackled “Don’t Rain on my Parade” from the musical “Funny Girl” for the Tower Theatre’s “Homebound Broadway” competition. The public will be able to vote on their favorites among the final four to help choose a winner.

Earlier this month, the Tower Theatre in Bend, which like so many venues is dark due to the coronavirus scourge, came up with “Homebound Broadway,” challenging folks stuck at home and missing live theater to create and film their version or abridgement of a favorite Broadway musical song.

On Monday, Tower Theatre Foundation Executive Director Ray Solley told GO! that the effort drew about 24 submissions, and most will be shared on the Tower’s social media channels as well as its YouTube.

Now comes the fun part. Well, the next fun part.

“We’ve got a quarantine family here in Bend who is going to be the judges,” Solley said.

Jasmine Barnett is the community coordinator for the Arts & Culture Alliance, and filmmaker Brent Barnett is stepfather to her three kids. The five will winnow the field of competitors to the final four, from which the public will then have the opportunity to vote on a winner.

“I want to do a reaction video of us all watching them as well,” Jasmine Barnett said by email Monday.

“I think we will have the kids vote on their favorites, and then Brent and I will get it down to the final four. … It is supposed to be fun and not as serious in the judging so it is just a great way to stay involved with the creative community.”

They’ll be judging three things suggested to all entrants: strength of performance, visual appeal and creative staging, Solley said. “And how the Barnett family interprets that to get to the final four will be fun.”

Voting on the final four will likely start as soon as this weekend, he said. The winner will receive gift certificates to the Tower, restaurants and area stores.

“And then we’re going to award a special walk-on role from one of these people in ‘Titanic the Musical’ come September at the Tower,” Solley said.

The submissions of songs came from kids, young adults, families who are predominantly locals, tackling tunes from “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Wicked,” “Avenue Q,” “Funny Girl” and many others. The results are highly entertaining, said Communications Manager Amanda Bird.

“Oh my gosh,” she said. “I’m just crying laughing at how amazing some of these are. People put a lot of time and thought into them, and using only props from home.”

For more information, visit

towertheatre.org.