DARE TO SWIM WITH THE SHARKS, AS ABC'S HIT SHOW "SHARK TANK" ANNOUNCES SEASON 5 OPEN CASTING CALLS IN LOS ANGELES, CHICAGO, ATLANTA, DALLAS AND PHILADELPHIA

Entrepreneurs will get another exciting opportunity to make their business dreams come true in the upcoming fifth season of the Emmy-nominated series, "Shark Tank," the show where self-made business tycoons invest in the best businesses and products that America has to offer.

Nationwide auditions to appear on the ABC hit reality series will take place in five major cities beginning on Sunday, April 14. The first 500 entrepreneurs who show up in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Philadelphia are guaranteed to be seen and will pitch the "Shark Tank" casting team with their products, services or ideas.

CASTING CALL AUDITION SCHEDULE:

SUNDAY, APRIL 14th
THE FOX THEATRE
660 Peachtree St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. -- Numbered Wristbands Distributed
12:00 p.m. -- Interviews Begin

SATURDAY, APRIL 20TH
WFAA - VICTORY PARK
3030 Olive St.
Dallas, TX 75201
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. -- Numbered Wristbands Distributed
10:00 a.m. -- Interviews Begin

THURSDAY, MAY 9TH
SHEDD AQUARIUM
1200 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL 60605
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. - Numbered Wristbands Distributed
1:00 p.m. - Interviews Begin

SATURDAY, MAY 11TH
NEXTFAB STUDIO
2025 Washington Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19146
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. - Numbered Wristbands Distributed
10:00 a.m. - Interviews Begin

FRIDAY, MAY 24th
BEVERLY GARLAND'S HOLIDAY INN
4222 Vineland Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91602
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. - Numbered Wristbands Distributed
11:00 a.m. - Interviews Begin

For further casting call information, please check out http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/casting

The Sharks - tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons - will give budding entrepreneurs the chance to make their dreams come true and potentially secure business deals that could make them millionaires. They are: billionaire Mark Cuban, owner and chairman of AXS TV and outspoken owner of the 2011 NBA championship Dallas Mavericks; real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran; "Queen of QVC" Lori Greiner; technology innovator Robert Herjavec; fashion and branding expert Daymond John; and venture capitalist Kevin O'Leary.

The entrepreneurs who dare to enter the Tank must try to convince the Sharks to part with their own hard-earned cash and give them the funding they desperately need to turn their dreams into million dollar realities. But the Sharks have a goal, too - to get a return on their investment and own a piece of the next big business idea. When the Sharks hear an idea worth sinking their teeth into, they're more than ready to declare war and fight each other for a piece of it.

"Shark Tank" received a 2012 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality Program and was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Reality Series.

Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill and Phil Gurin are the executive producers of "Shark Tank," which is based on the Japanese "Dragons' Den" format created by Nippon Television Network Corporation. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television.