By Staff
Turnage Theater to host 16 performers in grand finale
By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles &Features Editor
Sixteen talented performers will have their moment on the Turnage Theater stage Saturday afternoon during the finals of the inaugural season of Beaufort County Idol.
After months of preliminary competitions held during downtown Washington’s Music In The Streets events, a new star will be crowned this weekend. Chosen during the semifinals and competing Saturday are Joseph Conner, Destiny Tyson, Renee Stalls, Hayley Foy, Jessica Smith, Melanie Piercy, Amanda Rose, Vicky Bortz, MacKenzie Roberts, McKenna Cox, Patricia Langley, Leah Clark, Gladys Hines, Mary Elizabeth Nuckols, Kim Rogers and Macon Williams.
The task of choosing the winner rests on the capable shoulders of judges Joe Sizemore, Leslie Weston and Joey Toler. Sizemore has judged each round of competition thus far, while Weston and Toler were named to the panel for this weekend’s finals.
One notable difference between the competitions thus far and Saturday’s finals is musical accompaniment, according to Sizemore. The vocalists performed a capella — or without instrumental back up — during the preliminaries, but for most if not all of them that will change.
But lack of an accompanist won’t disqualify anyone from the competition.
What qualities should the winner of Beaufort County Idol 2008 possess?
The performers have had a bit of extra time to polish their act for the finals. The last round of competition had originally been scheduled during last month’s Smoke on the Water festivities, but inclement weather forced a postponement.
What could have been bad news actually resulted in the singers being given the opportunity to perform amidst the splendor of the restored Turnage.
Organizers of Beaufort County Idol, which is sponsored by the Historic Downtown Washington Merchants Association and the Beaufort County Arts Council, have teamed up with the Turnage Theaters Foundation for Saturday’s show.
The performance is slated to begin at 1 p.m. and the doors to the theater will open at noon for early arrivals. There is no set admission fee, but those attending are encouraged to make a $5 donation to the cause.
Along with the prestige of being named the best of the best, the winner of Beaufort County Idol will receive $500 in “Washington Dollars,” to be spent in participating downtown businesses. The first runner-up gets $300 and second runner-up will receive $200.
If the preliminary rounds are any indication, the finals should offer some great entertainment, according to preliminary judge Patch Clark of the theater department at East Carolina University.
Sizemore said he has high hopes for Saturday’s show, as well.
*For more about the grand finale judges for Beaufort County Idol 2008, see Saturday’s edition of the Washington Daily News.