By Staff
Rose, Cox are runners-upin Saturday’s competition
By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles &Features Editor
Leah Clark of Washington sang a sultry version of “I Put a Spell On You” on her way to capturing first place in the inaugural Beaufort County Idol competition.
Finals were held Saturday afternoon at the historic Turnage Theater in downtown Washington.
Clad in jeans and a glittering black top, Clark took command of the stage and was an audience favorite during the competition. She said she has enjoyed performing since she was a child.
Clark is presently a student at Beaufort County Community College, where she is studying accounting and business administration, but she admitted she dreams of a career on stage.
As the first place winner, Clark receives $500 in Washington Dollars that she can spend at any participating downtown business.
Amanda Rose, singing “You’re Not Alone,” was first runner-up in the Idol competition, taking home $300 in Washington Dollars. She is a 2008 graduate of Washington High School and currently attends BCCC.
Singing the Dixie Chicks’ song “Some Days You Gotta Dance,” McKenna Cox took the second runner-up spot in the competition. She is a 2007 graduate of Washington High School and is a sophomore majoring in musical theater at East Carolina University. Her prize was $200 in Washington Dollars.
Cox complimented everyone involved in the finals, all of whom were selected during preliminary competitions held from May to September during Music In The Streets in Washington.
Rounding out the competition were the following performers, along with their song choices: Destiny Tyson, “Where Are You Christmas?”; Joseph Conner, “If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time”; Melanie Piercy, “In My Own Little Corner”; Hayley Foy, “East to West”; Jessica Smith, “Probably Wouldn’t Be This Way”; Vicky Bortz, “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”; MacKenzie Roberts, “I Go to the Rock”; Patricia Langley, “He Touched Me”; Gladys Hines, “I Can Do All Things”; Mary Elizabeth Nuckols, “Think of Me”; Kim Rogers, “At Last”; and Macon Williams, “Arlington.”
Lee Drake served as master of ceremonies, and judges were Joey Toler, Leslie Weston and Joe Sizemore.
The Historic Downtown Washington Merchants Association and the Beaufort County Arts Council, organizers of Beaufort County Idol, teamed up with the Turnage Theaters Foundation to present this weekend’s competition.