While Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel will not be in attendance, the Owensboro’s Got Talent (OGT) preliminary rounds will still kick-off Saturday, March 2. The popular local talent show fundraiser for Theatre Workshop of Owensboro (TWO) will return again this year during the first four Saturdays in March.
Three preliminary rounds will take place March 2, 9 and 16 at the Old Trinity Center on 407 W 5th Street. The finale will be on Saturday, March 23 at the Empress Theatre. All performances will take place at 7 p.m.
Katie Williams, one of last year’s OGT judges, and Joseph Acquisto, will be the co-chairs of this year’s fundraising event for the Theatre Workshop. The two are still encouraging community members who have a special talent to participate.
“It’s a talent show,” Williams said. “It’s not just singing talent — it’s any talent you might have.”
Interested participants start by completing an online application listing their talent and availability to perform. They are then considered to be slated for one of the three Saturday preliminary rounds.
“We are looking for anything and everything you want to bring to the table,” Williams said.
According to Williams, during each preliminary, up to 15 participants will perform. Scores will then be tallied from the feedback of three separate judges as well as text voting from the audience. The top five individuals from each preliminary round will then move on to the finale on March 23 where they will compete for the grand prize of $1,000.
Emma Grace Brown was last year’s OGT grand prize winner. After participating for two years, not only did Emma win the $1,000 grand prize, she said the win also helped open up more doors for her to perform locally.
“It got my name out to the public and got me to Friday After Five and to sing downtown,” Emma said. “I think it really helped me out a lot.”
While Emma, the daughter of country music artist and America’s Got Talent contestant Marty Brown, has been singing for the majority of her life, she said she has always struggled with confidence issues.
“I think that talent show helped build that confidence,” Emma said. “And I made a couple friends.”
Williams encourages those who would like to participate or be part of the audience to sign-up online or purchase tickets.
“It’s a really fun project — it’s a fundraiser for the theatre which is why we really try to keep it going,” Williams said, adding “there is so much talent in this town,” and, with prizes of $1,000, $500 and $250, “there’s good incentive to participate for sure.”
Sign up here if you would still like to be a contestant.
For tickets, go to theatreworkshop.org call (270) 683-5333 for more info.
