2nd Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Showcase Airs Today, 5/21

On Friday, April 27th, eleven metro area high school acts performed at The Fabulous Fox Theatre for the St. Louis Teen Talent Showcase Competition Finals. Eighteen students competed for thousands of dollars in personal scholarships and special prizes. A distinguished panel of performing arts professionals - with careers spanning film, TV and Broadway - had the difficult job of judging the acts. But the winners have been announced.

Technical ability, stage presence, interpretation, originality and content were all taken into consideration to choose the following students for the top honors: 1st place ($7000 college scholarship) went to “The Cotton Club” (Marquis Cooper, Virgil Fisher, DaJuan Johnson) of Central VPA High School who performed an a capella tap dance number. 2nd place ($5000 college scholarship) went to Hazelwood East High School’s “Super Sick Crew” (Paul Springer, Anthony Pawnell, Corenlius Igwe, Lonnie Howard) for performing a hip-hop dance routine. 3rd place ($3000 scholarship) went to Kellin Quinn of Circus Harmony for his juggling performance.

Three special awards went to Anissa Quilling of McCluer North High School ($1500 Capes, Sokol, Goodman & Sarachan, P.C. Musical Theatre scholarship), Wes Ragland of Webster Groves High School ($1000 “I” Award for most Imaginative, Inspired, Inspirational and Inventive act) and Maggie Dailey of Trinity Catholic H.S. ($1000 Keep Art Happening Scholarship Award). A list of additional prize winners can be found at the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation website. The group of eighteen finalists will also have the opportunity to perform at a variety of events around the metro area over the upcoming year, giving them great additions to their professional resume.

Tony Parise (Broadway actor/director), Gerri Stretz (Professional Dance Center, Fox Tellerettes) and Yvonne Meyer Hare (Professional Dance Center) directed and choreographed the Broadway-style event which included performances by the Fox Tellerettes, the Fabulous Fox Quintet, singers Emma Gassett and Kaitlyn Louise Smith while emcee Ben Nordstrom (Kevin Kline Award winner) kept the program running smoothly with humor and song.

The Finals were videotaped by The Nine Network for a special St. Louis Teen Talent Showcase Competition program to be aired tonight, May 21st at 7 p.m. and re-aired on Saturday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. This special presentation will increase the awareness of our Showcase and the talented teens in the St. Louis metro area, hopefully inspiring other communities to follow suit. The success of the previous two events has secured a 3rd Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Showcase at The Fox on April 19, 2013.