Program Spotlight

From Meek to Marvelous: Young Performers Showcase Their Talent in Homestead

Published Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Ten-year-old Nicolette stood alone at the center of the wide ArtSouth stage and faced the judges seated in the shadows of the theater. Microphone in hand, she spoke in a quiet voice and responded to their questions with short answers.

The young performer seemed eager to “get on with the show.”

Then the music started. Right on cue, “Nicky” launched into Sugarland’s “Stuck on You,” the song she’d prepared for the “Young Talent, Big Dreams” competition. Her voice, right on pitch, arched to the high notes and scaled to the low. She swayed in tune with the beat, moved the microphone close in for effect and mimicked gestures she’d learned from watching Sugarland’s video.

Singers and dancers at the ArtSouth audition eagerly await their
chance to impress the judges.

Her one-minute of music ended, “Nicky” handed the microphone back to Earl Maulding, children’s program director of Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theater, a co-sponsor of the county-wide talent search competition along with The Children’s Trust.

“Fabulous, that was really fabulous,” one judge whispered, scribbling down notes. As with many of the performances they scored at the ArtSouth venue in Homestead, the judges had to restrain themselves from applauding. Some of the kids were that good and many transformed on stage, taking on a whole new persona – from meek to marvelous – when performing.

“We’ve seen such an amazing amount of talent,” said Barbara Stein, executive producing director of the Actors’ Playhouse. More than 80 excited performers pre-registered to compete in the “Young Talent” competition held at ArtSouth, Homestead Sanctuary Theatre, the next to the last of the preliminary auditions. The most talented performers now move on to the Semifinals and Finals to be held Feb. 18 and 19 in front of a live audience at the Actors’ Playhouse. Prizes and scholarships await the winners.

Cristy English, a singer and music teacher at Mandarin Lakes K-8 Academy; Madeline Marchant, actress and drama teacher at South Miami Middle School; and Manee Valentine, jazz singer and composer, formed the cadre of judges for the competition held at ArtSouth.

Alexa, 10, one of more than 80 hopeful and very talented performers
at the auditions held at Artsouth.

“It’s phenomenal that The Children’s Trust and Actors’ Playhouse have taken this up – there’s such a lot of talent out there,” English said. “It’s really scary to see what’s happening with the cuts to the arts in schools. Someone wanting to know Miami would really miss a large part of understanding the community – we really need to showcase the arts.”

The preliminary auditions for “Young Talent, Big Dreams” have been held at venues around the county, especially to give children and youth in all areas an equal chance to showcase their talents, either as individual performers or in musical groups.

ArtSouth provides visual arts-based learning in its “Learn & Serve” after-school program, funded by The Children’s Trust through a Dept. of Cultural Affairs grant. An arts-based summer camp, funded through a separate grant, teaches fashion design, performing and visual arts. EnFamilia, another Trust-funded program in South Dade, offers a summer camp geared toward the arts – musical theater, drama, dance and visual arts, and, in the past, storytelling and film.

The scholarships offered through these arts-focused programs are the only opportunity for many students in South Dade from low-income families to further their artistic talents.

A good number of the performers at the Homestead audition were students at Devon Aire K-8 Center and some of the best performers received training and polished their choreography at ABC Dance Studios.

Dancers like 10-year-old Priscella, a student at Vineland K-8 who hopes to attend an arts magnet middle school next year, talked about their dreams of becoming a professional dancer. For Holly Zioberberg, a student at Coral Reef Senior High who read a speech she’d written about the impact of bullying, “writing is the way that I express myself.”

Judith Neil, her daughter Danielle, and musician friend
Tray Warren.

The auditions were certainly a family affair. In many instances, it was hard to see who was most nervous about the performances – the moms and dads and friends or the children themselves. Outside, after the audition, everyone seemed to breathe a lot easier while celebrating the hard work and practice – and more.

“It’s my birthday today – I’m 10,” beamed Danielle, a 4th-grader at Florida City Elementary. Danielle, who sings in the choir at her school and church, sang a song by Selena Gomez and was accompanied on guitar by friend Tray Warren.

Danielle met Warren at the South Florida Urban Ministries Branches after-school program and the two rehearsed together over a period of weeks. How did Warren do for the performance? “He did awesome,” Danielle said.

The La-Boissieres: Giancarlo, Jose Luis, Nicky and Noris

Nicky’s family also gathered outside to celebrate afterwards. The La-Boissieres all seemed to recognize her extraordinary talent and that a future in the arts is a distinct possibility.

The musical talent? “Not from us,” laughed mother Noris, “it comes from her grandmother.”

“She sings all the time – anything and everything. I’m not sure why, but she seems to especially like these American country songs,” said Jose Luis La-Boissiere, her father.

Sometimes siblings, especially older ones, are the toughest judges. What did brother Giancarlo think of Nicky’s performance? “I just love listening to her sing – she’s great,” he said.

A final preliminary audition was held Saturday, Feb. 5 at the Byron Carlyle Theater on Miami Beach. Semi-
Finals and Finals will be held Feb. 18 and 19 at the Actors' Playhouse, 280 Miracle Mile, in Coral Gables.
Visit www.actorsplayhouse.org for more information.

Written by Michael R. Malone