Long Island Has Indeed Got Talent!
On Wednesday, May 12, fifteen performers selected as finalists took the stage at the Dix Hills Performing Arts Center, Five Towns College. They were competing for a $500 cash prize, a gig at the Huntington Summer Arts Festival, a $1,000 scholarship to Five Towns College and other fabulous prizes. The judges awarded that prize to Kings Park singer Hallie Hugues for her rendition of Someone Like You from "Jekyll & Hyde."
Winners, pictured above from left:
Rising Star: Crystalyn Wynter
Rising Star
13 Plus: (Crystalyn Wynter) & Julia Biedry
Rising Star 13 & Under: Maria Pragias, Jackie Evancho, Nicole Rampanelli
2009 Winner Christopher Borger, MC Fran Capo
Audience Choice: Salvatore Valentinetti
Winner: Hallie Hugues
Our special thanks go to our sponsors, Dix Hills Performing Arts Center Five Towns College, JVKellyGroup, Inc. and Huntington Center for Performing Arts. And hats off to our MC Fran Capo, comedienne extraordinaire.
The top 20 performers for the professionally-produced finals were selected from two live auditions and DVD submissions.The Huntington Arts Council would also like to thank the judges, who were:
- Glenn Gamboa, Newsday music columnist;
- John Platt, WFUV/90.7FM Director of Communications & Special Projects and on-air host of the wide-ranging "Sunday Breakfast";
- Jen Chapin, singer/songwriter and activist;
- Donna Drake, co-host of weekly TV program "Live It Up!" on WLNY-TV10/55;
- Donna McKenna, casting director and independent film producer;
- Andrea Maire, professional musician.
The evening was a benefit for the Huntington Arts Council's Arts-in-Education program; it was also a benefit for the performing arts community, providing an opportunity for young and emerging artists to receive recognition.
