Auditions to pare down ‘Northern Star’ contestants
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Local interest in the upcoming “Northern Star” singing competition – formerly “Aroostook Idol” – is so great that auditions will be held to help find the area’s best contestants.
According to Ginny Joles, United Way board member and Northern Star committee member, the second regional show, to be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 at Presque Isle Middle School, is open to residents of central Aroostook and Victoria County, New Brunswick.
“Auditions in the central region have been scheduled because of numerous responses to the call-for-talent,” said Joles. “Nearly 30 applications have been received ranging from age 12 to 69, including four Canadian participants, seven male and 20 female singers.
“We’d like to pare that number down to 15-18 due to show time constraints,” she said.
Auditions will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4 at the United Way office located at 480 Main St. (third floor) in Presque Isle.
The first regional show will be held Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Houlton High School Auditorium where 13 contestants from Aroostook County and Carleton County, N.B. will vie for votes in order to advance to the “Northern Star” finale.
The second regional show will be held in Presque Isle, while the final show will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19 at the University of Maine at Fort Kent in the Fox Auditorium. It is open to residents of the St. John Valley and Madawaska County, N.B. Approximately 10 have pre-registered for this regional performance.
In addition to going international, “Northern Star” organizers have also changed the voting process to include a combination of judges’ votes and audience participation to select the top three performers from each region. The audience will vote for their favorites, as had become the “Aroostook Idol” tradition, however, with a new “Northern Star” twist, the top two audience picks will move to the finale. A third wild-card pick will be selected by the judges.
Nine finalists, three from each region, will perform at the Feb. 28 finale in Caribou, when the new, international “Northern Star” will be determined.
Serving on the judges’ panel for all events, and back by popular demand, are Scott Voisine, judge, critic, and comedian from Fort Kent, along with former Aroostook Idol winners Annie Charles (2007) of Limestone, and Samantha Boutot (2006) of Fort Kent.
Admission to each regional production is $8 per person and admission to the finale will be $10. Tickets are now on sale at all Aroostook County Key Bank branches. All proceeds from funds raised will go directly to the United Way of Aroostook annual campaign.
Since the United Way of Aroostook launched the original “Aroostook Idol” fund-raiser, it has drawn more than 150 competitors to the stage. It also has raised more than $150,000 to benefit agencies funded by the United Way in Aroostook County.
For more information on the “Northern Star” competition, contact the United Way of Aroostook at 764-5197.
