By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Talented singers from central Aroostook and Victoria County, New Brunswick are hoping to hit the high note Saturday and earn their spot in the Northern Star finale later this month.
Formerly known as Aroostook Idol, the successful international singing competition is a fundraiser for the United Way of Aroostook. The second regional show will be held Saturday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. (U.S. time) at the Presque Isle Middle School auditorium. The first show was held last Friday in Houlton for contestants from southern Aroostook County and Carleton County, N.B., while the Fort Kent production will be held Friday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. (U.S. time) in the Fox Auditorium at the University of Maine at Fort Kent for St. John Valley and Madawaska County, N.B. contestants.
Because interest in the Presque Isle show is so high, organizers will hold private auditions tomorrow – Thursday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. – at the United Way of Aroostook office located at 480 Main St. (third floor) in Presque Isle.
“We try to cap the regional shows at around 16 performers and we have gone well beyond that number,” said Claudia Stevens, United Way of Aroostook executive director. “We are holding tryouts Thursday to narrow the field. We have 19 applicants already and more applications have been coming in.
“We’re very pleased with the response this year,” she said. “We always wonder if we’ve run the gamut with this event and gotten all the mileage out of it that we can, and clearly the answer is, ‘No, we haven’t.’ It’s still of great interest to the area; people look forward to it and certainly the applicants are responding. We have 12-year-olds right up to people in their 60s and are seeing good participation from our Canadian friends.”
Organizers are trying something new this year. Not only will the top three (top two audience vote-getters and a judges’ wild-card pick) soloists from each regional show advance to the finale, but the top groups – duos, trios and quartets – will move on, as well.
“Every year, since we first launched Aroostook Idol in 2005, we have been asked by prospective participants if we would allow them to compete as part of a duo or small group,” said Stevens. “Up until this year, we have had to decline the requests, as group acts haven’t fit with the competition format. We decided to change that by adding a component to our regional shows and finale that allow group acts to compete head-to-head with other group singing acts, with the goal of naming both a Northern Star solo singer and top singing group.”
Stevens, who has been working with a committee of volunteers to plan for the seventh season of the singing competition that has raised nearly $200,000 for the United Way of Aroostook through the years, said the top solo singer in the 2011 competition will be named the Northern Star, while the top singing group will be called “Northern Stars United.” Stevens coined the latter title to reflect both the “united” nature of the voices and singers in the groups that will compete, and for the obvious connection with the name of the organization that originated and has successfully managed the singing contest for six years.
“The Presque Isle show is the only one that doesn’t have group numbers at this point,” she said. “We’re encouraging groups to apply. Perhaps word hasn’t gotten out there enough that we are doing the group numbers. I think it’s a wonderful plus to the program and it can not only help us fill the auditorium, but it also helps some of the younger participants who might not have enough courage to get up there and sing alone, but if they can sing with a friend, they’re more interested. I think the group aspect will catch on; it just might take a little time for the word to get out there.”
In addition to the audience vote, a panel of judges will once again serve as commentators offering feedback and advice. However, organizers are making changes to the judge’s panel, as well. Rather than have the same three judges appear at each regional venue, three local celebrity judges from that specific region will sit on each panel. At the end of each production, the audience will determine, by applause, which one of the three judges at their regional venue will “move on” to serve as a judge at the finale.
Judges for Saturday’s Presque Isle show include Dan Ladner, Rod Thompson and Tamia Glidden. Hosts for the show will be Stevens and Jason Parent.
The Northern Star finale will be held Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. (U.S. time) at the Caribou Performing Arts Center.
Tickets are $10 for each show and are available at all Key Bank branches and at the United Way of Aroostook office. Tickets for Saturday’s Presque Isle show will also be available at the door.
Proceeds will go to the United Way’s general fund, which helps support 20 area agencies and other United Way programs. This year’s campaign goal is $520,000.
Application forms can be picked up at the United Way office, any Key Bank branch, or downloaded from the United Way’s website (www.unitedwayaroostook.org).
For more information on the Northern Star competition, contact the United Way of Aroostook at 764-5197.
