SEA ISLE CITY – After a season filled with a wide variety of performances by many gifted entertainers, the Sea Isle City’s Got Talent Contest culminated with a well-attended Grand Finale on Aug. 12. The summer-long attraction, which was sponsored by the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce & Revitalization in cooperation with the City of Sea Isle City, took place each Friday night at Sea Isle’s new Excursion Park Band Shell. Then, as the weeks passed, the contest got better and better, and each Friday it was no small feat for judges to choose winners. With the top performers from each week’s contests (June 24 through Aug. 5) scheduled to take the stage during the Grand Finale, there was no doubt that Aug. 12 was going to be a night to remember.
Making the decision of exactly who should receive the contest’s sizable cash prizes were Radio &TV Personality/Comedian Big Daddy Graham; Sea Isle City resident Mike Boyle, a local actor and the owner of Boyle Finish Carpenters; Kelly Mihalik from Atlantic City Weekly and Philadelphia Weekly Magazines; and Debbie Apalucci, the owner and director of Touch of Class Dance Studio in Delaware County, PA.
The twenty acts that performed during the Grand Finale were Singer Joe Avanzato, 26, Petersberg, NJ; Singer Christian Foti, 16, Galloway Township, NJ; Singer Colleen Debernidinis, Chester Springs, PA; Singer/Dancer Valerie West, 9, Broomall, PA; Singer/Songwriter Casey Cattie, 16, Chads Ford, PA; Singer Alex Buonopane, 11, Brookhaven, PA; Singer Alison Boyle, 16, Philadelphia; Pianist Matthew Evan, 16, Egg Harbor Township, NJ; Singer Steve Silcato, 52, Aston, PA; The June Chimera Band (Jimmy Canuso, 12, Joe Canuso, 14, Sal Mastrangelo, 16, and Michaela Harrington, 13), Delaware County, PA; Singer Marissa Hines, 26, Mays Landing, NJ; Irish Dancer Francesca Bishop, 12, Galloway, NJ; Singer JaQuana Dockery, 16, Egg Harbor Township, NJ; Contortionist Victoria Jacoby, 14, Cape May, NJ; Singer Jacklyn Buckingham, 25, Cape May Court House, NJ; Singer Rose Selah, 45, Egg Harbor Township; Singer Johnny Rush, 23, Nashville, TN; Singer Kayla Ghanavati, 22, Seaville, NJ; Headstrong (a band comprised of Spencer Bria, 12, Riley Bria, 14, Jaden Bria, 16, and Kevin Sounders, 16), Lancaster, PA; and The Becker Aggie Dancers, consisting of fifteen young performers from Miss Margot’s Ensemble Arts Academy in Egg Harbor Township.
Adding to the evening’s entertainment were guest performances by several cast members of the film Standing Ovation, including singer Dexter Darden and “The Wiggie Girls,” who sang and danced while sporting pink wigs and matching teen-inspired costumes. Also performing was Sal Dupree, owner of the Sal Dupree Performing Arts Studio and one of the organizers of the Sea Isle City’s Got Talent Contest.
As was the case each Friday night during the weekly contest, singer-actor Rick McIver was the Grand Finale’s emcee. McIver, who also sang songs for the crowd each week, was assisted throughout the Grand Finale by Miss Teen Gloucester County Tori Cookson, 14, who helped McIver distribute prizes from local businesses to audience members who correctly answered musical trivia questions. By the end of the evening, dozens of gifts were given to the crowd of over 4000 spectators.
After considering each contestant’s stage presence, technical ability, style and other skills, the judges made their final decisions and passed the winner’s names to Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce President Chris Glancey, who then joined McIver, Dupree, Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio and all of the night’s performers on stage.
The winner of the contest’s first-place trophy and top prize of $1500 was Contortionist Victoria Jacoby, who earlier in the night wowed the audience with her ability to twist, bend and balance her body. The winner of the contest’s $1000 second prize was the band Headstrong, who performed a spirited version of Brain Adam’s 1980’s rock classic Summer of ’69. The third place winner of $750 was Casey Cattie, who sang a beautiful rendition of the country song Broken Wing.
“I think the word to sum up the night was amazing,” said Glancey afterwards. “We had amazing performers, amazing support from the community, and an amazing number of audience members at the Grand Finale – it was really something to look out over that sea of people surrounding the Band Shell. The contest turned out even better than we hoped at the beginning of the season, so Sea Isle City’s Got Talent will certainly be back next year. Friday night has become the ‘must attend’ night at Sea Isle’s Entertainment Complex.”
For additional information about the Sea Isle City’s Got Talent Contest, visit www.seaislecitysgottalent.com.
Cape May – The number one reason I didn’t vote for Donald Trump was January 6th and I found it incredibly sad that so many Americans turned their back on what happened that day when voting. I respect that the…
