Madera’s Got Talent returns
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Contestant Max Sandoval performs during auditions for the Madera's Got Talent competition.
Madera South High School Theater Company will present the fourth annual Madera’s Got Talent at 4 p.m., Sept. 14. The show is expected to last about two or three hours, said Alicia Gonzalez, one of the advisors on the project.
The program will be staged by the Madera Leo Club, a high school service club in conjunction with and sponsored by the Madera Lions Club. The show will be held in the Madera South High School Theater Complex.
The contest is open to students of kindergarten through 12th grade who attend Madera Schools.
Auditions were held Aug. 27, and 19 students qualified to perform at the competition. They range in age from fourth-grader and singer Eliana Cantu to 12th grader Maribel Juarez, who sings and plays the ukulele.
Local civic leaders have been selected as judges for the competition. These include Madera Police Chief Dino Lawson, Madera South High School Drama Coach Ginger Latimer, MUSD Superintendent Todd Lile, MSHS Principal Oracio Rodrigues, MSHS Choir Master Roger Harabedian and Work Experience Coordinator Tim Riche.
Talent coordinators for the event are Stephani Perez, Chris Hansen, Abel Perez, Darlene Garcia, Ruth Nishimoto and Alicia Gonzalez.
Rehearsals for the show will be held at 5 p.m. Sept. 10 and 12 in the Madera South High School Theater Arts building.
Judges will award monetary prizes and trophies in first, second and third place in two divisions comprised of the younger performers, and to the older performers as well.
Winners of the contest have been invited to perform at the upcoming Pomegranate Festival. Opportunities to perform at other venues and festivals will be explored.
Act 1 Contestants
Eliana Cantu, fourth grade, Pershing Elementary, singer
Max Sandoval, sixth grade, Rose Elementary, singer
Vincent Rodriguez, sixth grade, Sherman Thomas, Piano
Samantha Riché, fifth grade, Lincoln Elementary, singer
Isaac Beltran, sixth grade, Adams Elementary, piano
Nova Krumm, 6th grade, Adams Elementary, piano
Jazzlyn Padilla, eighth grade, Sherman Thomas School, singer
Evian Triado, 10th grade, Crescent View, singer
Jonathan Renteria, 11th grade, Madera South High School, dance
Act II Contestants
Rebekah Mendoza, seventh grade, Tafoya Alvarado School, singer
Karissa McComb, seventh grade, Desmond Middle School, dance
Mayce Atherton, eighth grade, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, singer
Jacqueline Diaz, seventh grade, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, singer
Cathleen Cortez, ninth grade, Madera South High School, singer
Maribel Juarez, 12th grade, Madera South High School, singer and ukulele player
Moises Morales, eighth grade, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, singer
Ariana Gutierrez, 10th grade, Madera South High School, singer
German Gutierrez, ninth grade, Madera South High School, singer
Fabian Beltran, 12th grade, Madera High School, pianist
