Monson—hardly an urban center—is holding a talent show. “So what?”, you may say, visions of Waiting for Guffman, with its promise of a Broadway producer ready to bestow fame and fortune on small-town performers, dancing in your head.
And it’s no doubt true that many a small-town talent show features the likes of tap-dancing horses and high-decibel, pitch-optional renditions of “Me and My Shadow.”
This lineup, says Monson Arts Council member Peter Barnett, is varied. It’s anchored by “a strong showing in dance, and singing with or without accompaniment.” There’s loads more, including a ventriloquist, a mentalist, a “fantastic” yo-yo guy, four bands (two adult, two teenaged), and a hip-hop dance troupe.
Though I haven’t seen a highlight reel for the performers in said show, I’ve got every confidence that Monson is set to deliver goods of a higher order. Not only have contestants already gone through an audition process with individuals tagged with the novel moniker “pre-judges,” but they hail from all corners of the Valley.
This is a place that often astonishes with the depth of homegrown talent—many an accomplished artist (in the broad sense of the term) of local renown is also an artist of national reach. This is no mere Monson talent show, but a Valley-wide extravaganza called Western Mass Performs. (Heck, I would have considered auditioning, but the rules, alas, disallow pyrotechnic devices.)
The show, originally slated for last October, got delayed, explains Barnett, “to enlarge it, go for a wider geographic area, increase prizes, and go for a bigger auditorium. This is the improved and expanded 2010 show.”
It even comes complete with door prizes of local art (Glen Rossi’s “Town on the Cape” is pictured). And here’s the rub: the Monson talent show really is waiting for a Guffman this year. Her name is Meg McAlduff. She’s a talent scout from America’s Got Talent who got in touch, says Barnett, through the website.
“She must have received a heads-up—no idea from where,” says Barnett.
America’s Got Talent is reportedly planning auditions in Boston for late February, and Monson’s performers are set to be the potential beneficiaries of private auditions for that national show. Here’s hoping that Guffman’s no-show (thanks to supposed summer snowstorms in New York) isn’t repeated. The performers may not mind in any case, thanks to the show’s $1,000 first prize. The show is also a benefit for the Monson Arts Council scholarship fund.
Feb. 12, 7 p.m., Granite Valley Middle School auditorium, 21 Thompson St., Monson, www.monsonartscouncil.com.
