The fortunate singers moving forward to the semi-finals in The Media Theatre’s summer contest “The Vocalist” have been announced. After three weeks of entertaining audiences on Wednesday evenings and allowing themselves to be judged by Artistic Director Jesse Cline and several guest adjudicators, the results—added together for three weeks—are in. Online voting and audience voting at the theatre on paper ballots also assisted in choosing who moves forward to Week Four.
After starting with 40 contestants, there are now 25 left in the competition. The next two weeks will determine who is named 2013’s winner. The winner will receive a cash prize of $1500 and several gifts in the competition sponsored by Iron Workers Bank.
Cline spoke to the audience before the show started with kind words for each competitor. “I see their ages,” he said. “They are 14, 16, up to age 24. They have a love for what they do and plenty of courage. You know when I cast a show I see several actors who can play a certain role, but I see it from my own personal point of view. That is similar to this contest in which each judge, including myself, tries to be as objective as possible. It’s also subjective, however. Each of them gave us something very special during the past three weeks.”
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The returning contestants are: Rebecca Alexander, 20, of Broomall; Elese Bevelheimer, 14, of Woodbury, New Jersey; Kyleigh Bleacher, 16, Ridley Park; Rebecca Brandow, 24, West Chester; Kasey Brown, 16, Wilmington; Danea Coble, 19, Philadelphia; Asia DeShields, 16, Newark; Jake Donnelly, 22, Media; Derrick Ford, 18, Yeadon; Austy Hicks, 16, Wayne; Benn Tyler Iffrig, 18, Springfield; Danielle Lachall, 22, Aston; Alex Larsen, 18, Media; Marcelyn Lebovits, 17, Malvern; Le’Aisha Lewis, 14, Sharon Hill; Madison Paige Martin, 16, Rutledge; Kyle Murray, 18, Media; Jessica Nichter, 15, West Chester; Julia Richter, 14, Phoenixville; Jordan Robbins, 20, Malvern; Marie Sminkey, 15, Brookhaven; Nicholas Trawick, 19, Philadelphia; Michael Walczak, 15, Glenolden; DeShana Wooden, 20, Philadelphia; Melissa Yowell, 23, North Wales.
Pictured: Michael Walczak, 15, of Glenolden who dressed the part while singing "Music Of The Night" during the third week of Media Theatre's "Vocalist" contest. He was one of 25 chosen to move forward to the Semi
