Suburban Chicago's Got Talent finalists perform Sunday
All 20 finalists for Suburban Chicago's Got Talent make music. So will this year's grand prize go to a rock band? A classical singer? A singer-songwriter?
The first public round of competition kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 5, at the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg. Then it will be up to the judges to decide which contestants, chosen during closed auditions in June, move on in the summerlong competition.
Fifteen will advance before the field is pared down to a Top 10. The winners will be named at the Taste of Arlington Heights on Saturday, Aug. 8.
At stake is a "STARter Kit" grand prize promotional package to help further a budding artist's performing career, including a performance as an opening act at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles.
There's also a Fan Favorite aspect to the competition that encourages the public to vote online at dailyherald.com/entertainment/talent. Voting in the Top 20 round will open next week, and the contestant with the most online votes is guaranteed a spot in the Top 15. The act with the most online votes throughout the competition wins a Funjet Vacation for two.
Suburban Chicago's Got Talent is in its fourth year and is sponsored by the Daily Herald, the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg, Onesti Entertainment, AMITA Health, Rohrman Auto Group, Salon Lorrene and the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce.
This Year's 20 Finalists in Alphabetical Order:
Amanya Amariel
Hometown: Chicago
Talent: Singer
Favorite artists: Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Gloria Estefan
Aviation and the War
Hometowns: Matt Buenger of Addison and Joe Christopoulos of Wood Dale
Talent: Rock band
Favorite artist: Thrice
Laura Burke
Hometowns: Laura Burke, Jason Edel, Ryan Gore, Alex Santilli and Mitch Klicki, all of Arlington Heights
Talent: Rock band
Favorite artist: Michael Jackson
Ryan Cooper
Hometown: Schaumburg
Talents: Vocalist and guitarist
Favorite artist: Howard Shaw
Meghan Foley
Hometown: Villa Park
Talent: Singer
Favorite artist: The Script
Rhea Garbis
Hometown: Richmond
Talents: Singer and guitarist
Favorite artist: Silversun Pickups
Sheridan Hurtig
Hometown: Mundelein
Talent: Singer
Favorite artist: Demi Lovato
Nathaniel Killian
Hometown: Wauconda
Talent: Singer
Favorite artists: Michael Bublé, Ariana Grande, Nathan Sykes, Lecrae, Boyz II Men
Meera Khare
Hometown: Arlington Heights
Talent: Pianist
Favorite artist: Frédéric Chopin
Laura Kuper
Hometown: Wheeling
Talent: Pop/rock singer and pianist
Favorite artist: Kelly Clarkson
Jesse Leon (Jesse Avila)
Hometown: Melrose Park
Talent: Singer
Favorite artists: The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Adele, Queen
Lucky (Michael Lueck)
Hometown: Arlington Heights
Talents: Multigenre singer and guitarist
Favorite artist: John Legend
Ken Markovic
Hometown: Darien
Talent: Folk singer
Favorite artists: The Avett Brothers, Pigpen Theatre Co., Paul Simon
Bobby McNeily
Hometown: Wheaton
Talent: Classical singer
Favorite artist: Josh Groban
Carly Meyer
Hometown: Northbrook
Talent: Classical singer
Favorite artists: Diana Damrau and Renée Fleming
Osvaldo Paese
Hometown: Mount Prospect
Talent: Singer
Favorite artist: Bob Dylan
San Star Sandberg
Hometown: Geneva
Talent: Singer
Favorite artist: Billy Joel
Serendipity
Hometowns: Daniella Ballarino of Mount Prospect, Haley Blomquist of Elk Grove Village, Lizzy Petitt of Arlington Heights, Anneliese Schulz of Elk Grove Village and Josie Treffy of South Elgin
Talent: Rock band
Favorite artists: Too many to list
JT Snyder
Hometown: Barrington
Talent: Pop singer
Favorite artist: Bruno Mars
Triptych
Hometown: Mike, Marirose and Nick Rueth of Glen Ellyn
Talent: Sibling band
Favorite artists: Sam Smith for Mike, Carrie Underwood for Marirose and Red Hot Chili Peppers for Nick
Top 20 judges
Beth Waller: Cultural Arts Supervisor for the Schaumburg Park District
John Flamini: Chairman of the Cultural Commission, Village of Schaumburg
Barbara Vitello: A Lisagor Award-winning reporter, the Daily Herald's principal theater critic and legal affairs writer
Ron Onesti: President and CEO of Onesti Entertainment Corporation, which runs the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles and outdoor concerts throughout the area
Host
Rob Pileckis: The Chicago resident has hosted events like Screen Test Student Fest film festival, Summer Breeze concert series and the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra's "Presto!" holiday concerts. He's also conducted interviews onstage with celebrities like opera star Danielle de Niese and Robert Osborne from Turner Classic Movies. For his day job, Pileckis works as production supervisor at the Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts.
Suburban Chicago’s Got Talent Top 20
Location: Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg, (847) 895-3600 or
prairiecenter.orgShowtimes: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 5Upcoming shows: Top 15 at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 19; Top 10 at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2Tickets: $10