Hemmens to host first U-46 talent show

For years, the best performers at Elgin-area high schools have vied for prizes and bragging rights at their respective school talent shows.

Now, they will have a bigger stage.

On March 15, the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin will host the first TalentFest, featuring the cream of the crop of performers from all five high schools in Elgin Area School District U-46.

The event's planners hope the talent show will draw people to the Hemmens and Elgin's downtown at a time when funding and fundraising for the arts is down.

“The programming budget, like most city budgets, has been slashed,” said Jeff Grosser, chairman of the Hemmens Advisory Board. “We have not been able to bring in as many touring acts as before. We have been looking for ways to enhance our programming ... which will bring not only people to Hemmens but to downtown Elgin.”

In February and March, each high school in U-46 will hold a talent show for its students. The top two finishers at each show will advance to the TalentFest at the Hemmens, where they will compete for first, second and third place. The high school whose performers net the highest combined scores will get a traveling trophy.

The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges, including Superintendent Jose Torres, and audience voting. That means that it's important that students, parents and staff show up to support their respective contestants, Grosser said.

“Most of our efforts will be on getting the student population and their connections to participate,” Grosser said. “We want them to come and support their particular finalists.”

Larkin High School is already busy preparing for its talent show on Feb. 9. This year, 26 acts have been selected for the annual event, including singers, rappers, break dancers and a string quartet performing the Rolling Stones' “Paint It Black.”

Larkin stage tech Adam Baxter, one of the show's organizers, said the districtwide TalentFest has students excited about the chance to represent their school.

“We had a larger turnout for auditions than we had in the past,” Baxter said. “I think the wider turnout means kids want to be able to move to another venue, the next level.”

Tickets for the U-46 TalentFest are available now at the Hemmens box office or at hemmens.org. Organizers hope to make TalentFest an annual event.