Suburban Chicago's Got Talent extends registration deadline to June 4
Time is running out to register to audition for the seventh season of Suburban Chicago's Got Talent.
Amateur musicians, dancers, comedians, performance poets and other family-friendly entertainers have until 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 4, to snag one of 100 private audition spots scheduled between Monday and Wednesday, June 18-20, at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles.
"I am really excited about giving an opportunity to a budding entertainer who might not have an opportunity to play on a big, iconic stage," said Ron Onesti, the CEO and president of Onesti Entertainment and the Arcada Theatre.
A full list of contest policies and rules can be found at events.dailyherald.com/scgt-audition. In addition to Suburban Chicago's Got Talent auditions, the 900-seat Arcada Theatre plays host to the Top 20 and Top 15 competition rounds respectively on July 8 and July 29.
The Top 10 show and finale then shifts to Addison's Little Italy Fest-West on Saturday, Aug. 4. That's when the winners will be announced for the grand prize and the Fan Favorite (who is chosen in two rounds of online voting at dailyherald.com/entertainment/talent) before a crowd of up to 4,000 people.
For 2018, the grand prize for Suburban Chicago's Got Talent has been expanded to include a Development Package (custom video, website development, mentor and photo session), a trip for two to either Nashville or Cleveland, a headline concert and an opening act slot for a national act at Schaumburg's Septemberfest on Saturday, Sept. 1. The Fan Favorite prize is being finalized.
Suburban Chicago's Got Talent at the Arcada Theatre is co-sponsored by the Daily Herald, Onesti Entertainment, Amita Health, Zeigler Auto Group, Salon Lorrene and the village of Schaumburg.
"The talent is out there," said Onesti, who is returning as a Suburban Chicago's Got Talent judge alongside new judges like Jim Peterik, lead singer of The Ides of March; Carl Giammarese, lead singer of The Buckinghams; and jazz vocalist Diva Montell.
"But do (the contestants) have the ability to connect with their audiences and be exciting? Can they make it a great overall show instead of just something that sounds good?" Onesti said. "There's a lot of things I'm looking for."
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Suburban Chicago's Got Talent 2018
Main location: Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 962-7000, arcadalive.com or events.dailyherald.com
Private auditions: Monday through Wednesday, June 18-20
Top 20 show: 6 p.m. Sunday, July 8
Top 15 show: 7 p.m. Sunday, July 29
Top 10 show and finale: 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, at Little Italy Fest-West at Centennial Park, Lake Street at Rohlwing Road, Addison
Admission: Free