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STEUBENVILLE -- While the area might be accustomed by now to the Valley's Got Talent competition for older youth, a first-time edition happening this month will showcase performances by children.
Auditions for the Valley's Got Talent Kids Edition and Competition -- which is geared to children ages 8 to 13 -- will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on April 23 at the Sycamore Youth Center, located at 301 N. Fourth St.
Executive Director Bobbyjon Bauman explained that those who cannot make it to the live tryouts may submit an online audition.
Songs must be submitted through YouTube, e-mail link or a video link that can be accessed on the Internet by April 23 at 11:59 p.m.
The song/performance must be 5 minutes or less. Online entries are to be submitted by e-mail to bobbyjon@uvyn.org.
Contestants must live within 35 miles of Steubenville. The categories for the competition are bands/vocal groups/choir; dance; vocal soloists; and miscellaneous (nonvocal) talent (poets, instrumentalists, etc.) Bands, choirs and soloists can have people older than 13 accompanying or backing the vocalists and musicians, but only the vocalists and musicians ages 8 to 13 will be judged in the competition.
Judging criteria include spiritual and inspirational effectiveness; vocal and instrumental excellence; and presentation (ability to engage and connect with the audience.)
The lyrics to songs should be submitted along with the entry as all songs must have inspirational and Christian content. The screening committee is made up of Ohio Valley Youth Network members who will have the final say on what is appropriate for the competition.
Contestants chosen to perform will be informed on or before April 24 at 11:59 p.m. by text or e-mail, according to Bauman. Typically only 20 acts total -- five per category -- will be chosen to perform at the competition, which will be held April 30 at the Sycamore Youth Center, beginning at 6 p.m, with $1,000 in prize money to be awarded.
Admission to the event is free and will feature the Valley's Got Talent 2019 winner Ashley Marina.
To register to try out or for information go to https://www.sycamorecenter.com/vgtkids.
While same-day in-person registration for tyrouts will be accepted on April 23, pre-registration is preferred, Bauman noted. who can be contacted at bobbyjon@ovyn.org or (740) 409-2986.
"For years I had thought about having a separate Valley's Got Talent for younger children and decided finally this year to move forward with this event to make it fair for the littler kids to compete against children their age," Bauman commented.