Morristown’s Got Talent 2012: It really has!

By Victoria Lin

It’s that time of year again – when our rising stars gather on stage to play, sing and dance their hearts out. More than 85 acts tried out for Morristown’s Got Talent!, which is open to anyone who lives, works or attends school in Morristown, Morris Township or Morris Plains. 

Sixteen acts will compete on Feb. 29 for a $1,000 top prize in this fifth anniversary show. Emceed by local comedian John Mruz, it’s a fundraiser for special projects in the Morris School District.

Previous editions have packed the Mayo Performing Arts Center; ticket sales start on Feb. 1. Morristown’s Got Talent! shows all the talent in the 07960, from elementary school students to mothers of elementary school students, newcomers to familiar faces, beatboxing to opera, and everything in between. All 16 finalists have one thing in common: They have talent. And they want to win.

The Morris Educational Foundation trotted them out to meet the press over the weekend at Morristown High School. Here they are:

Photos by Bill Lescohier, Victoria Lin and Kevin Coughlin. Please click icon below for captions.

Timeless Jazz

You might remember this bunch as the winners of the first Morristown’s Got Talent!. Most of the original members of the ensemble are back to reclaim their title. Says vocalist Isabel Rogers: “We want to show people what we’ve been doing. We haven’t disappeared.” With their signature black shirts and white ties making appearances at the Morris Plains Memorial Day Parade, Jazz Night, the Hope Chest gala and at A Taste of Morristown, they’ve been far from invisible. Since winning the title five years ago, some of the original members have moved on to college. “We wish them all the best,”says Isabel, but founder and director Gus Bacas feels “it’s a tighter group now.” The eight-member ensemble met through Morristown High School theater productions and the music department. Gus played the Beast to Isabel’s Belle in a middle school production of Beauty and the Beast. They are joined by friends Gus has known since preschool–original members Danny Reardon, an All-State trumpet player and Ryan Gallagher. Fresh faces in the group include Ben Burgess, an All-State contrabassist, region band pianist Charlie Savage, drummer Stephen Ferm and Gus’ younger brother, Peter Bacas. Timeless Jazzwill perform Somewhere Beyond the Sea.

Jasmin Serrano & Laura Rondinella

Jasmin Serrano and Laura Rondinella met each other at an audition… competing for the same part. They’ve been friends ever since, both down-to-earth about their talents. Jasmin is back for another round, saying last year’s experience was so great she couldn’t wait to do it again. “There’s a lot of great people this year; it’s an amazing breadth of talent here,” she says. They’ve migrated from karaoke bar to karaoke bar until deciding on Take Me or Leave Me from the musical Rent. The process of refining the piece has been unique, though. Laughs Laura, “We practice in parking lots.” Drivers stuck in traffic may be in for some musical de-stressing after hearing this duo of ladies sing.

Danielle Becht

Looking at her résumé and hearing her strikingly powerful voice, one might have trouble believing Danielle Becht is an 8-year-old third-grader at Normandy Park Elementary School. However, as a community theater alum, young Danielle is no stranger to performance. She’s even sung with Kenny Rogers in his Christmas show. She’s been singing for as long as she can remember, starting with a captive and captivated audience of her parents and priest. She will be performing Born to Entertain, picked for its poppy feel and tappy dance moves. Danielle wants to continue singing because she’s “learned so many songs and I want other people to know them too.”

Cristina Cappy

After years of karaoke and being prodded by friends, Cristina Cappy finally was pushed to audition for Morristown’s Got Talent!by her 8-year-old daughter, Vanessa, who insisted she enter to compete against one of her elementary school peers. She ultimately auditioned to set a can-do precedent for her triplets, who will no doubt be supporting her at the show. “I sing from the gut,”she says, which may be why she’s such a success at karaoke. She picked the Lady Gaga song You and I, based on how it showcases her voice and the enthused reaction of the karaoke crowd. “I think my stage name will be Lady Momma,” she jokes. As for dressing like Gaga in a bizarre outfit? “Probably not.”

Carolina Alvarez

You might recognize Carolina from her many roles in Morristown High School theatrical productions, which have highlighted her skills as a singer, dancer and actress. She thought it was great that Morristown cultivated a competition featuring a diverse range of talent, and subsequently thought, “why not?” The rest is history as she readies herself to perform O Del Dolce Ardor. Classically trained, Carolina picked this piece because she thought it was the prettiest, and she became emotionally attached to it after putting herself in the role and discovering the different feelings that came with it. She wishes to deliver a satisfying performance. “Be in the moment,” she says.

Top Hat

With a name like Top Hat, you may expect monocles and Vivaldi’s Spring. But this group’s bluesy, jazzy sound is far from stiff-necked aristocratic. The members all have their reasons for performing. Bass guitarist Aidan Keefer tried out three years ago, but is entering the competition for the first time this year. “I’m in it for the money,” he says with a laugh. “It was really fun last year,” adds beatboxer Joey Gatto. Morristown High School theater regular Danny Dones is on his third ride around Morristown’s Got Talent! and he wanted to try something different by appearing with a group. Vocalist Kiana Davis sang in MGT in a chorus and had the “best experience.” Saxophonist Sean Horan got into it after cousin Dane Glynn performed. Top Hat is playing John Legend’s Ordinary People and Stevie Wonder’s Sir Duke. They’re very different pieces, and showcase Top Hat’s versatility. They invite fellow contestant and fiddler Sam Barnes to join them in the future; Sean wishes Kings co-worker and competitor James Cutler the best.

Sam Barnes & Adam Honeycutt

Originally from Indiana and having lived in Massachusetts, fancy fiddler Sam Barnes found himself at Morristown’s Zebu Forno and saw a flyer for Morristown’s Got Talent! He’s been musically inclined all his life, taking inspiration from his older sister. He met Adam, a singer, songwriter and guitarist, through a band they both play in, The Grand National. The duo is playing Donny Brook, a tune with Irish flavor, picked for its originality and catchiness. In response to competitor Top Hat’s offer, Sam says he’s willing to don a top hat and will do it with a smile.

James Cutler

Many know James from his impromptu performances in the Kings seafood department, singing and performing over displays of fresh haddock and trout. He loves his job, he loves his customers, he loves to sing and he loves singing to his customers to make their day. Originally hailing from North Carolina, he was raised on country music and transitioned into R&B when Motown came into the mainstream. Singing Lou Rawls’ You’ll Never Find, he says: “When I’m on stage, I feel like the stage is where I’m supposed to be. I want to bring character to the stage.” He gives a shoutout to all his customers and co-workers at Kings, and thanks them for supporting him in his performances.

Captain Lung

The Morristown High students in Captain Lung have tried out before, but in different combinations. They say “this is one that works.” The current combination is Travis Fielding, Johannes Burger and Andrew McNally. In trying to come up with a band name, the members employed streams of consciousness, ending up with “capital lung.” But that made no sense.  Captain Lung sounded better. Most of their repertoire comes from messing around with their instruments. “We jam, and hear something we like, and we turn it into a song,” says member Travis. “It’s important to have a clear picture in your head whenever you play something,” says bandmate Johannes. Captain Lung takes inspiration from the likes of Frank Zappa and Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. For the show, they’re playing one of their originals, Lonely Days. “I like it because it leaves the audience with a hook. It has a groove, and it’s personal,” says Johannes.

Hanna Neil

Frelinghuysen sixth-grader Hanna Neil has been singing for a while now. “It’s the one thing I do every day of my life,”she says. In fact, when she five years old and flew as an unaccompanied minor to Sweden, the flight attendant told her mother on landing that she’d been entertaining the flight by singing whenever she went to the bathroom. She was prodded to try out for Morristown’s Got Talent! by her friends. Despite her apprehensions, with the support of her friends, she auditioned and was jumping for joy when she found out she got in, singing Adele’s One and Only. Hanna’s also a saxophonist, a handbell player, an oboist and a pianist, and a tap- and jazz dancer. She hopes for a career in music when she gets older.

Oliver Cervantes & Charlie Savage

If Charlie looks familiar, it’s because he is in another act – Timeless Jazz. Nevertheless, he returns as Oliver Cervantes’ accompanist on Tamborin Chinois

Josh Klein & the Legends

Josh Klein wants everyone to know:  “It’s actually Josh Klein and the Legends.” Bandmates Klein and Eric “Swinny” Swiontkowski met each other eight years ago in New Brunswick and the band has had a rotating cast of characters ever since. Now, they’re joined by classically trained Morristown High alum Lucas Kadar and drummer Greg “Torch” Sgrulloni. Says Josh: “We’re kind of not a real band. We play for gigs, and whoever’s there is ‘the band.’ I guess our gigs are our rehearsals.” As a result, their performances rely on masterful improvisation. The band describes its sound as “fusion improv,” and feels Billy Cobham’s Stratus best shows off its strengths.

Emma Farinacci

Peck School seventh-grader Emma thought Morristown’s Got Talentwas a stretch. Now, not so much. A friend told her about it, from a flyer; during her audition, her hand was shaking on the microphone. When she found out she got in, she “flipped out.” Emma says “this is my first experience with this kind of thing, with something this big.”She’s never taken a lesson but loves to sing; for the show, she’ll be belting out Adele’s Rolling in the Deep. “I want to express what I feel about the song,” says Emma. Any advice? “Everyone should follow their dreams and reach for the stars that seem unreachable.”

Matthew Onigman

Piano tuner by day, lyric tenor by night. Matt Onigman was a drama department regular in high school and college, but it’s been a while since he’s been on stage. “This is my new beginning,” he remarks. Even though he likes art songs, he picked Puccini’s Nessun Dorma after his mother-in-law heard him singing and cried after hearing it. The piece has been approached by operatic greats in Turandot, from Pavarotti to Bocelli, and it presents challenges for Onigman. “There’s a story to tell. It’s bombastic and physically demanding,” says the vocalist. Perhaps it’s fitting that the last word of Nessun Dorma is Vincerò!” Which translates to: “I will win!”

Art of Play

Band member Ricky Webber has been here before – as a member of Boys Night Out, he previously won second prize. Now he is back with a new band, featuring fellow eighth- graders TJ Coon, Domenico Randazzo and Tyler Volk. They met each other through school and through music. For the show, they are playing a medley of The Beatles‘ Come TogetherUsher’s Oh My Gosh, and Eminem’s Lose Yourself. “The songs feature all of us,” says Domenico. “It shows off our ability to transition, and our versatility. Lots of music now is just singing and dancing. We want to bring back instrumentality to music.”

Victoria Lin is a senior at Morristown High School.

MORE ABOUT MORRISTOWN’S GOT TALENT 2012