By Max Felsenstein
The Morris Educational Foundation has a challenging homework assignment: Choosing 16 finalists from more than 60 singers, acrobats and interpretive dancers who auditioned Saturday for the 2018 Morristown Onstage competition.
“This is going to be really tough to decide,” said event Chairperson Molly Servais.
Every year, she said, the nonprofit Foundation worries it may have tapped all the local talent, yet “we never do, because there’s always new talent that comes out and talent that has been with us in the past that comes with a new twist, so it’s really exciting every year.”
The 11th annual show is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2018, once again in Morristown’s 1,300-seat Mayo Performing Arts Center.
Servais aims to top this year’s Morristown Onstage record of $126,000 raised by the Foundation for programs in the Morris School District, which serves Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains.
“We will absolutely raise more money than we ever have because that’s my number one goal: Be there to support our schools,” the chairperson said.
Slideshow photos by Jeff Sovelove:
The contest is open to amateur performers who live, work or attend school in Greater Morristown, and to alumni of Morristown High School. A $1,000 prize goes to the adult winner (19 and over) and to the 18-and-under division. Also, the audience chooses its favorite act, which receives $500.
Maria Melendez, a 21-year-old Morristown resident who attends William Paterson University, hopes her performance Saturday of If I Ain’t Got You by Alicia Keys will land her in the show. She auditioned three years ago and felt ready to give it another try.
“I was looking to accomplish more of a sense of motivation or confidence, and it was something I really needed to release out of my system. I just had some type of hope that it would be a good idea to come back,” Melendez said.
If she makes the cut, and wins prize money, “I think I would possibly give it to my parents because they put a lot of time into auditions and being there for me and paying for my lessons,” she said.
A $250, Rosoff Rising Star Award also will go to an act that shows a lot of promise, said Morris Educational Foundation Executive Director Debbie Sontupe.
Morristown Onstage has raised $525,000 in its first decade. Sponsors include Morristown Medical Center and Atlantic Health and Provident Bank.
Tickets go on sale in early February.
Max Felsenstein is a writing and communications major at Drew University, Class of 2020.