‘Northern Stars’ to light up Presque Isle Middle School
PRESQUE ISLE – Seventeen singers from central Aroostook and Victoria County, N.B. will vie for votes Friday night in order to advance to the “Northern Star” finale.
Formerly named “Aroostook Idol,” the central Aroostook showdown is the second of three regional performances to find the top vocalist, including a search for cross-border talent. The central Aroostook show, which will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 at Presque Isle Middle School, will feature singers selected last week from 27 auditions in an effort to manage the length of the show.
The performers include Lydia Abbott, Dan Rooney and Yvette Stephens, all of Presque Isle; Jamilyn Deschesne, Deanna Jordan, Alyson Michaud and Karina Patterson, all of Caribou; Larry Berz and Bryan Morgan, of Limestone; Lance Albair of Woodland, Jordan Buckley of Westfield, Todd Corey of Mars Hill, Jean-Guy Dominique and Amanda Rose Savage, of Grand Falls, N.B.; Robert Helstrom of Washburn, Kassidy Morin of California Settlement, N.B. and Mallory Parsons of Tilley, N.B.
In addition to going international, “Northern Star” organizers have also changed the voting process to include a combination of judges’ votes and audience participation to select the top three performers from each region. The audience will vote for their favorites, as had become the “Aroostook Idol” tradition, however, with a new “Northern Star” twist, the top two audience picks will move forward to the finale. A third wild-card pick will be selected by the judges.
Nine finalists, three from each region, will perform at the Feb. 28 finale in Caribou, when the new, international “Northern Star” will be determined. Thirteen competitors performed last Saturday in the Houlton regional show. Three male singers – Zacharia Harvey, Wyatt Jenkins and Jason Shaw – are advancing from the southern Aroostook contest, where 13 singers from southern Aroostook and Carleton County, N.B., performed before an audience of approximately 300 spectators.
Friday’s second regional show is open to residents of central Aroostook and Victoria County, N.B., and the final regional show will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19 at the University of Maine at Fort Kent’s Fox Auditorium. It is open to residents of the St. John Valley and Madawaska County, N.B. Approximately 13 contestants have pre-registered for this regional performance and applications are still being accepted.
Admission to each regional production is $8 per person and admission to the finale will be $10. Tickets are now on sale at all Aroostook County Key Bank branches. All proceeds from funds raised will go directly to the United Way of Aroostook annual campaign.
Since the United Way of Aroostook launched the original “Aroostook Idol” fund-raiser, it has drawn more than 150 competitors to the stage. It also has raised more than $150,000 to benefit agencies funded by the United Way in Aroostook County.
For more information on the “Northern Star” competition, contact the United Way of Aroostook at 207-764-5197.
JUDGES, EMCEES, ENTERTAINERS and 17 contestants are preparing for the second of three regional competitions to be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 at Presque Isle Middle School to find three 2010 Northern Star regional finalists. Serving on the judges’ panel for all Northern Star performances are, front row, from left: 2007 Aroostook Idol Annie Charles of Limestone, Scott Voisine, critic, comedian and dean of students at the University of Maine at Fort Kent; and 2006 Aroostook Idol Samantha Boutot of Fort Kent. Back row: Jason Parent, emcee, Northern Star organizer and director of development and college relations at Northern Maine Community College; 2009 Aroostook Idol Pam Cyr, who will perform at Friday’s regional contest; and Claudia Stevens, executive director of the United Way of Aroostook.
