Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — Applause was at times thunderous during the first Limestone/Caswell Community Spring Talent Show on May 7 at the Limestone Community School, where over 148 spectators turned out to watch ten talent show contestants and five special entertainers while raising a total of $685 (to be split down the middle) for Relay for Life Team Eaglez and the Caswell School Department’s Stage Curtain Project.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
Four-year-old Abby St. Peter told the Limestone and Caswell Recreation Department Directors that she wanted to perform in the talent show because she liked to be the center of attention — and she apparently wasn’t kidding. Feet dangling in the air and just as calm as could be, the toddler didn’t miss a beat while singing Fireworks” by Katy Perry acappella to nearly 150 spectators. Please see next week’s issue of the Aroostook Republican for additional photos from the event.
“We had a very young but impressive group of kids who performed,” said Director of the Limestone Recreation Department Amanda Brooker. Even some adults from the community got into the fun of the evening; Limestone teacher Jennifer Poitras, who dexterously played the piano during a surprise opening act and the Limestone Line Dancers performed a toe-tapping number.
The evening’s show was coordinated by the Limestone and Caswell Recreation Departments, and Caswell Recreation Director Lawana McKenzie has been hearing nothing but good things about the event. (And she really liked working with Brooker).
“I thought the evening went absolutely remarkable,” she said. “It was fun and everyone I’ve talked with said they hope we do it again next year.”
Given the positive response from the communities, it’s a likeyhood that this fundraising evening of talented performances has found it’s annual niche in the rec. departments’ repertoires.
“I was very excited that the kids all tried something new — many of them were first-time performers,” Brooker said.
With talents ranging from comedic monologues, four-year-old acappella singers and baton twirling youngsters, the judges had a very hard time determining who would receive the $25 first-place cash prizes for each categories.
After much deliberation, the winners were announced:
• Abby St Peter, 4, of Limestone won first place in the solo category for ages 4 – 8. She sang the song “Fireworks” by Katy Perry and never skipped a note throughout the entire song. Katy Perry would be proud, for St. Peter sang the whole thing acappella.
• Angelina Campos, 10, of Limestone won first place in the solo category for ages 9 – 12. Campos highlighted her range by singing and dancing to the song “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” by Selena Gomez. While there was a rather large audience at the Community School that evening, Campos didn’t seem the least bit phased as she hip-hopped her way around the stage.
• Gunner Hatfield, 7, of Caswell and Abagayle Mulherin, 5, of Limestone won first place in the duet category for ages 4 – 8. Hatfield serenaded Mulherin with the song “You Are My Sunshine,” which the audience clearly found adorable based off their audible cues, like the long “awwww” that reverberated through the auditorium when the two began their act.
• Regan Davis, Mia Theriault, Morgan Fuller and Jenna Roach won first place in the group category for ages 4 – 8 with their pom-pom routine to “Witchdoctor” by The Chipmunks. The girls belong to the local baton-twirling group Northstar Twirlers. Wearing the knit caps and baggy sweatshirts of hip-hop with the leggings and pom-poms of their normal twirling apparel, the youngsters clearly had fun based on the fact that they couldn’t help but giggle with each other during their performance.
Other talent show performers of the evening were Isabella Ward of Limestone, who sang “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus; Ben Burgess, 10, of Caribou, who performed a very comedic monologue from the movie Despicable Me, and Hanna Grace White, 11, of Caribou who sang “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders.
Group artists included Kennedy Bencivenga , and [Little Miss Limestone 2011] Kourtney West, both of Limestone, who performed a Baton Routine to “Part in the U.S.A” by Miley Cyrus; the “Lil’ Recreation” group — Dylan Smith, Madison Smith and Gunner Hatfield — who performed a hip-hop dance to “Jack Jams Mega Mix,” and 3 – 6-year-old members of the Northstar Twirlers Tiny Twirler Team Jayden Fournier, Kaitlyn Davis, Abby St. Peter, Gwen Bragg and Josey St. Peter performed a baton-twirling routine.
Special guest performers included West, Junior Miss Limestone 2011 Sirrea Deschaines, and the Bencivenga sisters Kennedy and Ellyzabeth who performed their dance routine to “Hoe Down, Throw Down” by Miley Cyrus.
The success of the evening’s show was aided by Limestone Boy Scout Troop 193 — Daniel Haley, Matt Beil, Andrew Deschaines — and Travis and Jacob Hatfield.
The Judges and Auditors also volunteered their time to reach a verdict on the talented youths. Judges were Brad Nadeau, Eva Churchill, Karralena Castaway and Walt Elliott. Auditors included Alva King, Ruth Parent and Jocelyn Dillon.
