Talent Show A Benefit for HopeNow Furniture Bank

A cast of top local talent was featured at the All-Knox County Talent Show on Saturday, April 26 at Mount Vernon’s historic Memorial Theater. This benefit show for HopeNow Furniture Bank of Knox County was produced by Right Brain Productions and featured 28 acts ranging from music to magic to dance. Jerry Scott, well-known local auctioneer, emceed the entire show of more than two hours. Some 400 ticket-holders attended the event.

The performers included Ella Ackert (vocal); Harmony Brothers (Duane Barber and Jeff Putnam); Megan, Leslie, and Christine Bell (a capella trio); Jimmy Burcham (magic); Ashley Burke and Megan Campbell(young soloists); Cliff Davis(piano); Transformers (Ben Delph, Calvin Bethea, and Dakota Shock in dance); Nathan Dinnen (piano); Greta, Ingrid and Clara Dombirer (vocal trio); Orion Fowler (mystical dancing globes); Sarah Goslee-Reed (guitar/vocal); Heritage Singers (14 voice a capella); Karly Jacklin (young soloist); Katie Johns (high school soloist); Choraliers (choir of youth voices); Courtney Melick (dance); Luna Moreland (soloist); Nicole Paradis (tap dancing); Nicole Paradis and Sue Marcotte (dancing); Stew Peckham (jazz piano); Danielle Rebon (piano); Marshall Smith and Chris Goldner (percussion); and Larry Splain (a capella soloist).

The event opened with a video on HopeNow Furniture Bank produced for this event, followed by the singing of the National Anthem by Megan Campbell and the Bell sisters, and closed with the choral number “One World” with all the younger voices combined. An added feature of the show was an auction (Chair-ity Auction) of two locally sponsored chairs. One was sponsored and signed by Mayor Mavis and painted by Patti Coates. The second was a Director’s Chair sponsored by MTV Arts and included four tickets to each of the upcoming shows, The Crucible and Shrek, The Musical, along with a backstage tour of the Shrek production. Auction of these chairs raised an additional several hundred dollars.

It is hoped that this will be an annual fund-raising event for the organization. Enthusiastic feedback by attendees following the show suggested its strong appeal and promise for a return showing next year. Among responses were: “This was a wonderful show!” “What amazing talent!”