LAURINBURG — Two performances featuring local talent to raise money for community theater is just around the corner and one show has already sold out.
The cast of the upcoming Scotland County’s Got Talent has been selected, according to Cinny Beggs, who will serve as emcee for the event. Beggs is the director of the theater program at St. Andrews University.
“Our performers include Ida Stewart who shares the same gene pool as Patsy Cline when it come to singing and Amanda John, who could easily be part of an Angel Chorus,” Beggs said.
This showcase of talent will be the first time some of the cast have performed for the larger community, according to Martha Gibson, an organizer for the event.
“It’s a showcase and not a talent competition because it would be impossible to pick one winner. They are all winners,” Gibson said. “The only losers will be those people who don’t buy a ticket and attend.”
The show will open with a rousing number by the Triple Toe Cloggers, which includes Kaylee Freeman, Bridget Norton, Rachel Jacobs and Bella Whitehead.
The two-act show will feature a wide variety of local talent performing various genres of music, including shoe music, country, soft rock, gospel, dance, poetry, comedy, drama and Tae Kwon Do.
Other entertainers include Brenda and Gray Gilbert, Michael and Martina Litty, Danny Wyland, Robert Currie, Floyd Beane, Cackey Riggan, Whit and Tammy Gibson, Jeff Mercer, Levern Hamer, Wayne Freeman, Dave Wells. Dancers from the Karen Gibson School of Dance Tappers, including Ja Nya Fuller, Zynae Kelly, Haley McGugan and Morgan Stewart will perform. Accompanists for the performers include Sean McDonald, Ron Pittman and Robert Currie.
Producers Brenda Gilbert, Martha Gibson and Cinny Beggs have put this event together to raise funds for the newly reorganized ENCORE! Theatre. ENCORE! Theatre has staged over forty shows since it began in 1990, including “The Music Man,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Oliver,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Mame,” “The King and I,” “Camelot” and “The Miracle Worker.”
“A community theater is a wonderful asset. The Arts Council of Scotland County was delighted to help the theater should provide them with the resources they need to keep going,” Gilbert said. “A new board of directors has been formed and we hope that after this show they’ll be off and running.”
The show will be presented Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. at the Storytelling and Arts Center on Main Street. The Friday show, which is sold out, will be cabaret style with hors d’oevres and beverages.
On Saturday the seating will be auditorium style and tickets are $10 general admission, $8 for seniors and $5 for students. For tickets and information call 910-361-4265 or 910-384-2500.