Season 3 of NEPA Scene’s Got Talent was full of surprises and firsts for the ongoing open mic and talent contest, and the Finals Showcase on Tuesday, May 31 at Thirst T’s Bar & Grill in Olyphant was no different with new live collaborations, song premieres, and even a giant frog suit.
Audiences over the last 12 weeks voted for their favorite performers, who each won $50 in cash, provided by Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, and a slot in the Showcase, where a panel of judges scores them all and chooses a winner. With two tied weeks over the three months, 14 instead of the usual 12 acts took the stage that night, all dressed up for the red carpet event and each defining “talent” in a unique way, producing a live show unlike any other in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
As the votes were tallied, comedian Ron Babcock, a Scranton native currently living in Los Angeles, took the stage for a hilarious short set as NEPA Scene’s special guest.
Finals Showcase performers:
Music: Crock Pot Abduction, Joe Quincy, Mary Scheller, The Set Up, The Tellerz, Joe Craig, Lisa Petz, Mizimu, and Used-Car Cowboy
Comedy: Zack Hammond, Ted Hebert, Bobby Keller, Dan Hoppel, and Bryan Walsh
In the two previous Showcases, stand-up comedians won first place, but this time, The Tellerz, a group of teenagers from Roaring Brook Township (Tanner Snyder, Shane Ely, Dylan Pidich, and Matt Wrubel), took home the grand prize after blazing through covers and an original song with nonstop energy – $250 cash courtesy of Laugh Out Lepka’s Comedy; a $100 gift card from Fidelity Bank; a summer backyard prize package with a fire pit, wooden deck chair, grill, and cooler from Coors Light and LT Verrastro, Inc.; a headlining slot at the 2016 Electric City Music Conference; and a guest spot on an episode of the NEPA Scene Podcast.
The second place winner of $100 cash was Used-Car Cowboy, who jammed with The Jerks and played an original song written just for that night.
Sponsored by Coors Light, LT Verrastro, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Fidelity Bank, Laugh Out Lepka’s Comedy, and Thirst T’s, the Finals Showcase drew over 100 attendees on a Tuesday night, proving once again that the local arts scene is alive, well, and having a blast.
NEPA Scene’s Got Talent will take a much shorter break this time and is slated to return with Season 4 on Tuesday, June 28 at Thirst T’s and run for another 12 consecutive weeks. The Finals will be a little different next time around, so check back here on nepascene.com for the official announcement soon.
Photos by Alex Seeley Photography/NEPA Scene
