PHOTOS: NEPA Scene’s Got Talent, Week 2, 07/05/16
The second week of Season 4 of NEPA Scene’s Got Talent on Tuesday, July 5 saw the debut of several new faces at the open mic and talent contest at Thirst T’s Bar & Grill in Olyphant, and one even won the audience vote with an unexpectedly hilarious story.
Dane Bower from West Wyoming was trying stand-up comedy on a whim that night and ended up winning with an embarrassingly funny story about the time he pooped his pants at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg. The music winner that evening was young Scranton singer and ukulele player Awnshae Smith, a crowd favorite returning from Season 2, who shared an original song along with a few covers.
Week 2 performers:
Music: Steve Hertzog, Lyz Klein, Atherholt, Wolfe, A Season Underground, Awnshae Smith, Joe Craig, and Long, Tan, and Handsome
Comedy: Dane Bower, Tyler DiBenedetto, Ted Hebert, Elliott Elliott, John Bubul, Russell Austin, Bryan Walsh, Erich Drexler, and Jillian Chiaro
Smith and Bower each won $25 in cash, provided by Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, and a slot in the Finals Showcases, where the 12 winners from 12 consecutive weeks in two separate categories – comedy/poetry/spoken word/performance art and music/dance – will compete in front of a panel of judges that will determine the winners of the grand prizes. The winner of the music showcase will take home $250 cash; a gift certificate for Magdon Music; four hours of recording time at JL Studios; a home party kit from Coors Light and LT Verrastro, Inc.; a photography and graphic design package from Jess Meoni Design; and a guest spot on an episode of the NEPA Scene Podcast. The winner of the comedy/poetry/spoken word/performance art showcase will receive $250 cash, a headlining Thursday night performance at Thirst T’s with a $5 cover that all goes directly to the performer, a home party kit from Coors Light and LT Verrastro, a photography and graphic design package from Jess Meoni Design, and a guest spot on an episode of the NEPA Scene Podcast.
Sponsored by Coors Light, LT Verrastro, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Magdon Music, JL Studios, Jess Meoni Design, and Thirst T’s, NEPA Scene’s Got Talent takes the format of an open mic night and turns it into a friendly competition, inviting local musicians, comedians, poets, performance artists, magicians, actors, and more to perform on Thirst T’s stage every Tuesday at 7 p.m. through Sept. 13.
At the end of each night, audiences who have enjoyed the free live show will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite act. The winner each week will receive $25 in cash and the headlining slot for the following Tuesday, and all other performers are encouraged to compete again as often as they’d like or simply show off their talents for fun. Everyone participating is featured weekly on nepascene.com.
