The Marblehead’s Got Talent contest is back after a hiatus last year, and auditions will be held Saturdays, Feb. 3 and 10, 10 a.m.-noon, at The Beacon. The Rotary Club of Marblehead, which has run the contest for 16 years, will award nearly $20,000 to student winners.
Marblehead High junior Brady Weed will be auditioning again after competing in 2022.
“I performed a cover of ‘I See Fire’ by Ed Sheeran and Howard Shore, written for the second ‘Hobbit’ movie,” Weed told the Current. “That won me third place in the competition, which was a $3,000 scholarship. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.”
Rotary’s David Deutsch has organized MGT for the last 11 years.
“This is kind of a passion of mine,” he said. “Hopefully, this will be the biggest year ever.”
Students who live in Marblehead and are 13 years old through high school are encouraged to sign up to audition HERE.
A panel of judges, all local musicians, will pick about 20 semifinalists, who will go on to compete at MHS on Wednesday, March 13.
“Their peers come in and vote. Everybody in the audience gets a voting card,” Deutsch explained.
The crowd chooses eight to 12 finalists, who will compete on March 27 at the Cabot Theater in Beverly.
‘Star quality’
So, what are the judges looking for at auditions?
“As much star quality as they can find,” Deutsch said. “They’re looking for people who are comfortable on stage, people who are good musicians, good singers. We’ve had a comedian win in the past.”
These are the prizes this year:
- 1st place, $6,000.
- 2nd place, $4,000.
- 3rd place, $2,500.
- 4th place, $500 each (four winners).
Weed says he doesn’t enter for the money, though.
“I compete in MGT because of the energy,” he said. “Two years ago, this competition was a highlight for me. The green room (where performers hang out before going on) above the Cabot facilitated some sort of friendliness and camaraderie that I don’t see that often. I’m hoping to find that feeling again this year.”
Deutsch looks forward to MTG every year.
“I can take these students who — at the most, they’ve been in a band or a play at school — and I give them a big stage to perform on,” he said. “You make it something so exciting and so big and so real it gives them something to look forward to. “
Weed says it’s a great way to put a spotlight on students.
“What I like best about MGT is its display of young, local talent,” he said. “There is so much skill and artistry in the young people around here, and MGT is a great way to show that off. I recommend anyone who’s even a little interested sign up for an audition time and try out. It really is a great experience. There’s a reason I’m doing this again.”
