Casting Call for Second Annual Coney Island Talent Show

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Casting Call for Second Annual Coney Island Talent Show

June 23, 2011 by Tricia

Imagine making your stage debut on the Coney Island Boardwalk before thousands–no, wait–zillions of people, as well as the Wonder Wheel and the Parachute Jump. If you’ve got talent, this could be your lucky break: Jen Gapay of Thirsty Girl Productions, the creator and producer of the Coney Island Talent Show, has posted an open call for contestants for this year’s contest. The talent show’s four categories are Creative Kids 9-12 years old, Creative Kids 13-17 years old, Circus Freaks and Sideshow Geeks, and Song and Dance. July 15 is the deadline for applications for the July 30 show.

Last July’s First Annual Coney Island Talent Show – “A spectacle of sunshine and lollipops on the Boardwalk!”–was the most successful new Coney event of the season. It featured singers, dancers, magicians and jugglers, as well as a contortionist, a sword swallower, and Justin Bieber and Jackie Gleason impersonators. Here’s a video featuring clips of some of last year’s contestants. The world-class hula hooper in the vid is not a contestant by the way. She is Miss Saturn, who co-hosted the show with the World Famous BOB.

Gapay says the contest’s Circus Freaks and Sideshow Geeks category welcomes all variety and novelty acts, including circus and sideshow performers plus drag and celebrity impersonators. Song and Dance includes both solo performers and troupes. The top three contestants in each category will win cash prizes—$250, $100 and $50— as well as passes to participating Coney Island attractions. There’s a “special mystery prize” for the best-dressed person in each category. Sponsors of the contest include Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, Luna Park, the Brooklyn Cyclones, Nathan’s, the New York Aquarium, the City’s Parks Department and the Coney Island Development Corporation.

Contestants are requested to fill out an application on the contest’s website and post a video of the act they plan to perform. Seven lucky contestants in each category will be selected by local talent scouts to compete in the July 30th show on the Boardwalk.

Here’s Phineas, a comic daredevil who was awarded one of the first prizes at last year’s First Annual Coney Island Talent Show. Can anybody top this?