Soo’s Got Talent down to semi-finals this weekend

The finale of this year’s The Soo’s Got Talent competition will be held at Soo Blaster beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

In the run up to the finale, contestants and judges will be at the competition’s semi final at Soo Blaster Saturday Oct. 21.

Like the finale, doors open at 4:30 p.m., with the show starting at 6:30 p.m.

General admission for both the finale and the semi final is $22 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under.

Created and produced by Mario Naccarato, The Soo's Got Talent is not only an annual musical showcase but also a fundraiser.

Most of the money raised from this year’s Soo’s Got Talent admission fees goes to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric (CAP) Unit at Sault Area Hospital.

In past years, the Soo’s Got Talent competition has raised funds for the Brain Injury Association of Sault Ste. Marie and District, The Canadian Cancer Society and ARCH.

The rest of the money from admission fees goes toward prizes for first, second and third place contestants.

Local musician Darren Robertson - one of the show’s judges - said that he and fellow judges Mike Severin, Valerie Powley and Timothy Murphy aren’t cynical Simon Cowell types.

“Through communication and through guidance and getting to know them as both performers and individuals we can help them blossom. Our job is more of a positive reinforcement and encouragement, so even if you didn’t make the top three, that doesn’t mean you’re horrible,” Robertson said leading up to last year’s competition.

“There’s so much talent in this city. It’s unbelievable.”

After initial auditions for this year’s competition were held in early September at Wacky’s on Great Northern Road, subsequent first and second elimination rounds were held Sept. 15 and 29.

The field of contestants is now down to 10 singers and musicians, that field to be narrowed down further to six contestants on Saturday for November's finale.

Semi final contestants are Arin Arki, Celeste Rector, Demoy Mac Samuels, Elly McWatters, Greg McLeod, Jophin Shaju, Kristina Sagrak, Raedyn Matechuk Levesque, Storm Rausch and Xavier Pelletier Lebouef. 

“It's going to be tough to decide on a winner, knowing that they are really good in their own way,” Robertson said of this year’s competition.