Fox Valley Rep Announces 2015 GOT TALENT? Winners

Over 20 talented youth and their friends/families filled the Pheasant Run Mainstage Theater for Fox Valley Rep's 3rd Annual GOT TALENT? Contest on Saturday, June 13, 2015. It was an afternoon of acoustic guitar, original rap music, classic musical theater renditions, and an abundance of energy from participants between the ages of 8 and 18.

While getting the chance to perform on-stage in front of an audience, these young participants also received critiques of their performances by casting professionals from some of Chicago's biggest theatres and talent agencies.

The judges included Talent Agent Jim McCaffrey of Stewart Talent, Casting Director AJ Links of Paskal Rudnicke Casting, and Casting Assistant Laura Durham of Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Winners included:

Category A: 1st-4th Grade

1st Place - Madeline Conter, age 10 from Streamwood; "The Girl in 14G" by Kristin Chenoweth

2nd Place - Madeline Hotham, age 10 from Batavia; "A Broken Old Doll" from A Little Princess

3rd Place - David Mikel, age 9 from Elgin; original rap song

Category B: 5th-8th Grade

1st Place - Lilly Nowak, age 12 from Geneva; "Live Outloud" from The Little Princess

2nd Place - Megan Styrna, age 14 from Geneva; "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl

3rd Place - Ava Beydoun, age 11 from St. Charles; "Now I See the Light" from Tangled

Category C: 9th-11th Grade

1st Place - Jon Mikel, age 18 from Elgin; "I See Fire" by Ed Sheeran

2nd Place - San Star Sandberg, age 18 from Geneva; "Good Morning Baltimore" from Hairspray

3rd Place - Jake Mikel, age 15 from Elgin; "What Do I Need With Love" from Thoroughly Modern Millie

Besides having the opportunity to possibly be discovered by some of Chicago's finest casting professionals, the top three winners received prizes. First place includes a value of $500 in prizes including $100 cash, free photo shoot session with Tracy Whiteside Photography, Academy class gift certificate, trophy, and tickets to see a Fox Valley Rep Mainstage performance.

The Fox Valley Repertory Performing Arts Academy is a non-profit organization and features some of the Chicago area's most respected teachers, directors, actors and musicians. It is home to over 1,000 local youth students and offers the most extensive curriculum in the Fox Valley area: classes, camps, workshops, youth ensemble productions, and internship programs. For more information on the award-winning Academy, visit www.foxvalleyrepacademy.org.

Pictured: Madeline Conter, 10, of Streamwood wins 1st place in the 1st-4th Grade Division.