Search takes on new talents

A Canada Day talent search takes on new dimensions — and extra fun — under the new banner of Kamloops Got Talent, a competition open to a variety of performers as well as vocalists.

Auditions for the competition are set to begin Thursday and Friday, 4 p.m., at Aberdeen Mall. They continue on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m.

Formerly known as Kamloops Idol, the competition began six years ago in the spirit of hugely popular reality TV talent searches. A series of auditions lead up to crowd performances and judging at the Rotary Bandshell, adding to the entertainment on Canada Day in Riverside Park.

“This year we wanted to broaden it in Kamloops to see what talent, other than vocalists, is out there,” said Alan Corbishley of Living Arts, who organizes the event.

“It kind of gives everything and everyone a broader platform.

“There will be no Simon Cowell,” he joked, referring to the creator of the Got Talent TV franchise, a blunt and often controversial talent judge.

Musicians of all genres, ensembles, dancers, jugglers and comedians are invited to audition. The competition is open to anyone aged five and up in four categories: Mini Talent, Teen Talent, Adult Talent and Silly Human Trick.

“It’s just a one-off,” Corbishley said of the final category.

“We wanted to do something fun and which is not taken too seriously by the audience. It’s flexible,” he said, adding that he would not be surprised to see someone squirting milk out of any eye.

“I don’t imagine we’ll get a lot of those people.”

Of course, they have to pass the audition and adhere to competition rules, posted at http://www.bclivingarts.ca, which stipulate that all performances must be deemed appropriate for all ages and geared to family-style entertainment.

Scores of people enter each year “It can be very popular with young people, which is why we tried the Kamloops Mini Idol last year.”

The finals takes place from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on July 1.