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Cedar City Star Search
Welcome to Cedar City Star Search!
Friday, March 3, 2023
Cedar City Star Search is an incredible opportunity for our community to showcase all types of talent, including singing, dancing, spoken word, solo musicians, bands, and, of course, let's not forget comedians, magicians and other variety acts! If you have an awesome talent that you want to share with Cedar City— now is your time to shine!
12 finalist acts compete for a chance to win $250, in their age division or category!
CLICK HERE FOR EVENT TICKETS
Friday, March 3, 2023 at 7 pm
Heritage Theater
2023's Local Celebrity Judges
JUDGE #1 - Talise Mosley
Talise Mosley was born and raised in Cedar City and graduated with a bachelors of theatre arts from Southern Utah University. She is heavily involved with Cedar Valley Community Theatre where you may have seen her recently as Meg Brockie in their production of Brigadoon. When she isn’t on stage, Talise substitute teaches at various schools in Iron County. She is the current Miss Iron County and is working on her social impact initiative, People aren’t Debatable: supporting LGBTQ+ youth and adults in our community. Talise will be competing for the title of Miss Utah this coming June! Talise has also won Cedar City Star Search for the 18+ division for the past two years and is excited to be on the other side of the table judging this year. Good luck to all the contestants!
JUDGE #2 - Derek Charles Livingston
Derek Charles Livingston is the Interim Artistic Director & Director of New Play Development at the Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF). In addition to an extensive career stewarding new plays, he has also been an actor and director for over thirty years. As part of USF’s 2022 Fall Season, he performed the full play Thurgood in the Festival’s Anes Studio Theatre. He has previously performed Thurgood at the Las Vegas Little Theatre. Other favorite roles include Simon in The Whipping Man, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Gregory in Love! Valour! Compassion!, Oberon in Midsummer, Horatio in Hamlet, Duke Frederick in As You Like It, Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, as well as Frederick Douglass, Marcus Garvey, Benjamin Banneker, and Nat Turner in various productions. He holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Brown University and an MFA in Film Direction/Production from the UCLA School of Film and Television. He will direct A Raisin in the Sun as part of the 2023 Utah Shakespeare Festival season.
JUDGE #3 - Tamara Reber
Tamara Reber studied vocal performance and theatre at Utah State University and Southern Utah University. Tamara Reber has always been passionate about the arts and has had the opportunity to perform in many memorable productions throughout her music, stage and film career. Tamara is a vocal performance coach and is currently the lead singer of the 80’s cover band The 8eeZ. She resides in Cedar City, Utah with her husband and children.
Please read all the rules and guidelines prior to submitting.
1. Applications for Cedar City Star Search (CCSS) must be completed in their entirety and submitted online. Late applications will not be accepted. Applicants will be notified by if they were selected to compete as a finalist at the Cedar City Star search.
2. Cedar City Star Search is open to all family-friendly acts, including singing, dancing, juggling, magic, playing an instrument, dramatic recitation, spoken word, we want to see what unique talents you have.
3. Applicants must reside in Iron County, Utah. If applicants are under 18, they will be required to fill out a parental consent form with the application.
4. Nonresidents may participate in CCSS as long as they are in a band or group where a majority of the members reside in Iron County.
5. All acts MUST submit an online audition to perform at Cedar City Star Search. A panel of judges from the Cedar City Star Search Committee will determine which online submissions qualify to participate in the event at the Heritage Theater. If needed, an in-person audition may be requested.
6. In addition to the Cedar City Star Search Performance date, all acts will be required to show up for a brief soundcheck and dress rehearsal.
7. All performances are monitored for content and may not contain inappropriate lyrics, references, gestures or profanity.
8. All performance attire and/or costumes must be deemed appropriate by the panel of judges and the event director.
9. Auditions are submitted as a video via a publicly viewable YouTube link.
- Instructions for posting a video to YouTube
- If unable to submit via YouTube, a USB Drive (with act title and performers names) will be accepted at City Hall Office (10 N. Main Street)
- No longer than 5 minutes
- Clear Audio and Video
- Must have the name(s) of the performer(s) and the act's title in the description.
10. Cedar City Star Search auditions and performances will be no longer than 5 minutes.
11. Each applicant can have a single entry into Cedar City Star Search.
12. All decisions by the judges and the director of CCSS are final.
Age Divisions
- 4 -12
- 13 -18
- 19+
- Groups and Bands
The top 3 from each age division will compete against each other on March 19th at the Heritage Theater in front of a live audience, where a panel of local celebrity judges will choose a winner from each age division. The audience will also have a chance to choose their favorite.
Awards
Awards will be given to the winner of each category as well as an overall audience choice award.
Star Search Winners 2022
- 1st Place Youth Category - Rainee Miller - Dancer
- 1st Place Teen Category - Mary Halstead - Vocalist
- People's Choice - Russell Nielson - Dancing violinist
- 1st Place Group Category - Mountaintop Sound (featuring band members April McPherson, Steve Swift and Derek Wood)