Senior living community has 'Got Talent'
Britt Saasen, of Kootenai County, appears beside celebrity Tyra Banks in an episode of “America’s Got Talent” that aired earlier this year. Saasen won last year’s “North Idaho’s Got Talent” competition hosted by Garden Plaza of Post Falls Independent and Assisted Living Community. (Photo source: Facebook)
Courtesy photo Contestants in this year’s “North Idaho’s Got Talent” competition stand before the judges at Garden Plaza of Post Falls Independent and Assisted Senior Living Community.
What do Simon Cowell and a North Idaho assisted living facility have in common? They both know talent when they see it.
The Garden Plaza of Post Falls Independent and Assisted Living Senior Community will hold a final round of auditions for “North Idaho’s Got Talent” on Thursday. One talented contestant will be selected for an all-expense paid trip to Los Angeles to compete in the “America’s Got Talent” televised competition in February 2018.
April Howard, Garden Plaza’s marketing director, started the program last year as a marketing strategy for Garden Plaza.
“I think it’s a nice event that benefits locals who have a talent and a dream, but it’s also nice to benefit the local military as well,” Howard said.
After auditions end Thursday, 10 of the 15 semi-finalists will appear in a finale performance July 28 at 6 p.m. at Victory City Church, 5073 E. 16th St., Post Falls.
Open to the public, the finale tickets cost $10 online and $15 at the door, and the proceeds will go to Newby-Ginnings, a nonprofit benefiting local veterans and military families.
Garden Plaza held age-specific weekly auditions throughout July, but it's now open to all ages and talents for this week’s final round of auditions to give everyone that wants to a chance to try out.
“Anyone who has heard about it but couldn’t make it to a different audition date — we would love to have them come out and audition. Any talent, any passion that they have,” Howard said.
Participants pay $20 to register, which, along with money from local sponsors, helps fund the winner’s trip to L.A.
“We talked to vendors that we work with through Garden Plaza and just companies in the community — small businesses that wanted unique marketing and to help the community,” Howard said.
The judges are Keith Boe, real estate agent and creator of the Facebook page North Idaho Life; Laura Little, Broadway producer and owner of Laura Little Theatrical Productions; and Britt Saasen, last year’s winner of “North Idaho’s Got Talent.”
Saasen, of Kootenai County, found great new friends and her fiancé while singing in Hollywood last year, and she was one of two competitors chosen to move on to the show’s next stage out of 60,000 initial auditions.
“I was able to make it from 60,000 acts from the initial auditions down to the final 70 acts... But without the support of my community through ‘North Idaho’s Got Talent,’ I would never have realized this: Even though I was terrified to sing in front of millions, after receiving a standing ovation and four yeses from the celebrity judges, it became so evident that I loved it much more than I was afraid of it,” Saasen said in a message to The Press. “It’s been so cool to be a part of choosing who will represent our community this year and I’m so excited to see what happens.”
Anyone interested in auditioning for North Idaho’s Got Talent, can register at www.signmeup.com/119882. To purchase tickets for the finale, visit www.signmeup.com/119883.