Inaugural talent show set Sunday in Clallam County

PORT ANGELES — Do Clallam County residents have talent?

“Yes,” is the unequivocal answer from Clallam County Fair Director Joel Winborn.

Auditions for the inaugural Clallam County Fair Talent Show show revealed a deep field of talented groups and individuals, Winborn said.

Singers, guitarists, dancers, jugglers, bands, a yodeler and family acts by people who live in Port Angeles and Sequim will fill out 15 spots in the talent show at 2 p.m. Sunday on the Wilder Stage.

But who is the most talented among them?

Three judges will decide: John Nelson, Richard Stephens and 2010 Fair Queen Marissa Wilson.

Winners will be announced at 5 p.m.

Prizes will be awarded — $200 for first place, $150 for second and $50 for third.

Todd Ortloff, talk show host and station manager at KONP Radio, will serve as master of ceremonies for the talent show.

Opening act

Acoustic guitarist and Christian music singer Dillan Witherow of Port Angeles will be the opening act at 2:10 p.m.

John Doster and Ross Gustin, a pair of 16-year-old sophomores from Port Angeles High School, will perform a pop song with Doster on piano and Ross playing guitar.

Doster and Gustin have performed with the high school band and during private concerts, so the talent show audience won’t be intimidating, Doster said.

“I like having audiences, he said.

“It pumps me up, gets me excited.”

In addition to the piano, Doster plays the drums and bass guitar and sings.

This time, teaming up with Gustin on piano will be a great experience, Doster said.

“It would be nice to win, but if I go out and perform well, I will be happy,” he said.

Dancer Kristina Holtrop, 14, of Sequim also has plenty of experience on the stage.

Holtrop, who performs lyrical, jazz and ballet dance, has been in dance recitals for years; an audience is just part of the experience.

Learning experience

Her first talent show, a church talent show in Sequim, was a learning experience, she said.

This time, she has hopes to win, to invest her prize in her college savings account.

It’s also a test to see how good she really is.

“People have been saying I’m really good, so I want people to see me,” she said.

Other performers are:

■ Country-pop a capella singer Stephanie Royal of Port Angeles.

■ Singer-guitarist Bailey Bryan of Sequim.

■ Singer-guitarist Melinda Gelder of Port Angeles.

■ The musical Helwick Family of Port Angeles.

■ Singer Mercedes Harris of Port Angeles.

■ The Red, White & New Band, a trio from Sequim.

■ Pianist Nathanael Mullins of Port Angeles.

■ Yodeling cowgirl Wanda Bumgarner of Port Angeles.

■ Musical skit by the Halberg Sisters of Port Angeles.

■ Singer Sarah Leinnar of Port Angeles.

■ Daniel’s Bag of Tricks, a juggling variety act from Sequim.

■ Hip-hop artists Joey Pohl, Julian Huxtable and Brandon Sproed of Port Angeles.

________

Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.

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