THE PnA Ultimate Performer hit fever pitch with the preliminary rounds completed at Vincent Park Centre on March 10 and 11.
Ultimate Performer is the competition that gives aspiring performers a chance to shine.
This is a wonderful opportunity for East Londoners, who are growing and learning as performers and, who are passionate about the performing arts, to come together as one force on the Guild Stage for one night only.
The unique elements of this event were on show again as the city’s best young talent came out in droves. The elements of the competition encourages collaboration between the art forms and in the very least offers opportunities for music, drama, dance studios and different schools to be part of something fun, vibrant and entertaining together, and provides an excellent platform to build new friendships while showcasing unique talents and abilities.
This competition is enjoying tremendous growth going into its sixth year with record increases in the number of competitors, schools, studios, sponsors and audience members each year.
Event organisers, Performance Platform, is an organisation that strives to give performing artists a platform on which to develop confidence, network with other artists, showcase their talents and abilities and further advance their skills. To read more about our organisation please feel free to visit www.performanceplatform.co.za/about-us
“In aiming to achieve these objectives, we have various strategies. “One of these strategies is to host the Ultimate Performer with the Grand Finale event to be held on the professional Guild Theatre stage with professional lighting, sound and an overall “showcase” feel for development, training and exposure. An opportunity to perform on a professional platform of this kind is not always accessible to everyone. Our slogan for Ultimate Performer is: “One Winner, One Ultimate Performer … Your Time to Shine”.
Vincent Park has been host to the preliminary round for a number of years and provides and exciting passer-by “talent off the street” element, where shoppers can enter on the day and be part of the excitement.
This year it was not only shoppers who joined in as a waiter from Wimpy astounded her colleagues with her powerful singing voice. “Another highlight of the preliminary rounds was a waitress from Wimpy, Yolande Makade who came on the day to enter and later performed her item while being cheered on by her fellow waitresses,” one of the organisers, Anne McLaren said.
“ She had a powerful and beautiful voice that wowed the audience. A Clicks employee also entered a drama piece on the day,” one of the organisers, she added.
“This year also saw a growth in the Triple Threat category which challenges performers to dance, act and sing all in one item and this year we had four entrants for this category,” said McLaren.
The stage is now set for the semifinals and final at the Guild Theatre this weekend.
The “Best of the Best” from this round are required to perform at the final which by then becomes a relatively smooth theatre variety show with all the excitement and exuberance of live theatre – providing not only a thrilling evening for audiences, but more importantly, a real life theatre event for performers providing much desired exposure and experience needed by many.
