Lifestyle

Actions

Singers and dancers audition for chance to perform on stage at Plaza Lighting Ceremony

Posted at 2:42 PM, Oct 25, 2014
and last updated 2014-10-26 00:52:57-04

For the first time, Harvest Productions held open auditions to find performers for the 85th Annual Plaza Lighting Ceremony.

Producer Bill Hartnett said they wanted to find young talent in Kansas City.

“A lot of great talented young people coming in and a little bit older young people, whom we wanted to open it up to as well,” he said. “Really great to see the response from the community.”

Alexis Meyer, 17, loves to sing and dance. She jumped at the opportunity to audition for a spot in an iconic Kansas City tradition.

“I've been down here a couple of times to watch the Plaza Lighting Ceremony in person and it's beautiful,” she said. “It would be so cool because then I could tell everyone to come watch.”

Harvest Productions will select 10 to 15 young performers from the one-day only auditions. Since it was the first year offering this opportunity, Harnett said they didn’t know exactly how many would come to audition.

“Really what we look to do is bring the community together so KC talent, emerging, established and legendary is really what we look for in the overall program,” said Hartnett.

Sebastian McCarty heard about this opportunity and wanted to give it a shot.

“I've always come down to the Plaza Lights and seen the show, seen the atmosphere and I was like, I really want to be a part of this,” he said.

Isabella Pallotto found out about the open auditions from her mom, who called her after ballet class and encouraged her to try out.

“It would be amazing, I love to perform so I would love to get up there and welcome everyone to KC and usher in the holiday season,” Pallotto said.

The Plaza Lighting Ceremony is Thanksgiving night and 41 Action News is, once again, a proud sponsor. You can watch a live broadcast of the event from 6 to 7 p.m. Thanksgiving night on your 41 Action News station.