Get Ready For the Annual Teen Talent Competition!
The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation’s annual Teen Talent Competition is an opportunity for High School aged teens to show the world their skills. Teens selected for the final will be able to perform on the Fabulous Fox Theatre’s stage in front of a panel of judges and live audience.
Participate In A St. Louis Tradition
The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation fosters and promotes young artists looking for an opportunity to show their talent to the world. The St. Louis Teen Talent Competition encourages young people from all walks of life to participate in the joy of giving a live performance.
A panel of judges will review each act at the end of the qualifying round. Throughout the competition, the criteria they will base their score on will be:
- Technical Ability
- Interpretation
- Stage Presence: personality and confidence
- Originality
Free to participate
Helpful coaching from industry professionals
Costumes, professional hair & makeup provided free at the final competition
What will performing on the Fox stage mean to you?
A word from our previous performers before their big show!
Aubory Bugg
It means the world to me. Being able to perform on the same stage as some of my idols makes all the work feel worth it.
Tony Pittman
I struggle a lot with being confident when I am performing, so it is definitely a self-esteem booster knowing I am going to perform where so many other amazing people have performed.
Finn McNamee
Performing at the Fox will be a great honor. I have seen many talented people perform on that stage and it will mean a lot to be able to finally do the same.
Kennedy Hale
It is a huge honor to dance on the Fox stage because of its history of phenomenal performers that have graced the stage over the years. To have the incredible opportunity to perform my solo that means so much to me at the Fabulous Fox Theater, well, I can only imagine that the moment will be nothing short of magical, and a memory that I will cherish!
Dennis Bailey, Ethan Ryan, and Eliot Bailey
Dennis: It will mean a lot. It is not something that I thought I would ever do, but this is something I am looking forward to doing. And the prize of being a finalist is performing on the Fox stage in front of a live audience.
Ethan: I don’t even know man. It will just be a cool experience!
Eliot: It will mean a lot because I have been going there since I was a kid.
Kurtis Schmidt
The opportunity to perform at the Fox Theater is something I would have never dreamed of at 16 years old, and I am really looking forward to performing at the Fox in front of a live audience. I look forward to displaying my piano skills and hopefully experience performing in this type of environment.
Noah Van Ess
A lot, as I have seen numerous shows and performing will be awesome, especially for my Grandma to see.
Lexie Antolik
Performing on the Fox stage means everything to me! This will be my third year making it to the finals and I am over the moon that it is live this year! Feeling the energy from the audience and living in that moment on the Fox stage is something that I have been dreaming of for as long as I can remember.
Salomon Ahmed, Corrin Ward, and Ismail Botchway
It is a dream for us to be performing on the Fox stage.
Perform On The Fox’s Stage For a Chance to Win Money
The St. Louis Teen Talent Competition not only allows participants to perform live on the Fabulous Fox Theatre’s stage, but they will also have the chance to win some fantastic prizes. All contestants will have the opportunity to win college scholarships, cash awards, and other once-in-a-lifetime prizes.
$8,000
$6,000
$4,000
Other Awards:
Audience Choice Award, MVP- Most Valuable Performer, The Terry Lynford Classical Music Scholarship, The Kranzberg Vocal Performance Award, and more.
In years past, we have also been able to offer teens unique opportunities, like studio recording sessions.
Past Winners
1st Place
Singing and Acoustic Guitar
Aubory
Bugg
$8,000
1st Place
Circus Tumbling Troupe
trifecta
$8,000
2nd Place
Noah
Van Ess
$6,000
3rd Place
Tony
Pittman
$4,000
Guidelines and Rules for the 2023 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition
- Open to High School students in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.* To participate, students must be enrolled in grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 during the 2022 -2023 academic year.
- Students may only enter ONCE, either as a solo act or as part of a group.
- Entries may consist of one (1) to six (6) students working together as a group in a cohesive presentation. Students in one group need not attend the same school.
- Students may compete in a talent category of their choice: 1.) Vocal 2.) Dance 3.) Instrumental 4.) Other ( i.e., Circus Arts, Comedian, Magician, etc.)
- Each act must perform for a minimum of two minutes and must not exceed three minutes and thirty seconds.
- Acts cannot change their talent category or style of their Act after the Preliminary Round – acceptable adjustments based on judges’ feedback are better audio, different costume, and tweaked choreography.
- Acts must perform the same material in the Semi-final Round and Finals.
- Acts may not add or substitute a new student for another after the Preliminary Round of competition. All contestants must be completely registered before performing in the Preliminary round.
- Acts should select material that is “family-friendly” and age-appropriate. Content should not contain foul language or violent subject matter. Acts that violate this rule can be disqualified.
- Students must participate in three progressive rounds of competition Preliminary, Semi-final, and Final Competitions and mandatory Finalist meetings and rehearsal dates for the onstage Finals. Both students and parents will be asked to sign an agreement confirming their acceptance of the schedule once it is set.
- Acts may only use one instrumental accompanist for their act.
* Metropolitan Area is limited to 50 miles from the Gateway Arch in all directions. To qualify for entry, a student’s High School (or home address if homeschooled) must fall within a 50-mile radius of the Arch.
Schedule
PRELIMINARY ROUND
February 4 & 5, 2023 at Kirkwood High School- All participants will be required to attend only one day of the Preliminary Round
- Vocalists: Saturday, February 4, 2023 from 8 am – 5 pm
- Specialty Acts: Sunday, February 5, 2023 from 8 am – 10: 30 am
- Dancers: Sunday, February 5, 2023 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Instrumentalists: Sunday, February 5, 2023 from 1:30 pm – 3 pm
SEMI-FINAL ROUND
February 26, 2023 at Kirkwood High School
FINAL COMPETITION PREPARATION**
February 27, 2023 – Finalist Production Meeting- required of all finalists
March 6 – 10, 2023 – One-on-One Rehearsal with Production Team NOTE: Finalists Acts are responsible for attending only one 90-minute rehearsal scheduled during this week
March 20 – April 2, 2023 (tentative) – Production Rehearsals – required of all finalists at select times
April 3 – 8, 2023 – Tech & Dress Rehearsals – required of all finalists at select times
FINAL COMPETITION
Saturday, April 8, 2023 – Live on stage at the Fabulous Fox
* All rounds of the competition will be conducted in front of a live audience.
**All meetings and rehearsals are after traditional school hours
Technical Information
The Producers will provide the following equipment and personnel for rounds of the competition that are produced on stage:
- PA System
- Microphones (up to 6)
- Mic Stands (up to 6)
- Stage monitor
- Chairs (up to 6)
- CD/Flashdrive Playback equipment (cell phones may not be used to play music)
- Sound Operator
- Piano
- Piano Accompanist*
- Basic Stage Lighting
- Electricity
Any additional equipment must be provided by the students and at their own expense. Please contact the Foundation in advance to discuss technical needs at TeenTalentCompetition@foxpacf.org
*Acts must notify us in advance on their registration paperwork that they intend to use the piano accompanist that the Foundation provides. Acts using the accompanist will be asked to provide their sheet music in the correct key upon registering and in advance of the Preliminary Round.
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