By LOUISA DANIELSON

For the Northwest News

It all began during the pandemic when a board member at Turnstone presented an idea: how about holding a talent show? In nine months, the scene was set for the first presentation of Center Stage: Fort Wayne’s Premier Talent Show. The rest is history.

The second annual Center Stage on May 9 will feature another 10 acts vying for the top prize of $1,000, as well as second- and third-place prizes. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; the show starts at 7 p.m., and ends around 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 for regular seats and $100 for VIP-experience tickets (which include a beverage, hors d’oeuvres, and premium seating). The venue is the Clyde Theatre, 1808 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne.

According to Turnstone’s Lauren Widenhofer, the show is patterned after the “America’s Got Talent” model. This year, aspiring contestants were invited to submit a video of their act between Jan. 2 and March 1. From the pool of 30 entries, 10 were chosen to perform in the contest.

Linda Jackson and Julian Teekaram, both news anchors with 21Alive, will emcee the event. Judges will include Nick D’Virgilio (drummer and Sweetwater engineer); Julia Meek (WBOI arts and culture reporter); Christopher Spalding (co-founder of the Fort Wayne Ballroom Company and founder of the Summit City Music Theatre) and Alicia Pyle (pianist, music instructor and creator of PyleStyle Events).

Contestants are from the Greater Fort Wayne region, which includes a band from Churubusco and another contestant from Huntington. Of the material that will be presented onstage, “It’s definitely family-friendly,” affirmed Widenhofer. “All clean content — PG rated and under.”

Contestants range in age from fifth- and sixth-graders (in a dance team) to older adults. According to the website, “Turnstone Center believes in a people-first approach to empowerment and celebrating talent-first opportunities. ‘Center Stage’ is an inclusive talent experience in our community, elevating talent and performing arts for all people with and without disabilities.”

To learn more about Center Stage or to buy tickets, follow links from https://turnstone.org, or call (260) 483-2100.