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Talent Reunion Shines Spotlight On Past, Present

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By MEGAN HUSSEY

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 4, 2008

DADE CITY - For 25 years, the Heritage Arts Center Association's Spotlight on Talent competition has given Pasco County young people a chance to develop and showcase their performing arts talents. On Oct. 25, at least 14 Spotlight alumni will show off what they learned and make it possible for other kids to stand in the spotlight.

The Spotlight on Talent 25th anniversary Reunion Celebration Show will take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Pasco Middle School auditorium.

"We've been trying to contact our Spotlight graduates from the past 25 years," said show producer Barbara Friedman. "We've had some very talented students, many of whom are now pageant winners, own their own studios, are performing arts teachers and professionals."

These performers will show off their singing, dancing and instrumental skills in the Pasco Middle auditorium, the show's original venue before it was moved to the Wesley Chapel Performing Arts Center.

"We'll have a little bit of everything," Friedman said. "It will be a really exciting show, held at the original venue for old times' sake."

To add another nostalgic touch, videos of performers' original routines will be shown before their performances.

Some of the Spotlight alumni set to be featured in the Oct. 25 show include Jade Green Schuler, a Gainesville dancer who appeared in Spotlight 1986 through 1992, then went on to earn a full-tuition scholarship to Florida School of the Arts, and to earn a degree from the University of Maryland. She also is a writer.

Brant Barthle, a vocalist, participated from 1995 through 1998 in Spotlight. He went on to attend the University of South Florida and earn degrees in music and microbiology, as well as a doctorate of pharmacy. He works at Shands HealthCare in Gainesville, has returned home several times to participate in the association's "Moonlight and Ivory" concerts, and continues to study voice.

Participant Honored By Experience

Kayla Pate, named Miss Pasco County and Miss University of South Florida 2008, participated 1995 to2004 and won first place almost every year, Friedman said. She was a national champion baton twirler, now on scholarship at USF, and is the feature solo twirler with the university's marching band.

"I began participating in Spotlight on Talent when I was 7 years old," Pate said. "I had the opportunity to compete in the show for nine years, where I was fortunate enough to place each year that I entered. Spotlight was something that I always looked forward to and something that I greatly missed after graduation. The show was such an honor to be a part of as I was constantly competing with the best of the best in my hometown of Pasco County."

Pate has built upon her Spotlight experience to branch into other areas of the performing arts.

"Upon graduation, I became the first twirler ever selected with the University of South Florida Herd of Thunder band and have had so many performing experiences throughout the United States," she said. "I have yet to find a competition quite like Spotlight on Talent. Spotlight was always an exciting time of year.

"I can remember all the times that after preliminary auditions I would go home and get to bed early so I could wake up first thing in the morning to call the Heritage Arts hot line to see if I had made the finals. I remember mornings where I would actually call over and over to make sure that it was definitely my name that I had heard.

"Spotlight on Talent was a memory that I will have and cherish forever."

Pate again will show off her performing art talents at the 25th anniversary show.

"My routine that I will be performing on Oct. 25 will be to 'Don Quixote' from 'Man of La Mancha' by Linda Eder. This will be the same performance that I gave in April to capture the title of Miss University of South Florida 2008," she said. "I cannot wait for the anniversary show. I am excited to see familiar faces and reunite with old friends.

"I can honestly say, there is no place like home."

Friedman's co-producers of Spotlight on Talent, as well as this show, are her daughter, Rebecca Friedman Groomes, and Alicia Polk Guanio. Both had extensive experience as Spotlight competitors, starting at the age of 5. Both will perform at the 25th anniversary show, Friedman Groomes on piano and Guanio as a dancer.

"Rebecca is a dentist and Alicia is a lawyer, both practicing now in the area, but continuing to enjoy and use their performing talents," Friedman said.

The lineup of talent also will include Becky Lane (vocal), Laurel Frye (dance), Marlo Hilton Katterman (dance), Kyle McCann (vocal), Laurel Weightman (dance group), Weston Johnson (vocal), Tony Mercer (piano), Stacey Enyart (dance), and Careena Cornette (vocal and dance).

Trophies, Cash Go To Winners

Aside from developing their performing talents, Spotlight on Talent awards more than $2,000 worth of trophies and cash prizes to winners. To fund these awards, and to include more children in the Spotlight experience, organizers decided to make this show a fundraiser.

"We produced two shows this year because so many kids wanted to audition. It cost more than $10,000 to produce both shows," Friedman said. "That means finding twice as many judges, more awards."

A second show, said Friedman, allows 20 more performers to stand in the spotlight as show finalists.

"We need to meet expenses and provide this experience and opportunity to more kids," she said. "And we didn't want to raise application fees very much, to put a hardship on the kids."

SPOTLIGHT ON TALENT 25TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION
SOME BACKGROUND: Heritage Arts Center Association will host a gala concert event at 7 p.m. Oct. 25, celebrating 25 years of the Spotlight on Talent performing arts competition.

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS: This show will benefit the Spotlight on Talent competition, which awards more than $2,000 in cash and trophies annually.

A LITTLE HISTORY: Every spring, talented students in kindergarten through 12th grade have auditioned and performed in front of professional judges and audiences. The show features up to 250 finalists. In. this silver anniversary year, the nonprofit association produced two final shows, which allowed 60 acts to perform.

GET INVOLVED: The Spotlight on Talent 25th anniversary Reunion Celebration Show will take place at the newly renovated Pasco Middle School auditorium, 13925 14th St., Dade City. Tickets are $5 for students, $15 for adults, and will be available at the door, and for two weeks before the show at the Dade City and Zephyrhills chambers of commerce.

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