While in Walt Disney World in Florida last week, one of the most popular new live show attractions at the Disney Hollywood Studios theme park was "The American Idol Experience."
Guests ages 14 and older are allowed to audition and perform earlier in the day before a panel of judges before invites are extended for finalists to return later in the day for a recreation of the popular Fox reality competition show in one of the Disney studio soundstages. Ryan Seacrest is featured in some pretaped video feeds warming up the audience and explaining the opportunity, which ultimately has the show audience then voting for who is crowned the theme park's next "American Idol," which garners the winner a chance to win a spot auditioning for the next season of the televised show.
Also featured on tape are congratulatory remarks from previous "American Idol" success story winners like Carrie Underwood, Fantasia, David Cook (who performs Nov. 18 at The Venue), Ruben Studdard, Adam Lambert and Chris Allen, among others.
Our own local singing claim-to-fame Amy Davis, 27, of Cedar Lake, who also competed as one of the top 24 finalists on FOX reality smash hit "American Idol," is back in the Region this weekend.
Now living on the West Coast while working on her recording career, she was back here a year ago for a show at Northwoods in St. John, a gig so popular, she was here again this year for a sold-out show Saturday.
Davis, a 2000 graduate of Lowell High School and one of the six children of Barry and Jeanette Davis of Cedar Lake, captured the attention of hard-to-please judges Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell two years ago, with her audition performance of "Blue Bayou," the ballad written by the late Roy Orbison and made famous by Linda Ronstadt.
Once the votes were counted, we had to watch Seacrest bid her farewell early on, following her swan-song performance of "Where the Boys Are," the 1960s tune originally a popular hit by Connie Francis.
Last year, she did a new Christmas album featuring some of the other most popular eliminated "American Idol" contestants. Davis sang "The First Noel."
Davis told me last week that this season, she's part of a similar line-up "for a doing a global pay-per-view cable Christmas show with a handful of other 'Idols' on Dec 5.
Called "American Christmas Live," it's described as "a chance to spend a magical evening with 12 'American Idol' finalists as they perform holiday songs."
Also featuring original songs, the two-hour concert will be shown live from the Lincoln Theater in Los Angeles and made available worldwide via cable pay-per-view for $5.99 (if ordered in November, $7.99 in December).
Featured along with Davis, will be "Idols" Alexis Stone Lopez, Brandon Rogers, Chekezie, Haley Scarnato, Lindsey Cardinale, Nikki McKibben, RJ Helton, Sundance, Trenyce, Jasmine Trias and Nikko Smith.
For more information and details, go to americanchristmas.me/
'Beauty' secret
Art Partners Gallery in the Schaumburg Town Square, 14 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, Ill. has just tipped me off that it's hosting one of the most unique art shows in its history. Renowned Disney Art Director and Artist Toby Bluth, will be joined by Paige O' Hara, Broadway star and the voice of the original Belle, from the Academy Award winning film "Beauty & the Beast," for an "An Enchanted Evening" presentation. Both will be on hand to unveil his newest masterpiece and both will be signing a limited edition of only 20 artworks for the public. An invitation-only reception is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 4, followed by a special public viewing 1:30 p.m. Dec. 5. FYI: (847) 584-0373.
Tis the season
Melissa Neff and Toni Nissan, this year's co-chairs for the Women's Association for Northwest Indiana Symphony Festival of Trees Holiday Luncheon, asked me to remind readers that time is running out to purchase tickets for the 2009 luncheon at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster. The tickets annually sell out.
"Benefiting the Northwest Indiana Symphony, there will be a nice meal, good entertainment, pretty trees and great company," Neff said.
"The luncheon is Dec. 2, with tree judging beginning at 11 a.m. Everyone votes, in case some guests have not attended before, followed by wassail, and lunch at noon. We are keeping speeches to a minimum and really want to move the program along this year."
Two decades since the event's creation, it is more popular than ever.
The tickets are $40 and available by calling Tresa Radermacher at (219) 322-3393.
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.
Today's Celebrity Birthdays
"People's Court" judge Joseph Wapner is 90. Actor Ed Asner is 80. Actor John Kerr ("South Pacific") is 78. Singer Petula Clark is 77. Comedian Jack Burns of Burns and Schreiber is 76. Actress Joanna Barnes ("Spartacus," "The Parent Trap") is 75. Actor Yaphet Kotto ("Homicide: Life On The Street") is 70. Actor Sam Waterston ("Law and Order") is 69. Singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA is 64. Actor James Widdoes ("Animal House") is 56. News correspondent John Roberts is 53. Bandleader Kevin Eubanks ("The Jay Leno Show") is 52. Rapper E-40 is 42. Country singer Jack Ingram is 39. Drummer David Carr of Third Day and singer Chad Kroeger of Nickelback and drummer Jesse Sandoval of The Shins are 35. Actor Sean Murray ("NCIS") is 32.
