New London talent show a hit once again
And that’s OK; Thomas, after all, was born the same year Chew died — which is in so many ways an incredible testimony to the resilience, power and ongoing momentum and message of the program.
“It’s been so rewarding to watch what these kids have accomplished over the course of the show. Each year we get to see the struggle and the hustle they overcome and we’re so proud of them,” said Anthony Nolan, who co-founded the NLYTS along with current and former civic leaders Susan Connolly, Frank Colmenares and Curtis Goodwin. “As adults, what’s going on in the world is tough — but for the kids, the world is tough and very real in a different context. For them to participate and get to know one another and grow through this experience makes such an impact — not just on them but on their families and the whole community.”
‘The whole experience’
All of the NLYTS programs have taken place at the Garde and, just inside the door, greeting attendees as they entered, Jeanne Sigel, marketing and development director at the facility, was beaming. “This is my all-time favorite event we do,” Sigel said. “It’s not just the performances, though they’re wonderful. It’s the whole experience: the rehearsals and the support from families and community members; the smiles and the enthusiasm.” She paused. “You always worry that something born of passion might peter out as life goes on. Not this. This has been eight years of affecting change in the region, of bridging gaps and changing lives.”
A few moments before curtain, Zander Baas, 16, a student at Marine Science Magnet High School in Groton, was preparing to open the show as an emcee along with 16-year-old Fitch High School student Kela Parker. Baas tried out for the show but didn’t make the final cut. “I suffer from a lot of stage fright,” he said. He wanted to be part of the production, though, and joined as a social media intern — and eventually earned the onstage gig as the emcee. “I’m over the stage fright. This has been such a positive experience, working with and meeting so many people. There’s absolutely no negative energy about any of this.”
Upstairs in the dressing rooms wing, the evening’s singers were in final prep mode. Smiling and taking deep breaths were Joi-Aaliyah Garrett, 12, a student at Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School; Victoria Marie Vasquez, 17, New London High School; Casey Flax, 17, Fitch High School and Angela Gomes, 15, and Daisha Scaplen, 15, both students at Norwich Free Academy. Some are veterans of the talent show; others are first-timers. They have different musical influences and perform in a variety of genres — but the camaraderie and energy could suggest they were part of the same band. When asked how the experience has affected them, the response is rapid fire, immediate and overlapping.
“We’re singers, and now it’s like we’re family,” Garrett said.
“We’ve learned we all have something in common,” Flax said.
“I’ve always been shy about making friends. Working with everyone has given me confidence,” Gomes said.
“You develop relationships that wouldn’t have happened,” Scaplen said.
‘Nerves quotient’
Across the hall, in the hip hop dressing room, members of a rap cypher (a rapper jam session) were joking and mostly relaxed. They slightly disagreed on the “nerves quotient,” though a “a little bit” — as illustrated by Antonio “Tony” Velazuez, 16, a New London High School student, holding up a finger and thumb positioned just a half-inch apart — seemed to be a consensus.
“This is something we all want to do, and I think I’ve learned a lot about what it takes,” said Edwin “Lil Eddie” Santana, 12, a Kelly Middle School student. Other members of the crew included Micah “Young Meishy” Rodriguez, 16, and Menelik “I Am the Third” Nesmith, 16, both students at New London High School.
In the Garde lobby, rapper Moe Steele, who’s participated all eight years — first as a performer and in recent years as a coach — said the life lessons of the talent show are “beyond measure. This is monumental. Every year, these kids spend four months training for this night. And I don’t know that they all realize what they’re getting into. It’s consistent rehearsals and learning about how much work it takes.”
“But it’s also about realizing what that hard work gets you. It’s about having goals and bridging cultural gaps and working together as well as for your career,” Steele said. “There’s no shortcut to this. And I’ll bet everyone here would tell you it’s absolutely worth it.”
“It’s about having goals and bridging cultural gaps and working together as well as for your career. There’s no shortcut to this. And I’ll bet everyone here would tell you it’s absolutely worth it.” NEW LONDON RAPPER MOE STEELE