‘America’s Got Talent’ comes to S.A.
Estimated 2,000 acts try to win ticket to L.A. for popular television show’s 14th season
Most of the would-be stars waiting to audition for “America’s Got Talent” on Friday at the Convention Center downtown would leave disappointed. Their talents — singing, dancing, standup comedy and other skills undefinable — would fail to catch the attention of the show’s producers and they’d go home without a coveted golden ticket to Los Angeles and an appearance on the show.
But the long odds didn’t seem to dampen the spirit of those who showed up to audition as early as 7 in the morning.
Adam Salgado, who was practicing his jazz dance routine in the ballroom holding area, said he intends to “stay positive and keep a good attitude” when he’s called into the audition room. The Lee High School grad has been dancing for nine years, and this isn’t his first TV reality show rodeo.
“I went to Dallas to audition a while ago, and I was really nervous,” said the 21-year-old after warming up and stretching. “Now I know what to expect, so I’m very calm.”
Meghan Colomb traveled to San Antonio the night before with her parents from their home in Lafayette, La. She sings and plays the ukulele, and she’s plenty positive, too.
“My mom’s here to have fun, but I’d like to do this for the rest of my life,” she said.
Following the success of Grace VanderWaal, the ukelele-playing preteen winner of season 11 of “AGT,” as the show is also known, there were plenty of those to be seen during the auditions.
Even those not chosen could at least, for one not-so-brief and shining moment, be social media stars. That’s because the ballroom holding area was as Instagramready as any social media influencer could desire. There were three large “America’s Got Talent” banners, lightbulb-bordered makeup mirrors, and a 10-foot-tall “AGT” in lights. And the whole area was bathed in bright studio lights to make any cellphone photo pop.
Nicholas Young from Schertz had a personal reason for auditioning. In recent years, he lost his grandfathers, both of whom were big supporters of his guitar-playing and singing.
“I’ve been playing for 14 years and singing for eight,” said the 19year-old. “And whenever we went to visit, they told my parents to make sure I’d bring my guitar. Now I’ve promised them both that I’d do more with my music, and trying out for this show is part of that promise.”
AGT always comes to Texas during its audition process because “the caliber of talent here is amazing,” said producer Adam Davis. And San Antonio is a favorite, he added, because the city “provides personality” to the show.
“The vibe here is always cool,” said Davis, who estimated that 2,000 acts — from single performers to large dance groups — will perform during the audition. “We always have a good time when we’re here.”
Those lucky few invited to advance to the West Coast will appear on the 14th season of the talent show competition and compete for a grand prize of $1 million (before taxes). They’re also promised “a headline show in Las Vegas,” which, according to reports, means they’ll perform as the final act in a variety show at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.