Showcase for youth (From Stroud News and Journal)

Showcase for youth

THE Subscription Rooms in Stroud will be bulging on Saturday when talented youngsters from all over Gloucestershire will be competing in The Door's annual contest for undiscovered youth.

Last year was the first year of the contest and there was standing room only in the Sub Rooms.

This year there are 26 acts, picked at auditions from over 50 hopefuls, who will be singing, dancing or performing in bands.

The seven different categories will be judged by a panel of distinguished figures from the music business, including Rachel Dunlop, an associate of Pete Waterman; Chris Parles, head of A&R for Mercury Records and choreographer Alistair Ball.

The prizes range from singing and dancing lessons to time in a recording studio and everyone who takes part on Saturday will appear on a CD recorded live at the show.

The auditions were open to anyone aged between 11 and 25 and aplications came for as far afield as Cricklade, Cirencester, Cheltenham and the Forest of Dean as well as a large number from the Stroud Valleys.

"We had so many to choose from the standard is amazingly high," said Brendan Conboy, youth worker at The Door and organiser of the talent show.

Sponsors of the show this year are Star 107FM and the Stroud News & Journal and a number of local businesses have donated prizes.

Tickets have been selling fast but a few are still available from the box office at the Stroud Subscriptions Rooms.

Door open at 7pm on Saturday, February 8, with the first act due to take to the stage at 7.30pm.