GREENFIELD – Nine local entertainment groups are competing for the chance to perform at a Christmas event, all for the benefit of raising money for the H.J. Ricks Centre for the Arts.
Christmas at the Ricks is a talent show fundraiser Dec. 17 with special guest performers Josh Kaufman and Cliff Ritchey. Nine local groups have videos on social media ranging from dancing to bell ringing to singing, all for the chance to compete on stage.
Friends of the Theater is hosting the event, with the goal of raising at least $5,000 to purchase new chairs and flooring for the theater.
Anyone can vote now to Dec. 4; $5 gets five votes, $25 gets 25 votes and a Friends membership. The top three winners will perform Dec. 17 at the Christmas at the Ricks event, and audiences will vote again for cash prizes.
“We’ll see who the top three are,” said Amy Studabaker, board secretary for Friends of the Theater. “I think it’ll be a really cool experience for our local talent to perform with Josh Kaufman.”
Studabaker said the theater’s current chairs are second-hand and well worn; the flooring of the theater is cracked in many places and should also be replaced.
The Friends of the Theater decided to take a hybrid approach to its talent show this year. The last two years a virtual fundraiser was successful, but board members wanted to bring back a live element. She said they were delighted to get headliners Kaufman, best known for winning NBC’s “The Voice,” and singer/songwriter Cliff Ritchey.
Local acts competing online for a chance to perform at the event are Chloe Anna and Kenny (vocal); Hearts Ablaze cloggers; Alex-Gawrys-Strand (vocal); Wilkerson Dance (contemporary); Ricochet Cloggers; New Pal Intermediate Ring Choir; Sunday Shenanigans Quartet (vocal); Wilkerson Dance (tap); and On Air (vocals).
Christine Schaefer, chair of the committee organizing the event, said she’s pleased with the variety of acts and the online voting so far. She’s been eagerly watching each day as votes come in, seeing the difference in the top three finalists each day and how sometimes just a few votes separates them.
Schaefer plans to share an update daily on how voting is going at facebook.com/hctheaterfriends. When the top three perform live, audience members will have the final say on who gets first, second and third place cash prizes.
“This is all for a really great cause because our theater is a treasure and it’s a jewel in this community,” Schaefer said.
