When 15-year-old Julia Toussaint learned American Idol auditions were coming to Wesley Chapel, she couldn’t pass up the chance at stardom.
“I told my voice teacher, ‘We have to do it,’” said Toussaint, a sophomore at Tarpon Springs High School.
Toussaint, who began singing as a 5-year-old, was one of 400 preregistered contestants selected for “Tampa Bay Idol” auditions, held Aug.12 at Florida Hospital Center Ice.
Like others, Toussaint was looking to strike fame via the hit television show that has launched the singing careers of Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and countless others.
“I’m hoping to pursue (singing),” Toussaint said. “I mean, I’ve been doing it my whole life — a lot of community theater, choir.”
The daylong event was hosted by ABC Action News and Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend.
Auditions began at 7:45 a.m., and continued late into the afternoon.
Ages and backgrounds of contestants varied. Singing styles did, too, ranging from pop and country, to soul and R&B.
While tryouts were closed to the general public and the media, ABC Action News and Tampa Bay’s Morning Blend were on hand for constant event updates.
Contestants each had 45 seconds to belt out an acapella tune, in front of a panel of celebrity judges — a mix of television and radio personalities, and former Idol contestants.
Following each performance, hopefuls were critiqued on voice quality, stage presence, star power and so on.
The fortunate ones received a pass to go to the head of the line at the upcoming regional American Idols auditions in Orlando on Aug. 17. The “Front of the Line” ticket guarantees a chance to be seen by show producers without waiting in the long lines; no word has yet been given on how many contestants received passes.
“The requirements are pretty high and pretty stiff to get through,” said Dennis Elsbury, director of multimedia marketing for ABC Action News.
Throughout the day, Idol hopefuls expressed feelings of excitement, anxiousness and nervousness, as they patiently waited for their shot, alongside the accompaniment of family and friends.
A few spent downtime rehearsing vocals and reviewing lyrics.
Others, like Zephyrhills resident Heather Bergthold, remained discreet, trying to manage tensions.
“I’m more excited than anything; I’m trying to cover up the nervousness,” said Bergthold, as she waited in line.
With auditions in nearby Wesley Chapel, Bergthold couldn’t resist the chance to show off her singing talents, especially with the support from her friends.
“It’s a good thing they came back with it,” she said, “because I promised a ton of people I’d do it.”
She added: “Everybody kept telling me all these different seasons, ‘You need to try out,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, no.’ But, then I was like, ‘If they come back, then I’ll try out.’”
The Idol audition wasn’t a first for St. Petersburg’s Sierra Davis, however.
The 18-year-old tried out in past seasons, including the Tampa Convention Center in 2015. She also performed at an open Idol audition in Gainesville.
“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this (opportunity) for so long, so I’m hoping this will be my shot,” Davis said prior to her tryout.
Despite missing the cut twice before, Davis remained upbeat, and confident in her abilities.
“I have plenty of (singing) experience,” she said, assuredly. “I graduated (high school) musical theater. I was a dancer in middle school, and a singer all my life; I’ve been in a couple of productions.”
Elsewhere, Valrico’s Dennis Tomy was just happy to participate, realistic about the odds of winning.
Before his audition, the 17-year-old said he “felt blessed” to even be selected for the competition.
“I don’t think I’m the best singer,” he said, “but I’m going to try my best.”
After 15 years on the Fox network, and a one-year hiatus, American Idol is returning to television on ABC in Spring 2018.
Ryan Seacrest will return as host. Katy Perry is confirmed as one of the Idol judges. Others in the mix to join Perry include Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Charlie Puth.
Should a Tampa Bay area contestant reach the national stage, the network could air the audition footage from the Aug. 12 event.
“If somebody makes it far enough, they’ll reach back into our archives,” said Elsbury, who helped coordinate Tampa Bay Idol. “I don’t want to overplay it because they’re going through hundreds and hundreds of people, and they’re doing this across the country.”
Besides showcasing local talent, Tampa Bay Idol offered an opportunity to promote Wesley Chapel.
Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore called the event “a great opportunity for the county.”
“For people outside of the area, we get to highlight our county, which is nice,” said Moore, who spent the morning greeting contestants and their families.
Meanwhile, Florida Hospital Center Ice, which opened its 150,500-square-foot ice rink and sports complex in January, proved to be a worthy host site.
“When we came and saw the layout of the building and how it works, it’s a really unique venue and really good for accommodating a lot of people,” Elsbury said. “A lot of events could be here.”
Published August 16, 2017
