The volunteer production team for the August, 2003 All Stars Talent Show in North Plainfield, NJ.

The All Stars Talent Show Network kicked off its first cycle of community-based performance events at Barringer High School in Newark’s North Ward. An audition, featuring 24 acts, was held on April 24 and was followed by a performance workshop on May 15. The series will culminate in a talent show at the high school on June 12th. The audition was built through regular community outreach conducted by teams of adult and youth volunteers. The volunteer teams set up tables on Broad and Market Streets in Newark two to three times a week inviting young people to sign up to perform on stage or work “behind the scenes.”

All Stars New Jersey Director Gloria Strickland is excited about the continuing growth of the talent show network. One important development is the number of young people who are working together to create group acts for the show rather than participating as soloists. “To me this says that we are succeeding in creating a context for young people to learn something about their capacity to create and to break out of the usual social roles that dictate how they relate to one another, e.g., as rivals and competitors. Young people in poor communities don’t often get a chance to have an experience of doing creative work – which is so important to development.”

Strickland also expressed excitement about the role that volunteers are playing in the production of the talent show program. These volunteers are a wonderfully diverse group including long time All Stars donors, adults who came to the All Stars through volunteer outreach channels, and young adults who are All Stars “alumni” and voluntarily take on mentoring others. “These volunteers have been critical to developing the quality of the talent show events,” says Strickland. “They have an understanding of the All Stars’ focus on performance as a developmental activity and of how to create a sense of community and an ensemble performance. It makes a huge difference to have these volunteers work side by side with the young people.”

A Back to School trip is also in the works that will bring a busload of supporters and their families to cheer on the young people at the June 12th show at Barringer.

With this first cycle underway, and two more planned, All Stars New Jersey is looking forward to a very developmental year of performance activities in Newark.

To find out more about volunteering or the Back to School trip, call (973) 242-3170.