By Ryan O'Connell
Framingham State University’s Dance Team hosted its first student talent show in three years, “Framingham’s Got Talent,” March 10.
Ten different students competed in the event for high-value prizes. They took the stage at the Dwight Performing Arts Center, where they performed acts that ranged from original songs to electric guitar solos.
Judged by a panel of three FSU employees, the competition offered first-, second-, and third-place prizes – an iPad, a pair of Beats headphones, and an Apple Watch, respectively.
Before the talent show portion began, the Fusion Team, a segment of FSU’s Dance Team, presented a contemporary dance routine separate from the judging.
The first competitor, Troy Martinez, sang and performed an original unnamed song for the event, which he said was written “specifically for this show.”
He also accompanied himself on the piano.
The next performer, Eryn McCarter-Penney, sang “Waving Through A Window” from the musical “Dear Evan Hansen.”
In the next performance, Olivia Heafey also sang, strumming on her guitar as she presented “Everybody Talks,” by Neon Trees.
Next was a staging of Tim Curry’s “Sweet Transvestite,” performed by Matthew Mori, which he sang while strolling up and down the auditorium’s aisles. Mori was one of the few performers to leave the stage and interact with the audience while presenting.
Next Tyler Crowley displayed his skills on an electric drum set, mostly playing complicated and impressive-sounding rhythms. Crowley showed his talents as a drummer by playing blindfolded for a time, for both the crowd’s amusement and as a display of skill.
After a short intermission, Nate Rogers played ukulele and sang with a “twist” – he performed two songs while blindfolded and balancing on a hoverboard. Rogers sang and played along to both “Riptide” by Vance Joy and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens, without stopping – or falling down.
The next competitor, Sofia Wilson, played the kazoo to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” and danced to the song, bringing energy to the stage.
Next, Philippe Raphael sang an unnamed original song he wrote two years ago and walked the stage as the crowd started to sing along with him in the refrain.
The final competitor was Kyle Walker, who played his electric guitar and displayed his skills to the audience, shredding for over eight consecutive minutes to the beat of different instrumentals.
The top three winners were soon announced by judges after deliberating on their scores, immediately following the announcement of a few ra]e winners.
The third place winner was Raphael, who won the Apple Watch for the performance of his unnamed original song.
Winning second place was Walker, taking home the Beats headphones after his display on the electric guitar.
Finally, the first-place winner was Rogers, who won the 2021 Generation iPad Pro for this act involving balancing, singing, and playing the ukulele while blindfolded.
The event concluded shortly after the three winners were announced, as well as the winners of the Dance Team’s fundraising ra]e baskets were pulled.