Fireworks Idol singing champ will get a leg up on competition

The Fireworks Idol competition will pack a bigger bang for its contestants next year.

The winner of the singing competition that is a highlight of the annual Fireworks Festival in New Castle, Pa., will win travel and three nights of hotel accommodations to the next American Idol auditions.

The Lawrence Country Tourist Promotion Agency made the changes to punch up the festival, which will mark its 20th anniversary in July.

The grand finale of Fireworks Idol will be a three-hour affair July 9, which will be broadcast live on Froggy 95-FM radio for the first time. Another addition next year will be text-message voting by the public.

Fireworks Idol, of course, is not affiliated with “American Idol,” and the winner of the ocal contest is not guaranteed an audition in front of the show’s judges.

But the winner’s chances of an audition will be better.

The Lawrence Country folks studied the way “American Idol” runs its auditions and then tailored its prize package.

“Idol” conducts registration in a preordained city two days before auditions in that city. The hopefuls audition in the same order that they register — first come, first served.

The winner of Fireworks Idol will arrive in the city a day before registration, so they can arrive bright and early at registration the next day. That will greatly increase their chance of landing an audition.

Fireworks Idol will begin its search for a champion March 25 with open auditions at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa.

Other auditions will be April 2 at Slippery Rock University; April 9 at Sharon High School; and April 16 at Community College of Beaver County in Monaca, Pa. Exact times will be announced later.

Judges will select three to five contestants from each audition site and advance them to the semifinal show scheduled for May 27 at New Castle’s Scottish Rite Cathedral. Six of those hopefuls will move on to the final show at the Fireworks Festival in New Castle on July 9 at the Columbus Innerbelt.

Wade Sutton, news director of WKST-AM 1200 and Froggy 95, will serve as host, director and lead writer of the Fireworks Idol competition.

Judges will be Vaughn Hudspath, director of the annual Stars of Tomorrow talent showcase at New Castle Playhouse; Mary Ann Mangini, music, choir and drama teacher at Shenango High School; and Dr. Anthony Geramita, an experienced theater professional.

Stand-up comedian and actor Josh Sankey will serve as a contributing writer for the semifinals and finals, and choreographer Aimee Wheale will help the six finalists prepare their performances, which will be before an audience of several thousand.

For more information, go to FireworksCapitalofAmerica.com (Facebook keyword New Castle Fireworks Idol; Twitter, NCFireworksIdol).