Ritz Theater partners with NEPA Youth Shelter for talent show, South Abington Twp. teen voted Fan Favorite

South Abington Twp. teen voted Fan Favorite in NEPA Youth Shelter talent show at Ritz Theater

Scranton’s Ritz Theater was loaded with promising talent for the inaugural NEPA Youth Voices talent show on Saturday, Oct. 17. The event featured young participants from across Northeast Pennsylvania competing for a cash prize and a trophy.

Earlier this year, the Ritz Theater and Performing Arts Center launched a social media contest searching for local community organizations to hold a free event at the venue on Wyoming Avenue. NEPA Youth Shelter answered the call, and the idea for the NEPA Youth Voices talent show was born.

Proceeds will benefit services and programs for the NEPA Youth Shelter.

“Our approach to doing this work is always to put the young people first,” Andrew Cutillo, NEPA Youth Shelter board president said. “We thought it was important that any event that we do to raise funds and raise community awareness also puts young people first and gives them a chance to shine.”

Audience members not only had the chance to hear some amazing young voices, but also to enter basket raffles and a 50/50, with the latter’s winner donating all proceeds back to the shelter.

The evening was ultimately all about the talent. More than 100 attendees filled the historic theater in downtown Scranton to cheer on nine young men and women as they competed for the $500 first place prize and Golden Microphone trophy. With Paul Datti, vice-president of NEPA Youth Shelter’s board of directors, emceeing the show, contestants entertained with songs from Broadway, Top 40 and even spoken-word originals tackling selections originally sung by powerhouse vocalists like Whitney Houston, Judy Garland and Alicia Keyes.

Plymouth’s Kayla Tyndall, who sang “Thinking Out Loud,” brought her own cheering section, including her eight siblings. She said she has been singing all of her life and enjoyed the opportunity to give the contest her all.

Judges Josh Balz, local musician and majority owner of the Ritz Theater; Scranton Fringe Festival Executive Director Conor Kelly O’Brien; Rock 107 personality Kait on the Radio; and local children’s author and community leader Ty Holmes took on the task of choosing the best of the best, a chore that they said was difficult given the caliber of talent on stage.

“This contest is not getting easier,” Holmes admitted halfway through the lineup.

Finally, the winners were announced, and Jadyn Culp of Drums claimed first prize with her rendition of “Let Me Be Your Star” from the NBC television series “SMASH.”

Sophia Statsman of South Abington Township was voted Fan Favorite. The Scranton Prep sophomore performed Adele’s “I Drink Wine” and also treated the audience to her uncanny Cher impersonation. Statsman said she would ultimately love to pursue musical theater after she graduates. “That’s the goal,” she said.

Founded in 2017 by Maureen Maher-Gray, the NEPA Youth Shelter was designed with the mission of empowering young people from ages 14 to 24. The organization currently runs three specific programs. The teen center offers a safe space for high school students between the ages of 14 and 19 years old, where they can participate in programs, receive academic support and obtain free meals and essential needs like warm clothing and hygiene items. The mental wellness program provides participating teens with emotional and psychological support within a community atmosphere. Lastly, the NEPA Youth Shelter’s housing program gives an opportunity for young people from ages 18 to 21 experiencing homelessness or house insecurity to have safe and secure living arrangements as they work toward long-term independence.

NEPA Youth Shelter’s Public Relations Chair Heather Davis said the event made approximately $8,500. According to Executive Director John Rosengrant, those funds will be used to continue to uplift the voices of vulnerable young people in northeast Pa.

“The title of this event says it all,” Rosengrant said. “It’s all about young voices. We want to make sure the young people we see at the shelter are heard, that they feel important, and that they get the confidence that they need to succeed in life.

For information about the NEPA Youth Shelter, visit nepayouthshelter.org.