Youth Talent Show Coming To The Garde On Friday

Months of planning will culminate Friday in the First Annual New London Youth Talent Show.

The event will take place at 7 p.m. at the . Tickets, available at the box office or the theater’s website, are $5 each. Proceeds will go toward Writer’s Block Ink, a nonprofit organization encouraging youths to express themselves through writing. A youth fine arts exhibit and silent auction will accompany the event, and the radio station Jammin 107.7 will broadcast the show live.

The idea itself originated in the Garde, which hosted meetings of the New London Anti-Violence organization in the Oasis Room. A coordinating committee was established to promote and organize the event, and rehearsals have been taking place for about a month.

Curtis Goodwin, a coordinator and co-director in the effort, said there are about 20 acts, comprising approximately 60 kids. He said the performers include poets, rappers, dancers, mimes, and rock groups. By late last week, almost 700 tickets had been sold.

“I went into this with the idea of kids being involved in the whole process,” said Goodwin.

The youngest person on the coordinating committee is 11 years old, the oldest 28. The age of the performers is between 11 and 21.

Goodwin said the event is meant to showcase the potential of the community and the city’s youth. He said the first year is meant to be a showcase event, and no decision has been made on whether prizes will be awarded.

“We really want New London to be a center for the arts,” he said. “There are so many talented kids out there.”