Would-be rock stars and pop divas in disguise, the Capitol Theatre wants you.
Registration for Nelson’s annual Big Lip Sync contest closes Friday, and organizer Laurie Jarvis is still taking performers for the event, which will run February 26.
“It’s usually full,” says Jarvis. “Last year there were 40-plus performers. We had a group of kids from the Wildflower School who came and performed Thriller, there was a group of people from Bigby Place. We had duets and solos — adult solos, kid solos, groups of four.”
The event is open to performers of all ages, with cash prizes of $100 for the best adult and child soloists, kids group, and family or adult group. In addition to the prize money, Jarvis says the event is a way for untested performers to scratch their theatrical itch in a supportive environment.
That was the case for Joe Ringrose, who’s appeared in five Big Lip Syncs to date. His first year, he and a friend presented their take on the Blues Brothers. Since then he’s donned costumes and mouthed along to everything from Fiddler on the Roof to Barry White.
“I’d always been interested in performance, but that was kind of the groundbreaking moment, was doing that Blues Brothers act,” says Ringrose, who’s since made the jump to singing on stage as well (he’s a regular feature in the Capitol’s Christmas pantomimes).
As a seasoned lip sync-er, he says costumes aren’t necessary for rookie performers, but there’s one thing that’s crucial to bring to the stage:
“It’s not really about singing, it’s about dancing,” he says. “You’ve got to plan them and then you’ve got to execute them with lots of energy.
And when it comes to song selection, Jarvis adds, pretty much anything goes. Last year’s lip sync included Top 40 hits from Lady Gaga and Adam Lambert alongside classic rock favorites such as Born to be Wild.
“It’s all across the board. It’s a really wide range,” she says. “Whatever strikes your imagination, you can come and do that onstage.”
To register for this year’s Big Lip Sync, call the Capitol Theatre at 250-352-6363 by Friday.