Looking Back on the March 25^th ACA Challenge Event

The Harmonizers hosted its fourth ACA Challenge at Lincoln Theater on U Street in DC (This theater was once part of Black Broadway and is a landmark.) on Saturday, March 25^th at 8 pm. We had another record year of ticket sales (0ver 750 sold) and another year of audience participation

 

The chapter invited northeast area a cappella groups to audition – many submitted materials and 6 were chosen to compete. The competitors this year were

• Blackout from NYC;
• Backtrack from NYC;
• Polaeris from DC:
• UMD Faux Paz;
• The JMU BluesTones; and
• CMU Originals.

The chapter offered a $1000 first prize, $500 for second, $250 for third, and $100 for all others.  Judges for the event were Catherine Lewis, musical arts writer; Josh Ehrlich, Voices of Gotham arranger; and Mike Rowan, Chorus America Member Services Director. Also the audience was invited to vote via text during the contest for their favorite.

 

First place winner was Backtrack.  They received their “big” check presented by last year’s winners All Natural. Second place was BluesTones and third place was Blackout. Emcee for the night was Tony Colosimo.

 

Event producer Reed Livergood offered these post show comments: The complete list of volunteers who were helpful in making the 2017 ACA Challenge a success is long, but a sincere thank you  to everyone who helped in some capacity. I would like to extend a special thank you to the judges and Tony as our emcee, and the Lincoln Theater staff. Also our production crew of Nick Leiserson, associate producer; Todd Ryktarsyk, associate producer; Scipio Garling, talent scout plus communications; Robyn Murane , house manager; and all the wonderful volunteers who helped her; Greg Tepe, stage manager; Mike Kelly, technical coordinator; Ken Rub and Clark Chesser, Harmonizer venues; Terry Reynolds, Harmo executive director; John Roots, audience voting manager; and the hard working riser crews.

 

The song package for the chorus (“All You Need Is Love,” “Summertime,” and “Rock My Soul”) was a huge success with this mostly young a cappella-fan-crowd that filled the auditorium and balcony.

 

 The audience also cheered wildly for our own modern a cappella group – TBD – with their mics and enlarged group. The singers are Scipio Garling, Noah Van Gilder, Jeremy Richardson, Josh Roots, Nick Leiserson, Terry Reynolds, Kellen Herz, Troy Hillier, Todd Ryktarsyk, Joshua Desportes, Clark Chesser and Jeff Burkey. Reed Livergood is the musical leader of the group.

 

 

The chorus assembled about 4 pm and did warm ups in the lobby with assistant director Terry Reynolds.  Chorus manager Mark Klostermeyer got the chorus onto the stage for mic test time and associate director Tony did parts of each song. Greg Tepe coordinated the show finale with all contestants.

 

At 5:30 we were dismissed to get dinner.  The weather was nice and many ate at outdoor spots. Chorus members reassembled in the parking lot to visit, prep for the Put Together Contest, and sing tags.  Then at 7:45 director Joe Cerutti took us to the Walker Memorial Baptist Church around the corner on 13^th for a concentrated practice time.  Our uniform was the black suit, hidden button white shirt, black tie, dress black shoes, black sox and belt.

 

There was a fun and successful afterglow across the street from the theater. 

 

Chapter director for volunteers, Robyn Murane send this thank you note to the many volunteers who helped make this year’s ACA Challenge a success.  “Saturday night we had an amazing group of 20 or more volunteers at the show, supporting TBD and the Harmonizers!

Sam McFarland, Ninamarie Maragioglio, Jerri White and Keith Jones worked with our contestants and judges, and helped Greg Tepe backstage.

 

Christina Ammerman led the ticket team redeeming Groupon coupons: Saundra Deltac, Charity Struthers, Aideen Mannion, Kristen Colby, Ellen Dellert and Carol Dangel.

 

Carol and Ellen did double duty selling CDs at intermission and after the show.

 

Joe Sr. and Janet Cerutti kept the traffic moving through the lobby guiding patrons to the theater.

 

Our ushers Naida Harrington, Rebecca Connor, Krissy Folsom, Carlos Correa, Kitty Fedarko, Lydia Golden and first timer Jessica Barnovsky helped patrons find their seats and monitored the doors during the competition.

 

Thanks to Don Harrington for reporter duties for YeEd for this event.

 

Until next time – editorjack!

(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week during the 68^th year of the Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter. —YeEd