Adult talent show takes over Patchogue Theatre

Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts resounded with the sounds of Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, Johnny Cash and The Doors on Saturday night. The original artists were not present, but performers competing in the second  Pizzazz Adult Talent Search showcased as much passion as any headlining act.

Co-sponsored by the Patchogue Theatre, 71 E. Main St., and SooBee Productions of Patchogue, the competition featured 25 acts with performers 18 and older. Acts included several solo singers, a clogging group, interpretive dance and a full brass and percussion ensemble.

“The unique thing about this show is what makes the [Patchogue] Theatre itself unique. When it opened in the 1920s, it was a vaudeville theater,” said Susan Berner, owner of SooBee Productions and Pizzazz coordinator. “The show is bringing back that vaudeville feel.”

A wide variety of entertainment kept the 400 audience members delighted for nearly three hours. Spectators were clapping along from the beginning, when Al Calderon of Holbrook opened the show with Justin Bieber’s “As Long as You Love Me.”

Calderon, 18, has been performing in front of audiences for more than 10 years. He is trying to make a name for himself in the music industry through social media, much as Bieber has done. He has more than 25,000 views on his YouTube channel, and he is currently working on his demo record at a Long Island studio.

“I love music and the crowd and the feeling of performing on stage,” Calderon said.

Calderon’s high-energy performance, which included a second original song titled, “Top of the World,” set a high standard for the evening, and the following acts were happy to keep the momentum going.

One of the biggest audience responses came for Inti and the Moon, a world fusion band from Astoria that combined the sounds of Latin, North African and jazz  in their performance of  “Bola.”

The Pizzazz judges also were  impressed with Inti and the Moon’s eclectic performance, awarding them one of three $500 cash prizes. Lisa Polizzi, 36, who powerfully hit every note of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” and the Selden Cadets Brass and Percussion Ensemble took home the other two awards.

“There is a lot of good entertainment here” Polizzi said. “Everybody is great, so after I sing, I just sit back and enjoy the show. It’s a fun competition.”

Photo: Romeo Sorto performs Enrique Eglesias' "Hero" at the Second Pizzazz Adult Talent Search in Patchogue. (Jan. 12, 2013)