What began as a small talent show with a handful of contestants at Morning Pointe of Hixson is expanding this year into a much larger event at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre.
The Morning Pointe Foundation's Seniors Got Talent competition is an annual tradition that began when the Hixson facility opened back in 2009. At that point in time, "American Idol" was one of the hottest shows on TV, and the staff thought it would be fun to hold a "Senior Idol" open to both residents and nonresident seniors, said Frankie Parrott, community relations director at Morning Pointe of Hixson and one of the original organizers of the Hixson competition.
The number of seniors trying out has more than tripled over the past decade, with contestants showcasing talents including music, singing, storytelling, comedy and even belly dancing.
"I told her that we needed to card her because seniors can't move like that," Parrott joked of the belly dancer.
The competition was so popular in Hixson that Morning Pointe decided to hold one on a larger scale in a theater setting last fall for its residents in the Middle Tennessee area.
"It worked so well in Middle Tennessee that we knew that was how it needed to be," Vice President of Corporate Communications Amy Clarke said of the larger competition held at Franklin Theatre, which they also replicated in Lexington, Kentucky, at the Lexington Opera House.
The Chattanooga competition has previously been held at Morning Pointe of Hixson, where the talent performs for a standing-room-only crowd. It's always been open to all area seniors, but this year, audition locations are being added: Morning Pointe of Chattanooga at Shallowford and Morning Pointe of Collegedale at Greenbriar Cove, in addition to the Hixson location.
"There's a lot of interest and a lot of amazing talent," said Clarke, as to why they decided to expand the Chattanooga competition. "It's overdue to go to a real theater, and we couldn't be more excited about expanding across the Tennessee Valley and celebrating all seniors."
A mother-and-son duo perform at the Seniors Got Talent competition in Middle Tennessee at Franklin Theatre. / Photo contributed by Amy ClarkeAuditions are scheduled for Aug. 5 at Morning Pointe of Hixson, Aug. 6 at Morning Pointe of Collegedale and Aug. 8 at Morning Pointe of Chattanooga, from 2-4 p.m. at each location.
Participants are not required to be Morning Pointe residents; anyone 62 or older may apply. Acts showcasing talents of all kinds are welcome but should not exceed three minutes in length.
To register for a free audition, call the Hixson location at 847-1370, Collegedale at 396-6999 or Shallowford at 296-0097. Or, register online at morningpointefoundation.com/seniorsgottalent.
Ten contestants will go on to compete in the grand finale at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre Sept. 10, for which NewsChannel9 anchor Kim Chapman and former anchor Calvin Sneed will serve as co-hosts. Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners.
Tickets for the grand finale can be purchased through the Chattanooga Theatre Centre for $20 by calling the box office at 267-8534 or visiting theatrecentre.com.
The event is a fundraiser for the Morning Pointe Foundation, a nonprofit public service organization created in 2014 to provide caregiver support programs, sponsor educational awareness events and fund clinical scholarships to advance the care of seniors throughout the Southeast. For more information about the foundation, visit morningpointefoundation.com.
Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com.