DETROIT (WXYZ) — Attention all aspiring musicians, dancers, singers, DJs, and artists, the city of Detroit is looking for performers to showcase their talents at events hosted by Detroit Parks and Recreation.
Today was one of their first-ever open auditions. 7 Action News reporter Faraz Javed visited the Northwest Activities Center to see firsthand Detroit's thriving talent pool and how you can be part of it.
Actor and singer Jamie Foxx is Daniel Hall's idol. The 21-year-old recently moved to Detroit from Maryland with his family, hoping to further his music career.
"I ended up quitting my job a couple of months ago to even do this, so to even be here is a pleasure in itself," said Hall.
Daniel is one of the participants at Detroit Parks and Recreation's first-ever open auditions. Taylor Harell from the General Services Department says they are looking for every kind of talent.
"The open auditions are for us to hire and book talent to participate in the many events we have throughout the year," said Harrell.
"Last year, we did seven festivals. Then we have Hart Plaza and Spirit Plaza. We are constantly programming Spirit Plaza and then the recreation centers. We have nine recreation centers in Detroit, and they are always planning something monthly," said Harrell.
That's why 61-year-old Gina Wilks from Flint hopes to be one of the selected performers.
"Once my music starts whatever I'm doing, I'm relaxed now. But I do get a little jitter," said Wilks.
"We are looking for creativity, punctuation, artistry, and your stage presence," said Harrell.
Phillip Talbert from Total Access Events is one of the organizers of the open auditions. With 47 years of experience in the event industry, Philips says metro Detroit has a rich history.
"We have Motown in the 50s and 60s. We have jazz. We're known for every musical genre. We need to re-educate in some instances, but also these folks have been curating themselves in these communities across the city of Detroit. We need to give them an opportunity to showcase what they are able to do," said Talbert.
Detroit Parks and Recreation has another open audition scheduled for March 25 at the Northwest Activities Center.
For details, visit https://detroitmi.gov/departments/detroit-parks-recreation.
