Parkway West Student Earns Prize at St. Louis Teen Talent Competition

Parkway West High School's Yvette Lu may not have taken home one of the top prizes at the St. Louis Teen Talent Competition, but she didn't quite go home empty-handed. 

Lu, one of 12 finalists, that competed at the Fabulous Fox Friday to determine the program's ultimate 2013 winners, earned an opportunity prize with Chesterfield-based Stages St. Louis. 

The program was presented by the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation. What started as a field of 155 acts was narrowed to 37 semi-finalists, before the final 12 competed for top honors.

All dozen finalists were evaluated on technical ability, stage presence, interpretation and originality: 

• Michaela Wolz / Opera Singer / Eureka High School
• Nathan Eswine and Abigail Oldham / Singers, Musicians / Webster Groves High School
• Darci Kardell and Gabriel Lawton / Ballet Dancers / Incarnate Word Academy and Greenways Academy
• Sam Krausz / Singer, Pianist / St. Louis University High School
• Mikaiah Krueger / Ballet Dancer / Homeschooled
• John Li / Violinist / MICDS 
• Yvette Lu / Dance / Parkway West High School
• Gabriel Newsham / Whistler, Pianist / St. Louis University High School
• Phylissa / Dominique Milam / Singer / Clayton High School
• Super Sick Crew / Anthony Pawnell Jr., Cornelius Igwe, Paul Springer, Lonnie Howard / Dancers / Hazelwood East High School
• D. Kenneth Tate and A. Joseph Smith / Singers & Musician / Homeschool & Webster Groves High School
• Two Mellow Cello Fellows / Christopher Halen and Grant Riew / Cellists / John Burroughs and Whitfield

First place of a $7,000 college scholarship was awarded to celloists Halen (Whitfield) and Riew (John Burroughs), who performed “Pachelbel Pop."

Second place of a $5,000 college scholarship went to Tate (homeschooled) and Smith (Webster Groves High School) for performing their original composition “The Great Rapsby.” 

There was a three-way tie for third place with $3,000 scholarships going to classical violinist Li of MICDS, hip-hop dancers “Super Sick Crew” of Hazelwood East High School and to homeschooled ballet dancer Krueger.

The finals were videotaped by The Nine Network for a special St. Louis Teen Talent Competition one-hour program to be aired on May 14 at 7 p.m.

The 4th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition already is scheduled at The Fox on April 4, 2014.

Additional special prizes went to following contestants:

Keep Art Happening:  Mikaiah Krueger  

I Award:  David Tate and Alan Smith

Capes Sokol Goodman Sarachan Musical Theatre Scholarship:  Meadow Nguy

Kranzberg vocal performance award:  Michaela Wolz

Berges classical performance award:  John Li

Fromm Family dance award:  Super Sick Crew

The Muny Opportunity:  Michaela Wolz

STAGES St. Louis Opportunity:  Yvette Lu

Capes Coaching “Artists in Training” program:  Jillian Ostlund  

COCA certificates:  Gabriel Lawton and Darci Kardell;  Lucas Lord Brown; Melvin Williams and Nalini Jones

Dayspring certificate:  Courtney Fortner

STAGES Performing Arts Academy certificates:  Kevin Harris, Madison Gillespie

Dancewear Solutions certificate:  Courtney Mallett  

Big Muddy Dance Intensive Scholarship:  Anthony Pawnell Jr. 

Common Thread Dance Intensive Scholarships: 

                  Lydia Berry

                  Tiála Taylor

                  Nalini Jones

                  Melvin Williams

Ashleyliane Dance Co. Intensive Scholarships: 

                  Courtney Mallett

                  Lucas Llord Brown

                  Mikaiah Krueger

PREVIOUS PATCH ARTICLES ABOUT CONTEST:

3rd Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition

Local Teens Vie for Spot on Fox Theatre Stage