Innovative talent show coming this summer to Westlake Village





By Lori Porter
porter@theacorn.com

If you think life interfered with your musical dreams, the city of Westlake Village could merge your fantasy with reality.


Westlake Village, the home of some amazing musicians, is seeking soloists, instrumentalists, bands and singer-songwriters to audition for "Westlake’s Own," a musical talent show to be hosted by the city as part of its new TGIF summer events at the Westlake Village Civic Center.


To be eligible to compete in the talent show, at least one member of the group must be a resident of the city.


Kerry Kallman, community relations coordinator for Westlake Village, will get tapes from applicants and, together with a panel of professional judges, will select five finalists.


Each TGIF summer night event from June 4 through Aug. 13 will feature a finalist performing one song. The last night, Fri., Aug. 27, will be the talent show at which the winner will be named and get the title of "Westlake’s Own. "


The concept for "Westlake’s Own" Talent Show came from Westlake Village resident Matthew Papish, an executive producer and president of Pipeline Entertainment. Papish has produced many popular television programs, including "Blind Date" and "Classmates." Kallman and Papish decided the talent show would be a perfect fit for the summer Friday night events.


"I feel there’s a lot of musical diversity in Westlake. This is going to be like Westlake’s ‘American Idol,’" said Papish. "It’s important to have a sense of competition to it." Papish and Kallman said they’re looking for exceptional talent and not just an average kid who can play an instrument or sing a show tune.


"Westlake Village is one great sophisticated family," said Kallman. "We want the acts to be top notch—the best."


Papish hopes audiences at the performances—especially the final talent show—will be intense, with friends and family members cheering the finalists.


The judges will include Kallman and Papish, Westlake Village resident John Carta (a composer for several television shows, including "The Bachelor"), Michael Lang, another city resident and owner of Locomotive Design. Lang designed the logo for TGIF, which features a very "Hollywood Bowl" look.


The TGIF schedule: June 4 will be Jazz Night; June 18 will be Outdoor Movie Night, featuring Tom Hanks in "Big," to be shown on a inflatable movie screen; July 9 will feature the second "Shakespeare at the Civic Center;" July 30’s event will be a performance by the band Platinum Groove; Aug. 13 will be A Night of Magic; and Aug. 27 will feature "Westlake’s Own" Talent Show.


For more information, please call Kerry Kallman at (818) 706-1613.



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