The Gallo Center for the Arts has released the names of the finalists for “Valley’s Got Talent,” the performing arts center’s live stage variation on such popular television talent shows as “American Idol.” A panel of judges representing the Modesto arts community selected 26 acts, comprised of 84 performers, to appear on stage at the Center in September.

Co-presented by The Modesto Bee, and sponsored by Children’s Hospital Central California, the talent show will feature performers ranging in age from teens to seniors. The acts include vocalists, dancers, musicians and specialty acts performing as soloists, duets, groups or ensembles. The names of all the acts and performers can be found on the Center’s website, www.galloarts.org.

More than 150 entries were received for “Valley’s Got Talent” after it was announced in March, far surpassing the Center’s expectations. “We would have been delighted with half of that number,” said Lynn Dickerson, chief executive officer. “It’s wonderful that the community has embraced the event, and people are going to be amazed at the talent of the performers.”

“Valley’s Got Talent” will be presented in the Mary Stuart Rogers Theater at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, September 3 – 4. Winners will be announced following the Saturday performance. Tickets for the two shows are on sale now, priced from $8 to $19, and may be purchased at the Center’s ticket office, 1000 I Street in downtown Modesto, by calling (209) 338-2100, or online at www.galloarts.org.

Prizes to be given for the top performances are the $1,000 Children’s Hospital Central California Grand Prize, the $750 2nd Place Award, and the $750 Audience Choice Award. In addition to the cash award, the Grand Prize winner will be featured at a Gallo Center event during the 2010/2011 Season.

Among the judges for the finals are Modesto native Robert Ulrich, the casting director of Fox Television’s hit series “Glee,” among numerous other Hollywood credits, and his wife, actress Kim Johnston Ulrich, a Ripon native who starred on the soap operas “As the World Turns” and “Passions” and has appeared in many other series and films.



The Gallo Center’s 2009-10 Premier Partners are Doctors Medical Center, Doubletree Hotel Modesto, Foster Farms and KVIE Public Television.

VOCAL SOLOISTS

CITY

Ron Fitzgerald

Modesto

Jessica Lynn Griffin

Stockton

Dale Horn

Hilmar

Top of Form

Jordan LitzBottom of Form

Stockton

Veronica Lustre

Merced

Jenna MillsBottom of Form

Ceres

Kristi Nelson

Modesto

Lindsay Pearce

Modesto

Rosie Vaughn

Ripon

VOCAL DUETS



J & J

Oakdale

Valadis

Modesto

VOCAL GROUPS



Jian Salcedo

Modesto

Better Left Said

Escalon

VOCAL ENSEMBLES



Fog Valley Drifters

Modesto

French Cassettes

Ripon

New Hope Church Band

Modesto / Turlock

DANCE SOLO



Chelsea Hill

Stockton

DANCE DUET



California Ballroom Co.

Modesto

DANCE ENSEMBLE



Ballet Folklorico de Frank Zapata

Stockton

Strut Studio of Dance

Modesto

INSTRUMENTAL SOLO



Madeline Claire Olson

Ripon

INSTRUMENTAL DUET



Marimba Duo

Modesto

SPECIALTY SOLO



Michael Carlson

Modesto

Chris "Yo-Yo" Ng

Oakdale

James Knight-The Mental Wonder

Modesto

SPECIALITY DUET



Heather Wolfe & Juan Martinez

Modesto