When the lights go down inside McGregor Hall Saturday afternoon, all the hard work of the musicians and other performers will be put to the test – it’s showtime.
Connie Ragland Productions and Reclaiming Our Youth presents “Showtime at McGregor Hall,” a talent show modeled after Showtime at the Apollo in New York’s Harlem Theater. The curtain rises at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14 on what Connie Ragland bills as a showcase of creativity, communication and celebration. 
Tickets are on sale at etix.com and at the McGregor Hall box office – get them early, because the price goes up on the day of the show. Youth tickets are $15 and adult tickets are $20.
As Jayden Watkins puts it in a video he produced to promote the show, the audience will experience an “unforgettable night of talent and inspiration.”
Ragland said 10 acts will take the stage during the show. Auditions were held a month or so ago, at which time the performers were selected to compete. Four youth and six adults are included in the competition. Each act will have five minutes to perform and the audience will vote on each category with applause. A cash prize will be awarded to the winning youth and adult performer.
“There are many, many talents that are being displayed,” Ragland said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.
A DJ will keep the audience engaged between acts during the 2-hour show, making them “feel good and get them in the right spirit for Christmas,” Ragland said.
The show is for the whole community, she said, adding that she strives to represent all ages, cultures and backgrounds. “It’s for everyone,” she said. She would like to dispel the misconception that the show is just for one race or one generation.
“Entertainment is entertainment,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who’s providing the entertainment. We’re talking about building a better community, we’re trying to make Henderson better…we need to just start coming together and not being so separate with everything.”
To learn more, contact Ragland at 252.590.0303. or email her at connierag@gmail.com.
Purchase tickets at the McGregor Hall website, www.mcgregorhall.org, and click on Buy Tickets on the right side of the page.
CLICK PLAY!