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THE KONG SHOW 2004
sold out!!!
Smryna Breeze - March 16, 2004
BY SANDI CARROLL
Editor

hope you are one of the lucky ones who caught one of the performances of the Little Theatre's 5th Annual Talent &Variety Show or the Kong Show as it was called. Kong being a hairy gorilla (Mike Shea), who came out of his cage to strike the gong (actually a brightly painted trash can) with his toilet plunger if he didn't particularly like an act - but the talent was so good that "konging" was done just for fun on some purposefully "bad" acts.

The contestants in each show performed in competition for three trophies and cash awards of $100, $50 and $25.
Contestants on Saturday evening's sellout show were Leigh Crumbley, Ryann Springer, Michael Paulauski, Alaia L.itowitz, Natalie Emerson, Karen McDonald, Katie Harper, Ariana Carlson, Steven Katona, David Jenkins, the dancing group of Susan Simpson, Kathy Evernham, Alexis Montague-Fortune, Dottie Jernigan, Diane Kelly, Pat McKee, Kathy Minner and Petra VanZandt; Bea Thomas, Marty Lehr, Len Martin and Tess Siconolfi.

Winners are Len Martin, who sang the George Jones song I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair; second place, Marty Lehr, who played New York, New York on his trumpet; and third place, Natalie Emerson, who sang You've Got a Friend In Me.

While the judges, Dr. Carol Kelley, principal of New Smyrna Beach High School; Kathy Leonard, CEO at Bert Fish Medical Center; Bill Schneider, member of the Utilities Commission; Lynne Plaskett, a New Smyrna Beach City Commissioner, made their decisions, Attila Kovacs took to the stage with his Tom Jones-like performance.The audience loved it, with members waving Attila signs and cheering as he performed I'm Coming Home and Delilah with the audience clapping and singing along.

Sunday's contestants included Kristin Chmielewski, George Bialek, Zoie Hendricks, Gaye Martin, Carla Meeks & Megan Meeks, Don Campbell and Dale Lilyfors, the quartet of Allene Teague, Priscilla Hall, Renee Leonard and Shirley Green; Peter Cropp, Annie Knadle, Pyron Alexander, Bill Perry, Fritzz Begy, Lew Zimmermann and Fred Bauknecht; Agness Briggs, Tom Hammall, Bernice Busitol, and Ilda Agostinho, Luke Bailey, Joan Carter, Ruth Stammen and Bill Cook, Hubert Van Schouten and Reina Cap de Villa and Tara Jenkins.

Winners are: first place, Bill Perry who played Tarantella on the piano; second place, Reina Cap de Villa and Dutch Schouten, ballroom dance and third place, Luke Bailey on the ukulele playing All By Myself.

Karin and David Jenkins emceed the event and Bill Cook and Bill Schneider provided piano and bass accompaniment. Greg Harris handled lights and sound and Hal Linn was stage manager. Fritzz Begy was in charge of props and Camille Dickinson supervised the microphone for the contestants. Other Little Theatre Members in attendance in the Green Room included Marge Begy and Nancy Linn (stage moms) and Estie Keyes who assisted the judges with the tabulation of scores.

The proceeds from these two fun events go to a good cause - the Little Theatre's building expansion fund.