BY RANDI CLARKE
The popular television show, X Factor, is making its way around the world, even landing at Conestoga College.
There’s one major difference though, Simon Cowell isn’t judging the performances.
The talent competition is being held by Conestoga Students Inc. and is in its third year. Students signed up at the CSI office and auditioned from March 3-14. So far, CSI judges have had some singers, guitar players and even a student who performed monologues.
The X Factor competition is a little bit different from CSI’s earlier open talent competitions because it included tryouts.
“We did tryouts because it adds a little more challenge to the contest instead of an open talent,” said Samantha Schwier, CSI’s programming co-ordinator and one of the X Factor judges. “Some students just enjoy getting up to sing or perform in other ways and we encourage that at our open talent events.”
There haven’t been any wacky performances this year.
“All of the talents so far have been very good,” Schwier said. “It takes a lot of courage to get up and perform in front of an audience so I wouldn’t call any of the talents ‘wacky’ but everyone’s performance is unique in their own way.”
One performer, Bryan Cresswell, a first-year pre-service firefighter student, performed two monologues for his audition. His first one was from the movie Good Will Hunting, while his second monologue was a speech from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
“I chose to do the monologues because I can’t sing,” Cresswell said. “I enjoy the acting part of it and I thought it could be entertaining too. I chose these two monologues because Good Will Hunting is one of my favourite movies and I think Robin Williams really captures what it is to live life and the different experiences we can have. I chose the 2010 Olympic one because I like Canada and I think it represents us.”
Despite the fact that he chose two great pieces to read, Cresswell was still nervous about his audition.
“I don’t think anyone can’t not be nervous but it’s just about how you handle the nervousness.”
The X Factor finals will take place in the Sanctuary on March 18. The grand prize winner will receive $100, while second place will get $75 and third place $50.
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