The Student Government Association and the Office of Student Life will host the auditions for this year’s talent show from 5 – 9 p.m. March 24, to March 26, at the Union East building.

All students interested in auditioning must be UTEP students. For group performances, each member must be enrolled at UTEP in order to participate. The number of participants for group performances are limited to 10 members. Multiple auditions will not be allowed for each member.

Participants must have a grade point average or 2.25 or above to be eligibile to audition.

Hector Soltero,  executive assistant of SGA and senior organizational corporate communication major, said SGA organized the first talent show two years ago.

“It is our way to reach out to the Fox Fine Arts, because we feel like sometimes they are left out of the university’s activities and forced to reach out outside of the university,” Soltero said. “We want students to express their talents.”

The three best performances will receive cash prizes of $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place. The three winners will also be asked to perform at campus events.

Soltero said student performances would be judged based on four categories–creativity, stage presence, entertainment value and performance execution.

The names of the judges of both the auditions and the actual competition will not be announced until the day of the events. Four judges will participate in the audition process while four other judges will be chosen the day of the talent show.

All auditions have a limit of seven minutes. Any talent is accepted for auditions, but the use of drugs, alcohol or any promotion of illegal activity is prohibited. Nudity, obscenity or vulgarity will be considered disrespectful and will result in immediate disqualification of the performance. Safety hazards will not be allowed on stage such as smoke, fire or knives.

Justin Morrison, freshman civil engineering major, said he wishes to see many bands perform at the talent show.

“I also would like to see something completely different that blows my mind,” Morrison said. “I would be incredibly pleased with that, I expect to be surprised.”

Andrea Villela, freshman mechanical engineering major, said she might consider participating in this talent show along with her peers.

“I am thinking about dancing for the show and I have heard of many bands that want in,” Villela said. “The university really lacks artistic events and I am excited about this particular one. This is a very interesting event and something that I would really like to be a part of.”

Soltero said SGA plans to make the talent show a yearly event.

“It all depends on each administration,” Soltero said. “That is why we hope to have a big turnout and many entries for auditions.”

All students are encouraged to participate and to fill out an official entry form, which can be found at the SGA office or at the Office of Student Life, Union West, room 102, and the Student Engagement and Leadership Center, Union West, room 106

The talent show will be held on April 11 at Magoffin Auditorium. The audience at the show will be asked to vote for the top three performances, and will account for 25 percent of the participants’ overall score.

For more information on the talent show and the auditions, visit the SGA office at Union East, room 304, or call 915-747-5584.

Jesus Lopez may be reached at [email protected].