Seacoast Idol singing competition is Sunday
By Aaron Sanborn
May 14, 2013
STRATHAM- The seventh annual edition of Seacoast Idol will have a new home.
The year's musical talent will be performing in the auditorium at the Cooperative Middle School on Sunday, May 19 starting at 3pm.
Event organizer Sandy Martin said he was disappointed that the event couldn't be held at its traditional location of the Exeter Town Hall but water damage caused by a lightning strike that ignited a fire at the historical building April 9 prevented that from happening.
However, Martin said the new location could give more people a chance to see the show.
Around 400 people attended last year's show, according to Martin. The auditorium at CMS seats 600.
"I's like to seat 400 plus," Martin said. "I think 500 would be a nice goal."
Eve though the show is in Stratham, the event will still be a part of Exeter's 375th celebration.
"However, you can see Exeter from the school," Martin joked. "I'm sure all the folks can find their way to a beautiful facility with -plus padded seats to enjoy the show."
This year 29 contestants have been chosen to perform in four age groups: 13 & Under, 14 to 16, 17 & 18 and 19 to 39. There will be cash prizes for the top three in each age category and the Idol winner will be chosen from one of the four age group winners.
"We are always thrilled with the extraordinary talent the show attracts," Martin said.
The year the show will be hosted by Tess Conroy, Mrs. New Hampshire for 2013. Conroy will compete for the Mrs. America title later this year.
Entertainer Mike Koutrobis, voted "Best Comic in NH" by the Hippo Magazine 2012,2013 will assist Conroy on stage. Mike has hosted both Miss N.H. and Mrs. N.H. He can be seen in the upcoming movies, "Grown Ups 2" and "R.I.P.D.".
Many of the Idol judges have been with the show since its beginning, according to Martin.
Burt Dibble,MD, will again head the charge. He sings barbershop quartet with three other doctors called the "Ketones." Dibble hails from Rye and will be the incoming president for the Exeter Rotary Club.
Brina Rickerman, formerly of Exeter and now hails from the Bangor, Maine area, is a Boston Conservatory graduate and was a song-and-dance gal in the LA music scene.
Alicia Rossman has won multiple pageant titles in New Hampshire. She sings country western and was acclaimed a "rising star" by the Country Western Music Association in Tennessee. She hails from Brentwood and is a local yoga and nutrition guru.
Sean Kenny learned to sing at the Christian Brothers School in Oreland. He lives with his wife Barbara in Exeter but does most of his singing on the Exeter Country Club gold course.
Cindy Erikson heads up the Maynard, Mass Music department. A Bowdoin graduate she completed her graduate studies in music at Trenton State and Julliard in NYC and has performed at "Ground Zero." An accomplished brass player she currently performs with Concord Band on trumprt.
The year the event will also have an alternate, Judge Samantha Case. Case teaches voice and piano at the Leddy Center in Epping and was educated at the University of New Hampshire. When not judging she will be the "Clerk of the Court" for the Seacoast Idol.