DANVILLE — The city of Danville hosted its annual “Danville’s Got Talent” show at the Fischer Theater Friday night, showcasing a variety of talents and genres. Fifteen local performers competed in youth and adult divisions for cash prizes..
Vivian Smith won first place in the youth division for her rendition of “Dead Mom” from the Broadway adaptation of Beetlejuice. The 9-year-old said she had been dealing with a sore throat in the week leading up to her performance, but her vocals were strong and bright, ultimately winning her the $1,000 cash prize.
Smith, who lives in Westville, has been participating in theater in Danville for three years. She has performed in several plays and takes vocal lessons from her coach Tyler Thompson.
“[Performing] feels great because like, you can do so many things,” Smith said. “You can be whatever you want.”
Her mother, Taffy Smith, said Danville’s musical theater community has provided a space for children like her own to be themselves.
“She found her people, she found her tribe, and they love her, and I love all of them back,” she said. “So it’s been amazing.”
First place in the adult division went to local songwriter and rapper William Phillips, who goes by the stage name of WIZO. He performed his original song “Murderer of Your Own Kind,” an indictment of violence within Black communities, alongside several other performers, including three actors and a backup singer.
The performance began with pained wails from one of the actors, as she cradled a young man lying on the ground, followed by haunting backup vocals over a hip-hop instrumental beat. The stage was set to resemble the event WIZO said inspired the song: a 2012 drive-by shooting in Chicago he heard about on the news.
Though he originally wrote it in 2012, he said a November shooting in Danville that left two dead is what pushed him to perform it for the show.
“I knew it was time for people to hear it,” WIZO said.
The performance left a lasting impression on the judges and audience, as well as Mayor Rickey Williams Jr., who was one of the event’s emcees.
“No matter the time of day or night when someone is hurt in Danville, I get the phone call,” Williams said. “It’s one of the hardest parts of my job, and it’s so senseless most of the time.”
Despite the serious message of WIZO’s song, the mood of the night was one of excitement and togetherness as each performer took the stage. The theater was packed with friends and family of each performer, many of whom have been participating in productions together for years.
Among the other winners: Ava Bell, a freshman at Danville High School, who took second place overall and received the people’s choice award for her lyrical dance performance, and Ashlee Hunt, 25, who placed third and sang “Remedy” by Adele.
The talent show is a part of Danville’s “First Fridays” program, which holds family-oriented community events each month.
Danville’s long tradition of performing arts has produced celebrities including Dick Van Dyke and Gene Hackman, whose recent death made national headlines. The city’s support for music and theater remains a priority among community members and public officials.
Williams said he loves holding the event every year because of how it brings together the community and its diverse talents and interests.
“You saw country, you saw hip hop and rap, you saw ballet dancing, I mean, a little bit of everything,” he said. “It’s the best of Danville in every way.”