STAR OF ANNIE MOVIE TO HEADLINE JUDGES FOR “THE AVE PRESENTS…DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH TALENT COMPETITION” ORGANIZED BY MAIN STREET VINELAND
VINELAND, NJ—Toni Ann Gisondi Pugliese, a star in the hit 1983 film version of Annie, will headline the team of judges for “The Ave Presents…Diamond in the Rough Talent Competition, organized by Main Street Vineland, which will take place on Friday, June 8, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Landis Theater, 830 E. Landis Avenue Vineland.
Pugliese, who played the role of the orphan Molly in the film, which starred Carol Burnett and Albert Finney, will head a team of judges that also includes dance educator and performer Rebekah Jordan, area stage and musical performer and director Lea Weiner, and vocal, animations, and recording artist Tyquan Coleman.
Auditions for the show, which drew talent of all ages from Vineland and throughout the Delaware Valley region, took place over two nights, the contestants have been picked, and they are hard at work at rehearsals before “showing their stuff” at the actual show.
Tickets for the show are $10 for reserved seats and $8 for general admission and can be obtained by going to the Landis Theater website—www.landistheater.com.
“We are very gratified by the great turnout at the auditions—by people of all ages with a wide variety of talents,” said Main Street Vineland Executive Director Russell Swanson. “We have some tremendous talent out there just waiting to become future stars.”
“We are also fortunate and grateful to have such a strong lineup of judges, representing a wealth of experience and performing know-how, who will lend their knowledge to picking the winners,” he said. “Out of this we hope to see the next great future talent—that ‘diamond in the rough.'”
About the Judges
Toni Ann Gisondi Pugliese
Toni Ann Gisondi Pugliese has been performing since a very young age—at age six having played the role of Molly in the original movie of Annie, starring Carol Burnett and Albert Finney. She was nominated for the “Best Youth in Film Award.” She has won various talent awards over the years, including awards through the Miss America Organization.
She is from Egg Harbor Township, NJ, where she lives with her two daughters Molly and Melody and her husband Ted. She is a middle school literature teacher in Somers Point.
Still active in the performing arts, she continues to perform locally, including at weddings, and has enjoyed doing theatre with her daughters.
Rebekah Jordan
Virginia Beach native Rebekah Jordan has been a dance educator, performing artist, and choreographer for over a decade. Having studied, performed, and choreographed work along the East Coast—predominately Philadelphia and New York—she proves to be a strong, collaborative voice with a passion for originality through innovation. She served as Director of Dance for Salem County Vocational and Technical Schools’ preprofessional arts program for six years and now works full-time as a freelance performer, producer, and choreographer. Her artistic voice continues to find connections between her various expressions of interests including; dance, comedy, film, storytelling, and shared human experience.
Lea Weiner
Lea Weiner attended the New England Conservatory of Music and was a local winner and regional runner up for Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour. She performed on stage in Boston before moving to New Jersey, where she has performed in musicals and straight plays, with several production companies including Cumberland Players in Vineland and Off Broad Street Players (OBSP) at the Levoy Theatre in Millville. She has also directed main stage productions as well as one-acts, readers theater, and children’s plays, for and with children. She is a life member of Cumberland Players and OBSP and a Levoy Theatre board member, liaison, and volunteer.
Tyquan Coleman
Tyquan “Ty” Coleman is a recording artist, originally from Newark NJ. A vocalist and animations artist, creates singing videos on Instagram (@invisible_crown), ranging from covers to originals. Rap also figures into his performing mix. He plans to further his education in the coming year in animation and the arts.
He is currently taking classes to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.
