OUT 163-CLEO KINGs OPEN MIC CONTEST@LEGACY BOOKS and CAFE SEPT 28

PHOTOS BY MA'ATOLOGY

Actress Cleo King arrives to the event,

King welcomes everyone to her event that was a special charity event where parts of the proceeds would go to the Michael Brown family (who she is related to by the way). She explained that she does this talent contest in Los Angeles every Thursday and decided to bring it to her hometown and is expecting to start bringing it to St. Louis more often. She was giving out cash prizes one FIRST PLACE winner $100,  four  SECOND PLACE winners $50 and four THIRD PLACE winners $25. 

King opened the show singing the blues standard "Your Feets Too Big."

King brought up host comedian Michael Colyar.

Colyar thanked King for inviting him to St. Louis to host and he did a few jokes regarding
black people and police and a few "blue" jokes before bringing up the signed up acts who
had three minutes to perform or get played off by music. (The da-da-da...da-da-da- DAH music)

First up was Chris Ware who performed poetry.

Next up was Wendy Gordon who sang a bluesy number.

Next was Larry Thurston who sang a gospel song.

Next up was Justin McCain who performed a poem

King acknowledged Michael Brown's uncle, Pastor Charles Ewing, who was in the audience.

Next up was Elaine Donahue who sang a jazz standard.

Next was Katie Wood who also sang a jazz standard.

Next was Danette Brown who performed a poem.

Next was Rich Stark who performed "Georgia On My Mind."

Next was Truth who performed a poem about the new slavery and police brutality.

Next was Clay King who gave a motivational speech.

During one of the breaks she told the audience that a donation jar would  be at her table for those who want to donate extra money. She also said she adopted a boy who is now six-years old. She then  joked, "I pray that I dont kill him."

King dedicated Stevie Wonder's "Isnt She Lovely" (changing "she" to "he") to her son.

The 12th contestant was Harolyn Rogers who sang, Whitney Houstons "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" a cappella. 

2014 RFT Award Winner Joe Mancuso  who performed "Fly Me to the Moon."

Colyar asked Mancuso for an encore to do a two step.

Donahue joined him in an impromptu two step.

Next up was Fofeet who performed a spoken word piece.

The last performer was Chuck Flowers who sang The Temptations' My Girl.

A shot of King enjoying Flowers perform.

King and the judges deliberated to decide the winners.

Before the winners were announced, King sang The Jeffersons Theme Song.

"We're movin on up!"

Colyar joined King and the judges for a quick pic.

THE FOUR $25 WINNERS WERE:

KATIE WOOD

RICH STARK

ELAINE DONAHUE

AND

WENDY  GORDON


 

THE FOUR $50 DOLLAR WINNERS WERE

JOE MANCUSO

Mancuso donated his winnings to the charity.

HAROLYN ROGERS

TRUTH

AND

CHUCK FLOWERS

AND THE FIRST PLACE WINNER WHO WON $100 WAS.............................

CHRIS WARE

King posed with Ware.

Colyar joined Ware and King

BELOW THE CROWD MINGLING

A GROUP PICTURE OF THE CROWD

King speaks with an attendee.

Atmosphere

Colyar talks with Ware.

King talked with poet Fofeet.

Colyar and King in goodbye mode.

Patrons take a pic with Colyar before his departure.

NOTE: This intimate event was quite entertaining with Cleo King's feisty personality and Michael Colyar's animated style. The acts were diverse in ethnicity and talent.  This was a good St Louis debut.