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<p>KINGSTON &#8212; Dianna Brown had never performed in a competitive singing competition, only in small coffee shops.</p><p>But that all changed Saturday.</p><p>Brown made a 45-minute trek from her home in Daleville, Lackawanna County, along with 39 other artists from Northeastern Pennsylvania to audition for the second annual NEPA Sings competition.</p><p>The contest is sponsored by CASA of Luzerne County (Court Appointed Special Advocates), and the auditions were held at the Kirby Center for the Creative Arts at Wyoming Seminary.</p><p>Contestants were hoping to earn studio time, some big-time exposure, and the opportunity to help a great cause Saturday morning.</p><p>&#8220;I grew up a dancer,&#8221; said Brown, 19. &#8220;There are a lot more nerves singing in a competitive atmosphere but it&#8217;s exhilarating.</p><p>&#8220;The judges wanted to not only hear your voice but they asked questions about my personality,&#8221; she added.</p><p>Brown considers her vocal style to be of the pop and R&amp;B genre but has an affinity for classic rock as well. She decided to perform Kelly Clarkson&#8217;s hit &#8220;Already Gone,&#8221; but with her own twist.</p><p>In total, 40 NEPA Sings hopefuls sang their hearts out in front of five judges who determined if they would move on. The musicians were able to sing 30 seconds or more of any song, a cappella.</p><p>Auditions lasted a few minutes for each participant, as judges evaluated their personality along with musical style.</p><p>&#8220;This isn&#8217;t just about singing,&#8221; said former WBRE personality and NEPA Sings host Dave Kuharchik. &#8220;We are raising money to help the neglected children of Luzerne County.&#8221;</p><p>Kuharchik noted participants had to be 16 or older by the April 11 show.</p><p>Cody Wiley was not deterred from showcasing his vocals despite commuting for over an hour from Schuylkill County.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll do anything for music,&#8221; said Wiley, 29, of Cressona.</p><p>This hasn&#8217;t been the first musical competition Wiley has auditioned for.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve tried out for &#8216;American Idol&#8217; four times,&#8221; the country singer said. &#8220;Over the summer, I made it past the first round.&#8221;</p><p>Wiley said Saturday&#8217;s venue was a much better environment to sing in. He performed a rendition of Brett Young&#8217;s &#8220;Mercy.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;The first-place winner of the competition will receive three hours of studio time, a tape and the opportunity to sing the national anthem at a Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins game,&#8221; said John Aciukewicz, executive director of CASA. &#8220;The second-place winner will receive a $500 gift card to the Guitar Center.&#8221;</p><p>He said the event is a way to &#8220;showcase the talent in and around the surrounding communities&#8221; while helping CASA&#8217;s cause.</p><p>The nonprofit group helps abused and neglected foster children.</p><p><strong>&#8216;More exposure&#8217;</strong></p><p>CASA is always looking for new volunteers to serve as advocates, and it is holding a training session March 27 for those interested.</p><p>Informational sessions on CASA and volunteering as an advocate are set for Feb. 19, March 5 and 12 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the agency&#8217;s headquarters in Plains Township. You can reserve a seat for a session by calling 570-855-2247.</p><p>&#8220;We actually had a new advocate join us last year because of the first NEPA Sings event,&#8221; Aciukewicz added. &#8220;This event is great because it gives us more exposure for people who might not know about us.&#8221;</p><p>On Tuesday, CASA will announce the 12 finalists who emerged from Saturday&#8217;s auditions.</p><p>The NEPA Sings show is set for Thursday, April 11, at the Kirby Center for the Creative Arts at Wyoming Seminary.</p><p>A cocktail hour will start at 5 p.m. with the singing portion of the evening beginning at 6. Tickets are $25.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Megan Mushal, of Dallas, waits patiently for her turn to audition at a NEPA Sings event Saturday morning. Twelve finalists for the April show will be announced Tuesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-1-1-.jpg</photo0><caption0>Megan Mushal, of Dallas, waits patiently for her turn to audition at a NEPA Sings event Saturday morning. Twelve finalists for the April show will be announced Tuesday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-2-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Bryttani Dawson, a caretaker and mom from Dallas, talks with judges Lorenzo Medico and Leighann Burke before singing a 30-second portion of &#8220;Stand Up for Love&#8221; by Destiny&#8217;s Child during Saturday&#8217;s auditions for NEPA Sings. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-2-1-.jpg</photo1><caption1>Bryttani Dawson, a caretaker and mom from Dallas, talks with judges Lorenzo Medico and Leighann Burke before singing a 30-second portion of &#8220;Stand Up for Love&#8221; by Destiny&#8217;s Child during Saturday&#8217;s auditions for NEPA Sings. </caption1><photoCredit1>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-4-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Aspiring singer and model Joel Murray, of Scranton, practices some vocal exercises before his audition for NEPA Sings on Saturday morning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-4-1-.jpg</photo2><caption2>Aspiring singer and model Joel Murray, of Scranton, practices some vocal exercises before his audition for NEPA Sings on Saturday morning. </caption2><photoCredit2>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-6-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Judges Leighann Burke, current singer of the 1980s band M80, and Lorenzo Medico write some notes about those they saw audition at a NEPA Sings event Saturday morning. Twelve finalists will be selected to perform at the NEPA Sings show in April. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-6-1-.jpg</photo3><caption3>Judges Leighann Burke, current singer of the 1980s band M80, and Lorenzo Medico write some notes about those they saw audition at a NEPA Sings event Saturday morning. Twelve finalists will be selected to perform at the NEPA Sings show in April. </caption3><photoCredit3>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-7-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mercedes Johnson, a King&#8217;s College student, sings Etta James&#8217; &#8216;All I Could Do Was Cry&#8217; at Saturday&#8217;s auditions for the NEPA Sings competition. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-7-1-.jpg</photo4><caption4>Mercedes Johnson, a King&#8217;s College student, sings Etta James&#8217; &#8216;All I Could Do Was Cry&#8217; at Saturday&#8217;s auditions for the NEPA Sings competition. </caption4><photoCredit4>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-3-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mackenzie Keiderling, 17, of Berwick, sings &#8216;Run to You&#8217; by Lea Michele for her NEPA Sings audition Saturday at the Kirby Center for the Creative Arts at Wyoming Seminary. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_ttl021019nepasings-3-1-.jpg</photo5><caption5>Mackenzie Keiderling, 17, of Berwick, sings &#8216;Run to You&#8217; by Lea Michele for her NEPA Sings audition Saturday at the Kirby Center for the Creative Arts at Wyoming Seminary. </caption5><photoCredit5>Amanda Hrycyna | For Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Dan Stokes</p><p>dstokes@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Dan Stokes at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @ByDanStokes</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Taking their shot at glory: Dozens audition for NEPA Sings