‘America’s Got Talent’ stops in Portland for auditions

NBC show takes a look at acts in the Northwest during the weekend

Pamplin Media Group, Feb 23, 2010, Updated Feb 23, 2010

Courtesy of NBC

Film crews take shots of the large crowd that gathered in Atlanta to audition for NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” television show. Auditions are planned Sunday, Feb. 28, and Monday, March 1, in Portland.

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Do you have talent? It’s time to show it.

NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” is coming to Portland this week for open auditions. The auditions are from Sunday, Feb. 28, and Monday, March 1, at the Oregon Convention Center, 777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Registration begins at 8 a.m.

It’s the first time the NBC show has held auditions in Portland.

Producers are looking for all kinds of talent in the show’s new season. That includes musicians, dancers, dance crews, magicians, contortionists, comedians, singers, jugglers and animal acts.

Selected acts will perform and compete on stage for votes, a headline show in Las Vegas and the $1 million prize.

Last season, breakdancer Hairo Torres, who is from Grants Pass, Oregon, made it to the finals.

Season two’s winner, ventriloquist Terry Fator, from Dallas, Texas, signed a five-year, $100 million deal to headline at the Mirage in Las Vegas, where he performs five nights a week in The Terry Fator Theatre.

Singing chicken farmer Kevin Skinner, was crowned the winner of season four. Skinner, who also took home the show’s $1 million prize, headlined the “America’s Got Talent Live,” show hosted by Jerry Springer at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas this past October.

Portland is one of seven cities across the country where the show will hold auditions. Other cities include Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Contestants who want to audition in Portland are encouraged to pre-register at www.agtauditions.com. By pre-registering, contestants will be kept up to date with the current information.

This year, Howie Mandel (“Deal or No Deal”), joins the show with returning judges Sharon Osbourne and Piers Morgan.