First Yuma Star group onstage Sept. 19

This year's Yuma Star contestants have auditioned for spots in the ninth annual Yuma Star and are ready to perform.

The first night of performances will be Sept. 19 at the Historic Yuma Theatre in downtown Yuma. Tickets are available at the Yuma Sun offices, 2055 S. Arizona Ave.

In the meantime, Yumans can get to know the 34 contestants online at YumaSun.com/YumaStar, where their biographies and photos are posted.

“See who's competing and who will earn the judges' scores,” said Adrianne Wagner, Yuma Sun marketing manager.

The first group of 17 (see list below) will perform live Sept. 19. The Top 10 will advance to Round 2 online voting, where Yuma residents will chose the Top 6 to advance to the finals. Online voting for Group 1 will be open from noon Sept. 21 to noon Sept. 27.

“The public votes in Round 2 for who they want to go through to the finals,” Wagner explained.

The second group will perform Sept. 26. Online voting for Group 2 will take place from noon Sept. 28 to noon Oct. 4. The Top 6 will advance to the finals.

The 12 finalists, and perhaps a couple of wild cards, will perform at the Oct. 10 finals show. Yumans will not want to miss the finals since the audience as a whole will be the sixth judge. Their votes will count toward 40 percent of the final scores.

“You can help the judges vote,” Wagner noted.

All shows will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for all three events. They are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Yuma Sun offices, 2055 S. Arizona Ave.

The “celebrity” judges this year include Adriana Tansey, 2006 Yuma Star winner and a judge; Ruben Dominguez, vocal coach and past contestant; Jeff Harris, Monster Media; Gina Florez, lead singer of BigJowWow; and Bob Roeser, past performer with Up With People and Yuma Sun circulation director.

Contestants will want to do their best to impress the judges and the audience because the prizes are sweeter this year, with $1,000 going to first place, $500 for second and $300 for third place. The prizes will be awarded live Oct. 10.

Presale ticket prices are $4 for the two Round 1 shows and $6 for the finals. Prices at the door on the night of performances are $6 for the first round shows and $8 for the finals.

“Presale is your best bet. Come buy them now,” Wagner said.

Those who attend the lives show will get an extra treat. “Besides seeing Yuma's talent on stage, we'll have opening acts,” she noted.

Elias Wiley, 2011 Yuma Star third-place winner, will perform on Sept. 19. Tansey will open the show Sept. 26.

For more information, go to YumaSun.com/YumaStar or contact Adrianne Wagner at awagner@yumasun.com or 539-6805.

Mara Knaub can be reached at mknaub@yumasun.com or 539-6856. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSMaraKnaub or on Twitter at @YSMaraKnaub.