The three judges settled in their seats, the crowd eagerly awaited the start of the competition, and the contestants were mentally preparing themselves, some nervously pacing back and forth, others calmly chatting with friends and family. DJ Bob Casey stepped to the mic, flashed his mile-wide smile, and welcomed everyone to the first annual Thunder Idol competition, presented by Historic Downtown Millersburg, an American Idol-style event that promised shiny trophies, cash prizes and a spot on the main stage during Thunder Over Holmes County's Saturday evening festivities. Seven brave participants registered for the singing competition which took place on Friday, July 1 under a tent on the courthouse lawn. Hundreds of spectators gathered to watch the vocalists, ranging in age from 8 to 35, belt out their favorite songs, some performing in front of a crowd for the first time ever. The three judges, Kristen Rodhe, music teacher at West Holmes Schools, Jo Weaver, owner of Java Jo Coffee Bar, and Brent Young, owner of Young Music, sat, pencils poised, a trio of trophies lined up in front of them. Eleven-year-old Luisa Elampooranar was first to the stage, boldly belting out an a cappella version of Jesus Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood. Elampooranar, who had never before performed in front of an audience, soldiered through the song and received strong support from the audience. The judges, still warming to their roles, gave brief comments, offering helpful suggestions and words of encouragement to the brave young singer. Next up, Rebekah Gerber, 27, casually strolled onto the stage and wowed the crowd with her rendition of LeAnn Rimes' "Blue", first recorded in the 1960's by Patsy Cline. Gerber's comfortable style, strong voice and great stage presence prompted plenty of positive remarks from the judges. Rebekah Ciszewski, 14, entered the competition at her mom's prompting. "She thought it would be a good experience for me, good practice for singing at other events." Ciszewski, originally from Deerborne, MI and now living in Holmes County, performed "If I Die Young" by sibling country music group The Band Perry. Jo Weaver commented on Ciszewski's fashion sense, a sweet white dress and pearl necklace which Weaver noticed was true to The Band Perry style. Both Rodhe and Young complimented Ciszewski's voice, offering a few constructive comments and words of encouragement. Though she'd never sung in front of a crowd, Janet Miller, 24, impressed the judges, performing Bellfontaine, Ohio native Bethany Dillon's "All I Need." Miller said she's a fan of Christian contemporary music and loves singing for fun at home. While the judges said she struggled a bit with the high notes, they agreed she had good stage presence. Jen Crilow, 35, overcame technical difficulties with persistence and good humor. Twice, deejay Bob Casey played the radio version of her selection, Jesus Take the Wheel, with Carrie Underwood singing, instead of the accompaniment version. When Crilow realized the mistake, she laughed, "I wondered why I sounded so good!" When Underwood's voice came through the speakers yet again, Crilow took hold of her iPod and joked with Casey, "I'm gonna start it this time, and don't you touch it!" But without Underwood's backup, Crilow still sounded great, eliciting compliments from the judges. Decked out in a glittery blue dress and sparkling pink necklace, Noraa Hazlett, 8, the youngest competitor, couldn't stop grinning as she chatted with Casey. Hazlett, who had decided to enter Thunder Idol just hours before, performed one of her favorite songs, Amazing Grace, a cappella. Judges complimented her vocal strength,consistent pitch, and bravery in singing in front of an audience, who rewarded her with enthusiastic applause. The final competitor, 14-year-old Serena Foster, listed Lady Gaga among her favorite performers. Foster sang along with the original track, Casualty of Love by British pop star Jessie J. When her voice could be heard above the pop star's, it was strong and confident, but judges had a hard time distinguishing Foster's vocal stylings from that of J's, making it difficult to give much comment. The judges chose four singers to advance to the final round--Rebekah Gerber, Rebekah Ciszewski, Jen Crilow, and Noraa Hazlett. Crilow and Ciszewski presented encore performances of their first-round songs while young Hazlett delighted the audience with her version of the Monkees' I'm a Believer. Gerber stunned the crowd with a perfect performance of I Will Be Free by Cindy Morgan. It was clear from the judges' misty-eyed expressions who would take first place, and, sure enough, Rebekah Gerber was awarded a trophy, a Bluetooth headset, a cash prize, and a place on the stage for Saturday night's event. Second place was given to Jen Crilow, and third place to Rebekah Ciszewski. Gerber, who began singing at her home church, Northside Baptist in Millersburg, twelve years ago, said she hadn't had any expectations about the event and was thrilled to have won. She anticipated using her cash prize to take her husband to dinner, crediting him as being her greatest encouragement. Overall, the first Thunder Idol was an exciting and successful event which is sure to gain momentum in the coming years.
