Ohio Has Talent! competition on Niswonger stage, Van Wert, March 5

The ninth annual Ohio Has Talent! competition returns to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Van Wert on Saturday, March 5, at 7 p.m.

The benefit show raises funds for Community Health Professionals Hospice patient care fund. This year’s show features 18 local and regional performers competing for $1,000, $500 and $250 prizes determined by audience votes.
Ohio Has Talent! 2016 contestants:

• Awakened Commotion – is a pop a cappella singing group from Hardin Northern High School in Dola, Ohio. Last year, they placed third at Ohio Has Talent! and first at the Ohio FFA Convention Talent Show. The group was chosen to compete in the talent competition at the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Ky this year.
• Gabe Bailey – an eighth grade student from Berne, Ind., plays drums, piano, and guitar and performs in coffee shops, summer festivals and other venues.
• Courtney Bettinger and Bobby Klosterman – duet singers from Coldwater High School. Bettinger is part of the soccer and swim teams. Klosterman is active in National Honor Society, drama, band, show choir, symphonic choir, cross country, and track.
• Morgan Bland - a junior at Hicksville High School. She has played violin for nearly 10 years and is first violinist in the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Symphony. She has participated in the Northwest Regional Orchestra and performed with The Piano Guys.
• Bella Chorvas – singer from Ohio City and student at Crestview High School.
• May and Yan Coppler – a mother/daughter opera duet from Fostoria. May began singing at church and charity events at age seven and has won several talent titles. Yan Coppler she sings regularly at her church and at community events.
• Claudia Cromly – singer from Swanton, freshman at Evergreen High School. Her dream is to be a professional singer, either on Broadway or with a recording deal. She has been in 15 musical shows and sings at local festivals, talent shows, games and events.
• Jeff Davis – singer from Lima has been singing since childhood, beginning in church and school and continuing at area events today. He has performed with Tommy Vale of Bill Haley's Comets, Rose Angelica, and has opened shows locally for Elvis Presley, Jr.
• Drawing Blanks - a band consisting of Hannah Sunderman and Alex Sunderman of Johnstown and Evan Reed of Pataskala. The band performs covers and original songs and recently started working with a producer on a record deal.
• Lauren Dunlap – singer from Lima began taking voice lessons at age 12 and has been in several recitals and placed second in a local talent show. She sings at children's hospitals and parties and at local events.
• Emily Jackson - student at Celina High School; enjoys singing, everything from country to Christmas carols
• Julia Lyall - from Powell, is a senior at Olentangy Liberty High School. She has been dancing competitively for six years and plans to be a universal dance major in college.
• Mallet Ensemble – nine-member percussion group from Delphos St. Johns High School consists of Ethan Benavidez, Hannah Benavidez, Ally Gerberick, Kristina Koester, Anna Mueller, Adam Schneer, Aaron Schnipke, Cassandra Schnipke, and Makenzie Stose.
• Kasey Middaugh - a sophomore at Bellefontaine High School where he plays soccer and participates in show choir and musicals. He enjoys singing and plans to study music in college.
• Craig and Michelle Muhlenkamp – swing dance duo from Russia, Oh. Craig has performed and placed at past Ohio Has Talent! shows with his juggling act.
• Autumn Pelok – sixth-grader at Wauseon Middle School. She has participated in musicals through the Archbold Community Theatre, is a member of the Junior Choral Society and sings in her church choir.
• The Quintramonics – a barbershop quintet comprised of five boys from Versailles High School - Quincy Baltes, Isaac Buschur, Brody Hyre, Mitchell Rawlins, and Kyle Wuebker
• Sarah Vanbrocklin – eighth grader from Botkins has been participating in musicals since first grade and has been in 12 productions, with the lead in two of them.

Contestant photos and bios are posted at Facebook.com/ComHealthPro on the Ohio Has Talent! event page.

Tickets are available through Community Health Professionals (419) 238-9223 or the NPAC ticket office, 419-238-6722 and online at www.npacvw.org.