Michael Davis, an 18-year-old Chula Vista senior at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts is in the spotlight of talent as one of 100 Southern California’s most talented students selected as semifinalists in The Music Center’s 34th annual Spotlight Program. TMC’s Spotlight program is a free national acclaimed performing arts competition, scholarship and artistic development for teens providing teens with expert advice, coaching, auditions and mastery classes taught by professional artists and arts administrators. This year, more than 1,300 teens representing more than 256 schools, 181 cities, and eight counties auditioned for the program in seven categories. Davis earned his place as a semifinalist in the acting category.
Beginning his acting studies in seventh grade, Davis said it quickly became his passion, but was disrupted by the pandemic.
“I was basically getting into it and then it all was gone,” he said.
Davis said he is happy that things are relaxing, and he can get back into his love of acting and musical theater. He said while he has been applying for colleges, he learned about Spotlight while working with a college prep group for musical theater, the Trifecta Broadway Coaches, and was told that he should look into the program, especially while applying for colleges.
“For the first part of auditions I had to send in one contemporary monologue,” he said. “I sent in a dramatic one from Avery’s monologue from “The Flick.” I received feedback, and they asked me to send in two more videos. Another take of Avery’s monologue, taking in their notes of my performance, and then another contemporary monologue.”
Davis said the next step is live auditions in Los Angeles on March 22.
Spotlight semifinalists can attend a special mastery class in their discipline with highly regarded artists, who share their expertise on performance technique, training and professional life. Experts provide students with highly valuable feedback on their performances, offering them a rich learning experience. Each semifinalist will audition again before a new panel of judges, who will then select the top two finalist performers in each category for a total of 14 Grand Prize Finalists. Judges will also name an Honorable Mention in each category. The Grand Prize Finalists will perform in The Music Center’s Spotlight Grand Finale Performance on June 15, at 7:30 p.m., at The Music Center’s Ahmanson Theatre.
Davis said at the end of the day, he believes that everyone is an artist in some way.
“For those that choose to embrace that and pursue that, all you are doing is trying to help people,” he said.
