Saturday’s Got Talent concert raises money for Against Abuse

Eighteen Maricopa performers have been selected to take the stage Saturday night in the first-ever Maricopa’s Got Talent concert.

But the choice was not easy.

Around 40 people auditioned for the talent show, which will be held 7 p.m. in Maricopa High School’s Performing Arts Center. 

“It was difficult,” said Chrystal Allen-O’Jon, one of the judges, who is an artist manager. “It was really hard to narrow it down.”

Now, though, some of Maricopa’s best will be performing piano, guitar, vocals and dance for community members to enjoy. The show will feature performers of all ages.

“They had this light about them that was amazing,” said Jennifer Szoltysik, a local music teacher and another judge. “You couldn’t forget their performance.

Organizers held three auditions for Maricopa's Got Talent. One performer sang “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars. You can see part of his performance in the video below.

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And it will go to a good cause too.

Father-daughter duo Jim and Aubrey Chaston, the event organizers, created the event to support Maricopa’s Domestic Abuse Shelter and Against Abuse, an organization based in Casa Grande that helps victims of domestic violence.

“We went into this event with two purposes,” Jim Chaston said. “The first purpose was to help local charities (and) help our community. There are people who need help.”

The Against Abuse organization has wanted to open a domestic abuse shelter in Maricopa for years, said Executive Director Pat Griffen. Now, that dream is becoming a reality. Construction on the facility will begin at the end of this week or beginning of next, she said.

Griffen said she’s very excited about Maricopa’s Got Talent.

“I know it was organized by people in the community,” she said. “It’s very thoughtful and generous for them to do that.”

Chaston said the other reason he and his daughter decided to host a concert was to promote arts within the community.

“We wanted to do something where we could bring a whole big group of people (together) and showcase the arts and allow the community members to enjoy what we have here locally while supporting a local charity,” he said.

The show will be set up similar to a TV talent show, with interviews and entertainment between performances, but there are some differences. There’s no big prize – the award is being able to perform in the show.

Chaston said he’s looking forward to seeing his daughter Jaina perform (there was no conflict of interest he said, because he wasn’t a judge) and to see the talent within Maricopa.

“It’s exciting for me to see them shine,” he said of the contestants.