Squonk Opera performs on NBC's 'America's Got Talent'
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Squonk performers Kevin Kornicki, Autumn Ayers, David Wallace, Jackie Dempsey and Steve O'Hearn.
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Squonk Opera, Pittsburgh's quirky performance arts troupe that fuses musical poetry with an aesthetically overwhelming stage display, will step into the national spotlight Tuesday night on NBC's "America's Got Talent."
The globally renowned troupe, one of the 48 acts to make the cut into the quarterfinals, will perform an original piece in Los Angeles during Tuesday's live broadcast, which begins at 9 p.m.
Squonk Opera artistic director Steve O'Hearn said the troupe will have 90 seconds to impress the judges and audience with the kind of complete performance it's used to doing in 90 minutes.
"It requires that we be pretty creative," he said. "It's just such a radically different format, so we had to do some rebuilding and rearranging. It will be interesting to see how it seems on TV."
Squonk Opera was one of 10 acts that advanced to the quarterfinals without having to perform in the Las Vegas round due to an impressive initial audition. NBC producers invited the music group to audition for the show in Minneapolis several months ago. The performance made a lasting impression on judges Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel, who put the musicians through to the next round, but it left the third judge, Piers Morgan, scratching his head in confusion.
"What does it mean?" Mr. Morgan asked after the audition.
"Does art have to mean anything?" Squonk Opera founder Jackie Dempsey replied. The exchange set off an interesting debate and dialogue between the judges and the band, Mr. O'Hearn said.
The Pittsburgh musicians are infamous for their intricate and involved technical stage displays that complement, and in some cases may detract from, their progressive ensemble. Squonk Opera technicians typically spend a full day prepping for performances, but they will have only 60 to 100 seconds to set up for Tuesday night's performance in the NBC studios.
First Published July 11, 2011 12:00 am
