By Caitlin Hofen, Feature Editorial
Rangers Got Talent will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Herod Hall Auditorium. Sponsored by Northwestern’s Student Government Association, the talent show is open to all students, faculty and staff. Olivia Yandel, who sponsors the SGA, encourages people to step outside their comfort zone and try it out.
“We’ve never had a faculty or staff member enter, so we’d love to have somebody perform,” Yandel said. “Everybody competes together, so there aren’t individual categories where types of acts are grouped together.”
There are 15 slots for which participants can sign up. There will be cash prizes for first place, second place and people’s choice. Judges will determine who wins overall, and the audience will vote for people’s choice.
Judges will evaluate participants on many criteria, including overall talent, creativity, confidence, entertainment value and more.
Yandel sent the entry form to all Northwestern students on Feb. 6 through their university email. Entry forms are due by Monday at 5 p.m. Any necessary music or supplemental elements should also be listed at this time or the forms will not be processed. All acts must attend a mandatory rehearsal on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The Student Government Association established Rangers Got Talent in 2019 and originally hosted the event in the ballroom.
“After our first time using the ballroom to perform in, we realized we wanted to expand to a larger stage,” Yandel said. “We obviously took 2020 off with the event being indoors. In 2021, we moved it to Herod Hall. It’s so helpful that the theater department helps us put this on with lights and sound, so it feels like an actual production.”
Rangers Got Talent was established to fill a need SGA thought was necessary.
“We’ve asked students in the past what type of events they want to see, and so many people said ‘a talent show,’” Yandel said. “There are so many talented students on our campus, and people don’t realize that. We started it to encourage students who typically don’t come to our SGA events to come and showcase their abilities.”
Yandel encourages people who don’t have a talent to come watch the event and support the participants.
“If you aren’t necessarily someone who wants to be on-stage, still come watch the show,” Yandel said. “It is very entertaining. There will be people you had no idea could sing or play an instrument — people you see on campus every day and would never know. I love watching some kids come out of their shells and put themselves out there. All the performers do a lot better if they have a big crowd and people supporting them.
“When we had the event in 2021, there were so many audience members who were positive and cheered for everyone. I think that helps so much to build the morale around campus. My favorite part is seeing everyone cheer for each other. You see different types of people from our campus come to compete and encourage each other.”