Auditions will be Saturday, July 24, at Ashley Furniture Homestore, 655 N. First St.

Preregistration is mandatory and will take place July 23 beginning at 1 p.m. at the store. The audition the next day will be limited to the first 120 qualified “Idol” hopefuls. The auditions will be open to the public, and the community is invited to watch.

Simon, Ellen and Randy won’t be in town for the event, so Kevin Stanfield, co-anchor of KREX news broadcasts, and four other judges yet to be announced will critique performances.

Contestants hoping to try their luck and test their singing voice must be between the ages of 15 and 28, be a legal U.S. citizen and provide photo identification.

Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

If you plan to audition, remember you have “a short time to make a big impression,” said former Broadway actor James Werner, co-founder and artistic director of High Desert Opera.

“Be unique. Have a definite unique look and do songs your own way,” he said. “Don’t sing Garth Brooks like Garth Brooks.  Put a stamp on it to make it your own.”

When choosing your song, don’t pick a modern hit, Werner added.

“Don’t do current music. A lot of people will do that,” he said. “Choose a pop song. It doesn’t have to be modern. It can be something like The Beatles.”

The local “Idol” winner will be announced live during KREX’s 10 p.m. broadcast July 24 and will be awarded round-trip airfare for two to Austin, Texas, where he or she will be guaranteed an audition in front of an “American Idol” producer.

For a complete list of rules and up-to-date contest information, visit AmericanIdol.com or KREXTV.com.

Craze Agency