Idol hopefuls put talent on display

ROGERS — Blythe McCauley plans to spend the next five days doing vocal exercises and singing her favorite songs to decide which ones best display the sweet, soulful tones in her voice.

McCauley, a student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, will leave for Denver on Tuesday, bound for a guaranteed audience before American Idol producers at one of a series of large auditions throughout the country for the reality television singing competition.

"I'm so excited," said Mc-Cauley, 23. "I'm shaking so badly right now."

She was selected Wednesday from a group of 112 hopefuls at Arkansas Idol, a local audition hosted by KFTA-TV, Northwest Arkansas' Fox network affiliate, at Rogers Little Theater.

Wearing a red dress and mouthing sassy sarcasm to the judges, McCauley quieted the room with jazzy renditions of Judy Garland's "Smile" and Billie Holiday's "Summertime."

"You can put Megan Joy to shame," said meteorologist Dan Skoff, referring to one of last season's contestants, as he judged the singer.

The journey from a small community theater in the South to the bright lights and big stages of Hollywood seems shorter for Arkansans since Kris Allen, a 23-year-old worship leader from Conway, got the most viewer votes and a record contract at the conclusion of the most recent season in May, contestants said.

"I thought 'Hey, I can sing better than him. Why not try?'" Bentonville resident Jesse Arivett, 22, said. "If you don't try, you'll never know."

Arivett made it to the final 12 of Wednesday's auditions, wowing judges with his bold delivery of Edwin McCain's "I'll Be," but he fell short of winning the coveted free trip.

Arivett, who grew up singing in a traveling gospel group with his siblings, drove to American Idol auditions in Arlington, Texas, last year and in an arena with thousands of hopefuls vied for a chance to sing in front of celebrity judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi. He was quickly eliminated in the first round.

The auditions attract tens of thousands of would-be singing stars, many of whom are weeded out through several rounds of quick group auditions before the show's junior-level employees before meeting with producers

and, finally, the judges. Several successful past contestants had failed national auditions before making it on camera.

Local auditions are an option for Fox affiliates around the country, said Brook Thomas, news director for KFTA.

The station invited viewers to send in tapes two years ago, but it decided to host live auditions this year in the wake of the Allen victory, he said.

The show gives ordinary people a chance to dream, 28-year-old Justin Stewart said.

Stewart spends his days working with children with behavioral disorders at Vista Health, but he dreams of taking the stage with the sounds of Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Billy Joel.

Allen's victory made the dream seem a little more attainable, he said.

"It gives you that humble sense that anyone can do this," Stewart said. "Why not me?"