CAPE MAY TALENT SHOW MONDAY AUG. 7 AT CONVENTION HALL

"Hotel and Guest Night” is a Cape May tradition that dates back to the 1940s. In the ‘40s and ‘50s, hotel staff and guests came together to entertain each other in an annual talent show. Three Cape May arts organizations are now in their sixth year of joining together to revive this community event, which last year was “standing room only.” Professional performers join with serious amateurs and the blatantly amateur to celebrate our creative community and raise funds for a good cause. And it’s not too late for you, dear reader, to become one of the performers!

This year’s Hotel and Guest Night is Monday, August 7, at 8:15 p.m., at Convention Hall on Beach Drive at Stockton Place. Admission is free, and all performers volunteer their time. A goodwill offering will benefit the Franklin Street School Rehabilitation Project. John Alvarez, of Cape May Stage, will again emcee the evening.

The evening will include a taste of Cape May Stage’s “The Big Bang,” excerpts from the Starlight Steppers’ “Golden Age of Vaudeville,” Cape May Idol winner Zachary van Mourik, local celebrity Shirley Stiles, a song by Kelsey Moore, and songs by The Merry MACs, Victorian ladies a capella.

There is room on the bill for another act or three, so call Center for Community Arts at 884-7525 to claim your slot now! Past performances have included song, dance, instrumental music, storytelling, poetry reading, theater and comedy. Performances should be under five minutes each.

The event is co-sponsored by Cape May Stage, the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and the Center for Community Arts, all of which receive support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and many generous foundations, businesses, and individuals.