Beatboxer, Tap Dancers, Band Take Top Honors at Patchogue Pizzazz

What do a local beatboxer, a senior women's tap dancing group and an alternative rock/pop band have in common?

They all won the held at the on Saturday.

, The Red Hot Mamas and The Jeff Puleo Band were the top three out of 24 contestants, and each took home $500 in the first edition of this talent show.

The show was produced by Susan Berner of Soo Bee productions, who has previously produced six "Star Shine" talent shows for Patchogue-Medford students. Berner said that the theatre board asked her to produce an adult-version of the show.

"The Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts opened as a vaudeville hall in 1923," Berner said. "What better way to showcase local talent than presenting a community, vaudeville-like show in a fully restored theare owned and operated by the community itself."

Berner said that more than 500 tickets were sold for the show.

Berner said that 40 hopefuls auditioned in November for the show, and herself and two other judges selected the top 24 who competed on Saturday. The contestants were made up of solo singers, solo dancers and groups from throughout Suffolk County.

The three judges for Saturday's competition were Ray Knoel (audio/visual coordinator of the Patchogue-Medford School District), Joe Crescimanno (dancer with Arrhythmia Dance Company) and Leah Laurenti (local singer who auditioned for American Idol and made it to the Hollywood rounds in 2009 and 2010). Orlando Pena of Ovations Dance Academy hosted.

A second competition is already planned for Jan. 12, 2013, with auditions starting next fall.

Browse the photos for highlights from the competition, as well as the program and contestant bios in the PDF section. Have photos from the competition? Add them to the article.

Check out Newsday's writeup and video from the show for more highlights.