Local singers, dancers, comedians and magicians will take the stage at The Dead Flamingo in Little Havana on Sunday, Nov. 8, competing not for themselves but for cash prizes benefiting the nonprofits they care about most. Get It, Miami! A Talent Show Benefit runs from 2 to 5 p.m. at the SW 8th Street venue, with performers donating their unpaid professional talents toward a good cause.
The event was initiated and is led by Adriana Oliva, a community and small business leader who serves as owner and chief creative officer of AO Insight Group, according to aoinsight.com. Oliva said the event celebrates community talent while supporting Miami nonprofits, and as reported by Miami's Community Newspapers, the concept draws inspiration from 1980s and 1990s charity benefit broadcasts that featured celebrity performers competing on behalf of causes.
Per aoinsight.com, the benefit is designed to unite the community through entertainment, civic engagement and local philanthropy. Participants showcase non-paid professional talents ranging from singing and dancing to comedy, magic and acting, each performing on behalf of a cause important to them, Miami's Community Newspapers reports.
Cash Prizes on the Line for Local Nonprofits
According to the Community Newspapers report, the top nonprofit prize is $2,500, with second place earning $1,500 and third place taking home $1,250. A separate $750 audience choice prize goes to whichever performer the crowd picks as its favorite, the outlet notes.
Ticket sales go entirely toward those cash prizes, per the event information cited by Miami's Community Newspapers. Audience tickets cost $40 and include a complimentary drink, and attendees are invited to watch and cheer performers while generating awareness and prize funds for the nonprofits involved. Community members, supporters and local music and arts fans are being encouraged to buy tickets and bring friends, while nonprofits are being urged to rally their own supporters, staff, board members and volunteers to cheer them on.
Nonprofits and Partners Behind the Show
Organizations represented at the benefit include the Lucy Project, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Foundation, American Music Initiative, Girl Scouts of Tropical South Florida and Men in Pink, according to the Community Newspapers account. The Miami Foundation is also partnering with Get It, Miami! and is providing a $3,500 matching gift ahead of Give Miami Day to support four nonprofits during the giving season, the outlet reports.
Rebecca Fishman Lipsey said neighbors support causes in their own unique ways and that performers will perform for nonprofits they love, per the same Community Newspapers report. Event partners listed include The Dead Flamingo, RSA Consulting, ABI, Fang Music, PhilanthropyMiami, The AO Insight Group, There Is An Us For That, TD Bank and Strive 305. The event's committee includes Adriana Oliva, Alan Alvarez, Amy Bloom, Anna DiLernia, Brandon Mitchell, Da-Venya Armstrong, Ely Delcorto, Dr. Fang Shu, Jerry Menendez, Monica Howard, Olivia Bustillo and Olivia Catasus.
A Little Havana Venue Built for Live Entertainment
The Dead Flamingo, located at 1728 SW 8th St. in Little Havana, is no stranger to live performance. The bar and event space regularly hosts weekly karaoke nights, trivia nights, stand-up comedy and other live entertainment, according to thedeadflamingo.com, making it a fitting backdrop for a day of competitive performances staged in the name of charity.
Talent submissions for the show were listed as open through Thursday, Oct. 15, per aoinsight.com. With the submission window now closed, the Nov. 8 afternoon show is set to bring together performers from across the community, each hoping their act can translate into real dollars for the nonprofit cause they chose to represent.
