"Everybody remembers their first kiss, Mary Shea said as she took the stage at the South Bronx's Pregones / Puerto Rican Traveling Theater. "I remember my first girdle," she said. The audience roared. Shea was performing last Wednesday at the Bronx's borough regionals for the annual Talent Is Timeless competition - a kind of "America's Got Talent" for city seniors."
"Shea's competition at the Bronx regionals was fierce but friendly, with a diverse array of acts: a rendition of "Moonlight Sonata," an interpretive dance to Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back to Me," ensemble dance performances to Motown mixes, a comic, and a rendition of Patsy Cline's "Crazy." Shea was the only comic, and played to the elder-audience demographic, with jokes about Ed Sullivan and the Twist."
"And while Shea was among the crowd's favorites, the top prize at the Bronx competition went to Barbara Grey, of the Riverdale Y OAC. "Crazy," Grey crooned - bringing Patsy Cline's signature song new life in 2025. The audience went wild, clapping and singing along. "Sing it, Barb!" one woman shouted. "It's so nice when you feel the enthusiasm from the audience, and I could hear people yelling out," Grey said after the event ended, as audience and participants alike poured out onto Walton Avenue."
A citywide seniors' talent showcase progresses from community Older Adult Centers to borough regionals and culminates in a grand finale at Washington Heights' United Palace Theater on Oct. 16. Jackie Hoffman will emcee the finale. Mary Shea represented the Riverdale OAC as a comic, opening with jokes that resonated with an older audience. The Bronx regional lineup featured instrumental, dance, ensemble, and vocal acts, including a rendition of Patsy Cline's "Crazy." Barbara Grey of the Riverdale Y OAC won the Bronx top prize with an energetic performance that prompted enthusiastic audience participation and praise.
Read at Gothamist
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