La Porte Report: Becoming the Hoosier Star of Stars

The 10th anniversary of Hoosier Star brought together six previous adult winners from its past ten years on Saturday, September 12, 2015. The past winners faced off one by one to show off the talent that named them the Hoosier Star in the first place. Only now, they wanted the title of "Hoosier Star of Stars".

The evening began with adult winners going up to the stage, beginning the ensemble with previous youth winners and contestants. They began the night with a boom, with a song that would soon carry in the audience's hearts, along the story of the singers.

Branden Williams began the solo line up with the song “Feeling Good.” His soulful voice boomed, and grabbed the audience’s attention right away.

“It feels good to be back,” Williams said, “I feel back at home.”

He got the night started off on the perfect note, and made the audience feel good about what was to come next.

Next to take the stage was the fabulous Taylor Carter who brought the audience on to the musical “Les Miserables” with the song, “I Dreamed a Dream.” While being away from the Hoosier Star stage, Carter has been helping bridge the gap of education in Atlanta, Georgia. She has also been working on her first album so she can get her impressive voice into the homes of America.

Jeremiah Souza walked onto the stage and took the audience by storm. His passion for singing, and how he reflected the past struggles he has been through moved the crowd and the judges with his song “This is the Moment.”

“I’ve watched you grow and have seen you go through my struggles,” Warren Moulton said, one of the six judges from the night, “And to see you again on this stage; it really makes me proud. I’m so proud of you.”

“I want to heal this place,” Nanda Danitscheck said, “I believe in La Porte.”

Danitscheck controlled the stage during her performance. Singing Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” Danitscheck grabbed a hold of the audience’s heart and threw them on top of mountains. Her voice boomed and echoed throughout the Civic, creating a whole new atmosphere of power and inspiration.

Brian Phillips, a police officer of La Porte, became the Phantom of the Civic that night. Philips walked among the audience members sitting on the floor. He glided around with the iconic Phantom of the Opera Mask, hat, and black cloak. He sang “Music of the Night” from the famous opera.

“When I fell into your voice, it transported me right into the drama.” Judge Bonnie Quigley said.

Out of all the contestants, no one had the perfect taste of life’s luxuries like Betsy Archer. She sang “Glitter and be Gay.” She pranced about the stage with pearls and lavish jewelry. Her operatic voice grabbed the audience's breathe and would not let it go.

“Holy smokes and garters!” Mayor Blair Milo began, “When you started throwing those pearls around, I thought they were going to start throwing you around!”

The night then trickled into an intermission where the audience cast their votes. Their anxious minds flooded the room, in hopes of picking the right Hoosier Star as the winner.

The night then continued into a Beatles medley from the previous youth and current adult contestants. After the energetic entertainment, the votes were ready to be revealed, and the Hoosier Star of Stars to be crowned.

Second place was Jeremiah Souza, who wowed the crowd with his emotionally personal song. The Hoosier Star of Stars became Nanda Danitshcheck, who turned the Civic into a powerhouse of energy and inspiration. Her becoming the Hoosier Star of Stars made her break down in tears, her hard work and inspiring background to the song pushed her high enough to reach the mountains where she placed the audience’s hearts.