The brightest stars of Hilo will be showcasing their talents Saturday in the Palace Theater’s second annual variety show competition. “A Night of Island Stars” is back at the Palace with 16 acts performing for a grand prize of $1,000, which will be chosen by three mystery judges. This year’s finalists include Meili Aspen, Chloe Dellinger, Zoe Douglas, Lily Faria, Shayna Cohen, Hannah Kaplon, Josh Payne, Diego Gutierrez, Maddox and Maverick Wilder, Caden Muller, Sean O’Phelan, The Breaking Crew, Amelia Titus, Fae, Kiera Mazurik and Anika Valdez/Nahla Severance.
“We have three aerial pieces, a handful of young vocalists, instrumentalists and one break dance group that will be performing this year,” said co-director Phillips Payson. “We had about 45 people audition this year, and it’s hard to narrow it down. This is a super diverse slate of talent, with some people who have never performed here, which can be a huge step for them.
” Payson and co-directors Jenn Ing and Jennie Kaneshiro have been utilizing the time between auditions and the show to help finalists with their acts by offering feedback and mentorship to bring out the best performances. “It’s a wonderful experience being able to start from the audition process and see how they grow in the six weeks before the show,” Kaneshiro said. “We work with performers, if they want the help, and it’s humbling to see them be open to taking risks and making adjustments.
” Since they co-directed the com.