A Local Flair at the A Cappella Slam

The annual Stephen C. Marcham A Cappella Slam is coming to the Vernon Senior Center Performance Hall on Saturday. 

The show, presented by the Rockville Downtown Association and Rockville Bank,  is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. It draws singers and listeners from all over north central Connecticut. 

Tickets are $20 and proceeds go toward all RDA programs. 

Four groups, who sent in audition discs and which were chosen by a panel, will compete for a $500 first prize. Each group will perform for 20 minutes and then the audience will vote on the winner. 

The runners-up will receive $100.

The program will open with  Dennis Nevin presenting his rendition of "Over the Rainbow,'' and the competition will commence after that. 

The first group to take the stage will be Key of She from Eastern Connecticut State University. Next up will be the ConnChords from Connecticut College. 

Harmonious Soul from Tolland will open the second part of the competition, followed by A Minor from the University of Connecticut, last year's winner.

A 20-minute intermission - at which refreshments will be served - is scheduled for audience voting. The winner will then take the stage for an encore performance. 

The A Cappella Slam is dedicated to the memory of former Mayor and Town Council and school board member Stephen Marcham. In 2005, Marcham had a vision for downtown Rockville that included special events to encourage the return of the performing arts to Rockville. He passed away in 2005, but the foundation for the A Cappella Slam was firmly in place.