July 15, 2026
So You Think You’ve Got Talent? These Palatine-area entertainers proved they did indeed!
Palatine Park District hosted its first So You Think You’ve Got Talent? event on July 8 at the historic Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center.
Singers dominated the show with everything from a Japanese ballad to a country duo, plus one dancer, who shared his moves with an appreciative crowd.
“In the past we offered a Battle of the Bands competition but the number of bands was dwindling so we thought we should open it up to other kinds of performers,” Lisa Swan, Cultural Arts Coordinator for the District explained. “Given the popularity of shows like “America’s Got Talent” and “So You Think You Can Dance?” we decided to combine the titles to create a talent show.”
“The performers were so nice, and very excited to be able to perform on stage,” she added. “They had so much talent to share, and it was fun to see them shine.”
After the judges deliberated, Emilia Tatarczuch was awarded the Judges Choice. Tatarczuch sang and played the guitar to Valerie by Mike Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse. “This was the first time I’ve performed by myself, aside from a couple piano recitals I did in elementary school,” she said. “But I’ve never sung or played guitar on a stage before, so this was a really fun, new experience for me. In high school (Fremd class of 2021) I started playing guitar and posting covers on YouTube. I also played the violin from fifth through twelfth grade. That was a great experience as well because it taught me most of what I know about practicing and music theory.”
Although she was hesitant to perform due to nerves, she saw the contest advertised on a sign and decided to take a chance. “Being a singer and performing has been my dream for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I honestly don’t know what gave me the courage but something in me just knew that if I didn’t take this opportunity, I would regret it. I figured that since the audition was a video submission, the chances of choking and messing up were impossible since I could just re-record as needed. The audition part is honestly the most nerve wracking for me, so the video submission made it much easier to gather the courage and push myself to do it.”
As can happen with live shows, a microphone mishap did not shake Tatarczuch. As she was singing, her microphone slowly slid down the stand. “At first I thought I was imagining things – I figured it would stop eventually. However, when I realized that it was actually going down, there was nothing I could do so I just trusted the sound/equipment technicians. I tried my best to continue as if nothing was wrong and they came to the rescue. As always, the show must go on!”
And how did she feel when the judges called her name as the winner?
“I was beyond happy. Hearing my name called was truly one of the most incredible experiences of my life. It genuinely felt like a dream come true,” she said. “All my life I’ve wanted to perform and be recognized for my passion, and I didn’t think it could become more than a dream before that moment.”
Come fall, Tatarczuch will be returning to University of Illinois -Urbana/Champaign (UIUC) to start her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She has some words of wisdom for those considering getting on the stage. “The only regret I have is that I didn’t do it earlier so I would encourage anyone who is thinking about performing to stop thinking and just do it. Send the video, go to the audition, submit the art piece, whatever it may be, just do it. Let the love of what you do shine and share it with others and who knows, maybe you might even win!”
Chosen as People’s Choice Award winner was Peyton Chase singing Wide Open Spaces by The Chicks. Chase grew up playing sports which didn’t leave time for much else. “I’ve always sang karaoke, in school talent shows, and in church,” she said. “And I always thought it would be fun to join a band or do theater, but I mean there’s no time like the present! I’m certainly not playing anymore basketball on these knees.”
A fun fact about Chase’s performance piece, Wide Open Spaces is she performed it almost 20 years ago as a fourth grade student. “It’s a song I’ve always felt comfortable with and despite not really listening to much modern country music, The Chicks remain one of my favorite groups. I’m also just incredibly sentimental and love a full circle moment, so it felt like a no brainer to pick this one to perform almost 20 years later.”
“When they called my name for the People’s Choice winner I was just so excited. I was having a blast, but to know the audience really enjoyed it felt amazing. Music has the ability to move people so deeply, and it just felt really nice to know that my performance resonated with people. A side note, after the competition a little boy came over and asked me for a picture and said he voted for me; I wish I asked his name because he made my whole night! Those little things go such a long way and that interaction will stay with me for probably the rest of my life. Community events like these are so important and things like that that are just a small part of why.”
Chase also has advice for those considering auditioning for a talent show. “For anyone thinking about joining a contest or performing for the first time, just do it! I know it’s scary and you’ll probably feel super sick and sweaty and your legs will shake and your voice might be a little shaky too, but it won’t always be that way! The only way to get better and more comfortable is by doing it!”
Mark Dolphin, Palatine Park District’s Athletic Manager was one of the competition judges. He explained how each one of the three judges utilized four criteria in judging. “Once we completed our scoring, we spoke about each of the acts and talked through what we liked about their performance. It was a very tight race, but it was a great event, and every act did an amazing job. I commend every person who signed up and got on stage to perform.”
Fellow judge Cathi Fabjance, Palatine Park District C.A.R.E. Manager agreed it was a tough decision. “All of us who helped with this event loved it and raved about it at our department meeting the next day. We all have such respect for the community members who got up there and performed in the first (hopefully annual) event. I hope to see all of them back next year!”
Sean O’Neil, Theatre Facility Coordinator at Cutting Hall Preforming Arts Center summed up the night, “We set out to see if Palatine had talent, and we can confidently say, YES! Palatine has talent!”
