There are those Big Events or Random Accidents in life where, if you're there or you see it on television, you'll likely never forget it. Usually, it's something or someone globally iconic. The Inauguration of Barack Obama. The Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Being at a Super Bowl. Witnessing the space shuttle Challenger disaster in real time.

Here's an intriguing local example: Over the course of 10 performances in 11 years, the New London Talent Show, held in the Garde Arts Center, involved hundreds of participants, coaches, volunteers, crew and backstage personnel — and thousands of show-night parents, relatives, friends and community members from all possible demographics across southeastern Connecticut.

None of them will ever forget it.

On Saturday, the latest — and final — production of the New London Talent Show takes place at the Garde. It's a bittersweet moment underscored by the passing last week of Junior Jones, the 39-year-old longtime band leader and music director for the talent shows. In typical fashion, several folks have stepped up to help out, some traveling long distances. It's emblematic of what the show means and how it works. 

Back at the start

The event was founded after the 2010 murder of Matthew Chew, a white man, by five Black and one Latino teenagers. The reactive unrest was rife with blanket racial indictments of an entire New London demographic that threatened to rupture the community, with the well-being of our young people caught in the middle. Politicians, social workers, service groups and all manners of organizations blustered and threw forth suggestions — some well-intentioned, some self-serving — but nothing happened.

Then, a small group of visionary and concerned citizens led by New London businessman and City Councilor Curtis Goodwin, musician/youth advocate Frank Colmenares, New London police officer and now state Representative Anthony Nolan, and New London attorney Susan M. Connolly stepped forward. Fueled by the conviction that the arts capture our imaginations, provide creative outlets and a sense of belonging, and heal our wounds, they came up with the idea of the talent show — instinctively understanding it would be a superb way to accomplish a variety of immediate and longer term goals by focusing on creating opportunities for the city's youth.

The Garde Arts Center, a nonprofit theater in the heart of the city, volunteered to serve as a home base and provided the venue, equipment and staff to work with the newly formed and ongoing talent show personnel. It was the sort of theretofore unlikely alliance that symbolized possibilities — and it worked.

In 2021, a documentary chronicling the show's history, "Those People" (named after a pejorative, racist phrase used in the aftermath of the Chew murder to indict an entire group of people as complicit in the crime based on ethnicty), premiered. The film was made and released by The Day in partnership with the talent show. It was written and directed by Peter Huoppi, the newspaper's director of multimedia, and co-produced by Huoppi and Goodwin. 

When the final bow is taken Saturday, the legacy of the New London Talent show will be ongoing. Alumni have gone onto high profile careers in both the arts and entertainment fields as well as a variety of jobs across the professional spectrum. For those behind the scenes who worked on any or all of the shows, the lessons learned and moments of triumph and appreciation are truly indelible.

In anticipation and appreciation of the farewell New London Talent Show, it seemed best to honor the event's legacy by speaking with a representative sampling of those who are and were there.

On whether the Talent Show fulfilled the original vision:

Nolan: "I think it opened the door for our community to move forward from what was a tragedy. People from different areas met at the talent show and some have ended up with pro careers and jobs in the arts and it's gratifying to see.

"Also, there have been relationships built. For example, some people who were friends with the young man who got murdered have come together with friends of the young men responsible. Not all, but in some cases, and these bridges were built through the community because of the talent show."

Joseph Salcedo (New London; longtime participant as dancer, singer and rapper; studying communications with a music minor; helping with final show in coaching capacity): "Curtis, Frank and Anthony have done a wonderful job. I've made so many friends from towns like Norwich, Groton and Mystic and we were all together and, despite our differences, we took advantage of the opportunity to share with each other and the community. Matthew Chew will always be in mind, and we've learned to move beyond our comfort zones and engage together in the different demographics our shows attracted."

Steve Sigel (executive director, Garde Arts Center): "It's bigger than I think any of us even hoped. The Garde said yes to young leaders in the community who we didn't know, and who had no professional experience. But because of the tragedy, we welcomed the leadership Curtis exemplified. It's not just the show itself but how the young people have grown and displayed a commitment to the community where they grew up and that has not flagged since the beginning."

Michael Passero (New London mayor): "I think back on the Matthew Chew incident and I was a freshman city councilor then. I remember a lot of handwringing and soul searching in the community — and some grandstanding quite frankly that was political. There were a lot of meetings and solutions and words ...

All these yearsdown the road? I can't think of anything else that would have survived or that would have been as successful a response. If you were there back in the day, would you have thought this group of young kids and leaders would have had the practical and useful way to address this? Ours was a community projecting the wrong image and we'd let down our kids and damaged our psyche — and under the core group of Frank, Curtis, Anthony and Susan and a lot of talented young people, this is what stood the test of time."

Brian Johnson (Montville; longtime participant as singer and drummer; owns the Hit Room Recording Studio in New London): "I definitely knew about the issues when I originally auditioned, but I learned to appreciate how it's an event that's brought people closer together over the years."

Huoppi: "To gauge the overall impact is hard. I don't think anyone involved back at the beginning and along the way would make the claim that, 'We fixed New London!' I think they were originally trying to do something positive and, in talking with many of them for the documentary, the idea was to be a model for other people and other cities for how you can do good and try to create positive change. That's what all these smaller individual stories add up to."

Goodwin: "It's incredibly difficult to accept what we've accomplished. It's been more than we ever thought possible back in year one or two of doing this. I've learned to teach our staff, volunteers and youth we can literally accomplish anything we set our minds to — and I use our alums and 11 years of productions as proof."

On how being in the talent show helped in a personal context:

Caroline Tanner (participant 2014-2017; current volunteer; graduate of University of Connecticut with major in psychology and communications; aiming for career in sports or entertainment management): "I thought of the show as a home away from home. Throughout my high school years, I looked forward to the (show) practices and seeing all those people who'd become friends I'd never have met otherwise. And performing onstage for the first time was amazing. I learned it helps being scared a little bit because you ultimately conquer your nerves."

Aaliyah Stanton (Groton; sang in shows 5 and 7; junior at Sweetbriar College studying pre-law): "I learned it's a very stressful process to come out of your shell, but it's invigorating. I also realized I'm more of a background person, so I started to help out behind the scenes and learn how that worked. It was amazing to learn how much effort goes on to make these shows happen."

Diego Davila (Miami; attended Mitchell College in New London; solo and show guitarist 2017-2020; professional performer, session player and teacher): "Throughout my life, I had people tell me I'd never amount to anything and that  my guitar skills were never good ... The talent show gave me the opportunity to portray what I had to offer in music ... Curtis took me in like I was family and I felt like I could make something of myself."

Nosamé (New London by way of New Bedford; sang in 2019 and 2020 as Mason Imperial; CEO of Lynesire Productions, a marketing company developing brands for creators; sang "National Anthem" this week for Pride Day at Fenway Park before Red Sox game): "Being in the show was an igniting moment for me. I'd forgotten what it was like to be onstage!"

Casey Flax (Mystic; performer 2015-18; senior at UMass Amherst majoring in sports management and marketing with minor in psychology): "The talent show absolutely paved my way to performing and got me excited about it. It gave me the confidence to start on my own, and I just loved being part of those show experiences with so many different talented people. I'm not going to play music professionally; I think that might ruin some of the magic I felt being part of those talent shows."

r.koster@theday.com

If you go

What: Final New London Talent Show

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London

How much: $15 adults, $12 youth

For more informations: www.gardearts.org, (860) 444-7373