The performers weren’t the only ones with their skills on display during taping of the latest installment of Canada’s Got Talent last fall. Nearly two dozen Niagara College staff and students in the Hairstyling and Esthetician programs were backstage at OLG stage at Fallsview Casino doing hair and makeup touch-ups as the contestants prepared to audition.
“Our main objective was to cater to the contestants,” said Hairstyling instructor Joe Abbruscato. “We had to make sure they looked good before hitting the stage to perform. We were responsible for hair and makeup touch-ups along with double checking their attire. It was a full head-to-toe look.”
Filming for the third season started in October in Niagara Falls. The semifinals were filmed in December and the season finale will air live from the venue on May 14.
About 20 staff and students were chosen to participate; students were selected based on grades, attendance, a positive attitude and a willingness to volunteer.
“Hard work and discipline always get rewarded,” Abbruscato said.
For third-term student Rylee Murphy-Scott, being a part of the show “was one of the best experiences I could have asked for.”
Over the course of 10 hours in total, Murphy-Scott said she worked with a number of contestants, including singer Rebecca Strong, dance act Luka and Jenal Yn, and Mississauga chef Wallace Wong who set a new Guinness World Record by cutting as many carrots as he could in 30 seconds while blindfolded.
A highlight, she said, was meeting Toronto native and comedian Howie Mandel, one of the show’s four judges.
For Regin Nadela, who also worked closely with Golden Buzzer winner Strong, “the best part was getting to talk to everyone backstage.
“Chatting with the performers and crew members and hearing their stories made me super happy,” Nadela said. “Seeing the contestants’ faces light up when they did well in their auditions was the best part of the whole experience.”
The atmosphere was what Hairstyling Level 2 student Sierra Arsenault loved most about working on the show.
“I loved seeing what was put into make the show perfect, the real nerves of the contestants and feeling their energy,” she said.” And I had the opportunity to see Howie, so that was definitely cool.”
This is the second year NC’s Hairstyling students have had a chance to work with Canada’s Got Talent. Thanks to a connection with broadcasting program coordinator Dutch Vandenberg – whose students have been involved with the popular television show since the first season – Abbruscato’s first time bringing students to the show was for Season 2.
This time, he said, we wanted to involve more people, so he reached out to Esthetician professor Susan Paone. Two students and one faculty from that program worked behind the scenes, too.
“Hair and makeup go hand-in-hand, and what a great way to collaborate between our two programs and show off what we do at Niagara College,” he said. “This year’s prize money is huge–it’s the million-dollar season. The show should draw great acts and viewers; it’s national/worldwide promotion for the college.”
Paone agreed and said being a part of the production also served as an experiential learning opportunity for students before even starting their careers.
“(It) allowed students to gain worthy insights into the world of production, but also the fast-paced beauty industry,” she said.
Students will be back to work behind the scenes at the live season finale on May 14.
Canada’s Got Talent airs weekly on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on CityTV.
