The Brookline Recreation Center Talent Show has been a yearly event since the early 1970s. Originally their was a live concert, featuring a local rock 'n roll band, and when Michelle Underwood joined the Recreation Staff in the early 1980s she organized the talent show to go along with the concert.

The Recreation Center staff would help the kids with their routines, which mainly featured dance numbers, but sometimes would venture into the realm of magic, acrobatics, or whatever else the kids could think of. They really were entertaining, whatever they performed.

The Talent Show drew quite a crowd to the Center grounds and was usually held in the first week of August, coinciding with the week of the Brookline Breeze, making use of the stage setup.

Below are some photos from the Talent Show on August 3, 2000. Perfect summer weather was a backdrop for many excellent performances, and a crowd of nearly 200 witnessed many fine performances, highlighted by Maeve Montgomery doing the Irish Dance Step and Christy Apitsch with her rendition of Janice Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee."

Participating in this years show (in order of appearance): Robert Underwood, Cody Manko, Ashley Pesi, Adam Pesi, Shane McCarthy, Daniel Simpson, Michelle Underwood, Shannon McCarthy, Chrissy Abud, Anthony Vachino, Amanda Apitsch, Maeve Montgomery, Sarah Burrell, Laura Alioto, Katie Lopez, Melissa Macklen, Ashley Haggerty, Meghan McShane, Meghan Rivers, Stacie Masullo, Annie Perry, Christie Tondolo, Krystal Collavo, Rich Whitehead, Chris Whitehead, Vince Tomasino, Phil Luce, John Bravo, Katie Bravo, Gemma Evans, Zeina Mansour, Amissa Coury, Christy Apitsch, Gabriella Vachino, Brittany Sicilia and Sydney Walsh.

<Click here for photos from the 1999 Talent Show>

Click on the images for larger photos.

* Photos provided by Clint Burton *