Whitmer, Clay artists head to Hollywood

3/25/2008

Two local women will head to Hollywood this summer to compete in the World Championships of Performing Arts.

Hayley Simmons, a senior at Whitmer High School, will join Mellisa Richards, a junior at Clay High School, at the 12th annual competition that is billed as a sort of Olympics for aspiring performers and entertainers. It takes place from July 19-27 and will include participants from 62 countries.

Simmons, 18, of West Toledo, will compete in several categories of acting, singing, and modeling. Richards, 17, of Curtice, qualified to take part in acting and modeling categories.

Both auditioned in Cleveland and will be part of an American contingent numbering between 150 and 200, according to Sandy Whitmore, education director for Cleveland of Nova Model and Talent, the training organization for the championships that also does scouting.

She said there are more than 75,000 applicants for the worldwide competition.