BATV's Project Publish Auditions at St. Charles Library

Major networks continue to feed America’s craving for reality television - chefs, weight loss, survival, models, singers, dancers, fashion designers, artists... we have them all.

But what about writers and actors?

This is the question posed by local writer and St. Charles resident, Richard Graves in a humorous poem titled, “Open Mic Mania,” which he has read at local open mic events. In the poem he dreams up a reality competition…

… So here’s my solution; yes, hand out cigars, We’ll do our own version of “Dancing with Stars”

We’ll bring in performers with Hollywood looks and randomly pair them with those who write books.

Each week for one pairing the door will slam shut. We critique then we vote; two hopefuls get cut.

For those who remain we announce the next task. A sonnet or sci-fi, who knows what we’ll ask …

Enter Batavia resident and BATV (community television station) intern and Project Publish producer, Kimberly Kozar who heard the poem while covering the Art in Your Eye festival in Batavia this past summer and immediately saw the potential for a TV show. She says, “I’m always amazed at the talent here in the Fox Valley. When I heard Richard’s a poem I knew there was a nugget of gold here – an opportunity to let that kind of talent be seen by a wider audience.” Published author Don Bingle came on the scene to join in the creative adventure and the rest, as they say, is history. “Project Publish is unique. It gives local talent a chance to showcase their gifts and who knows where it might go from there,” Kozar says with a twinkle in her eye.

The show is not only grown out of our own backyard, all the elements are from the neighborhood too. From the theme song and sound elements produced by Patrick Moynihan of Waveform in Batavia, to the rendering of the logo by local resident, Karl Lescelius.  This project is community driven to the max.

In less than one week, anxious participants will flock to Batavia Public Library (Sunday, January 13th) and St. Charles Public Library (Sunday, January 20th) for auditions where they will display their writing or acting talent and compete for the 14 participant slots available for “Project Publish”, a 7-week episode that will be broadcast live from local BATV studios on Sunday afternoons, February 10th thru March 24th (starting the week after Super Bowl Sunday). There will be two resident judges and one guest judge (a different person each week from the local community).

BATV studio is a state-of-the-art facility, located adjacent to Batavia High School. Station Manager, Holly Deitchman says, “This is creating a lot of excitement.” Deitchman added, “This is the kind of community involvement we are all about. We film many local sports competitions and other area events. We incorporate the use of local volunteers as well as high school students involved with the Broadcasting curriculum here at the high school. It gives them valuable, real world experience.”

To register for auditions, as a writer, performer or crewmember, go to BATV.US and click on the Project Publish link. Viewers, we need your votes! Don’t miss the first episode, airing live on Feb 10th to find out how YOU can be the judge!