Somewhere, there’s a Susan Boyle, singing in a church choir.

Somewhere, there is the next Kris Allen, singing karaoke at the Windrift Lounge.

Somewhere, there’s a chainsaw juggler, a high-wire artist, a comedian who produces belly laughs that bring tears.

Somewhere, there’s talent, waiting to be discovered.

Denny Charnecki and Scott Anderson know it. They can feel it.

“They just crowned another American Idol-winner, and there’s the Susan Boyle story,” Charnecki said. “I know there’s talent out there, and we want to see it on stage.”

“Austin has such a rich music tradition through the local schools and college, and those are the kind of performers who we want to see entertain at the Austin’s Got Talent show,” Anderson said.

Since announcing plans for the October competition, Charnecki said he has received several inquiries about performing. “A couple of bands have contacted me and other performers, too,” he said. “They want to enter the competition and perform. By announcing this year, we are giving them time to practice and perfect their acts.”

Patterned after the popular TV shows, American Idol and America’s Got talent, the Charnecki-Anderson production will feature the final competition Oct. 24 at the Paramount Theatre.

Auditions will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 14 and 20, also at the Paramount Theatre.

“We will have local judges; maybe, city and county officials or other celebrities,” Charnecki said. “They will be amateurs just like the performers. Ordinary people, who enjoy having a good time and watching local talent perform.”

The only other similar contest is the annual Mower County Fair amateur talent contest in August.

Charnecki and Anderson hope their Austin‘s Got Talent show can become an annual attraction.

“Look at how Susan Boyle came out of nowhere. She was an ordinary woman with an extraordinary voice,” Charnecki said. “Who’s to say there aren’t performers like that around here?”

Although called “Austin’s Got Talent,” the show’s producers hope to attract performers from the “greater Austin area,” including Albert Lea, Alden, Myrtle and all other towns around Austin.

“Austin has so much talent of its own. I’ve seen them perform here at the Paramount,” Anderson said.

There will be no fee to enter the competition.

And in this case, the word “talent” means just that: Any special skill that will entertain an audience.

“It can be jugglers, comedians, anybody who has a special talent they want to share with an audience,” he said.

“Tap-dancing,” Anderson said.

“Sword-juggling,” interjected Charnecki.

The grand prize is just that: Grand.

A three-day, two-night vacation anywhere in the United States.

Apold Music will present a runner-up with a musical instrument, but the focus is on the top finisher.

In addition, the grand prize-winner will receive a video/recording of their winning act.

Hall of Fame performance

Finally, the grand prize-winner will also perform in conjunction with the Midwest Rock N’ Roll Music Hall of Fame.

“It’s a new Hall of Fame, and it’s already the second-biggest in the United States,” Charnecki said.

The site and date are yet to be determined.

“The winner of Austin’s Got Talent could become the next Bob Dylan, The Beatles or Susan Boyle,” Charnecki said, gathering excitement at the thought of discovering a major act in Austin.

“Honest,” he said.

Charnecki is, of course, the leader of the DC Drifters band and was inducted into the Minnesota Rock N’ Roll Music Hall of Fame for his chart-topping single “I Know.”

Anderson plays bass in everybody’s favorite jazz-fusion-blues band, Plan B.

“They could be the next superstar. It all starts here,” said Charnecki of the possibilities — however remote — that could follow winning the first-ever Austin’s Got Talent contest.

KOWZ 100.0 and KRUE 92 radio stations, as well as Apold Music have agreed to co-sponsor the competition.

“We appreciate their support,” Charnecki said.

The promoters want to create an American Idol or America’s Got Talent atmosphere from the audience, when the auditions and final performances are judges.

“That’s exactly what we want to happen,” Anderson said.

“We want them to go wild. We want family, relatives and friends to be there to cheer on their favorite individual performers,” Charnecki said.

Oct. 24 is a long time in the future.

“What we would like everyone to do is circle Sept. 14 and 20 on the calendars and come to the audiences,” Charnecki said. “Otherwise, I would advise them to practice, practice, practice.”

“The auditions will be the key,” Anderson said.

The cut-off figure for the finalists has yet to be determined.

“It will depend on a lot of things,” Anderson said. “We want to finish the competition with a two-hour show at the most, but it will depend on the acts and how long each of their performances runs.”

In the meantime, Anderson (434-0934) and Charnecki (437-6968) are waiting to hear from you.