Smart Gives Free I Phone To The 16 Finalists In TV5's 'Artista Academy'

‘ARTISTA ACADEMY’ officially starts tonight at 9PM showing their auditions held at the Araneta Coliseum. Program manager Jana Manalaysay says it’s the biggest single audition ever held in one venue. Among those who took the audition and made it to the top 75 are Alvin Abrenica (brother of Aljur), Kenneth Anderson (brother of Gerald), Keno Cipriano (brother of Kean), Angelo Patrimonio (son of Alvin) and the brother of Polo Ravales.

The very first applicant registered at 12:01 AM. She’s Alaiza Arteche, a professional “contesera” who already won P1 million in ‘Wiltime Bigtime’. There are several balikbayans who auditioned: Jonathan Orlando, 19, from Canada (this guy is so telegenic); Alberto de los Reyes Bruno, 16, from Italy; and Mark Phillip Neumann, 16, from England.

You will see this week the 12,000 applicants reduced to 300, then to 75. By Saturday, August 4, they will present the 16 finalists hosted by Cesar Montano: 8 boys and 8 girls. By Monday, August 6, they’ll start attending their classes at Artista Academy regularly, hosted by Marvin Agustin, from 9 to 9:30 PM. They will make their first gala presentation on Saturday, August 11, with Lorna Tolentino, Gelli de Belen and Direk Mac Alejandre as live exam critics. The first live elimination will be held on August 13.

“We’ll try to make the show interactive,” says Jana. “Smart will provide all the 16 finalists with their own I phones and we’ll open Twitter and Facebook account for each of them. Their fans can then communicate with them directly at sila mismo ang magre-reply.”