Regional Auditions
The Auditions were held in the following cities:
| Episode Air Date | Audition City | Date | First Audition Venue | Callback Date | Callback Venue | Golden Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 16, 2007 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | September 8, 2006 | Target Center | September 12, 2006 | Minneapolis Convention Center | 17 |
| January 17, 2007 | Seattle, Washington | September 19, 2006 | KeyArena | October 2–3, 2006 | W Hotel | 14 |
| January 23, 2007 | Memphis, Tennessee | September 3, 2006 | FedEx Forum | October 5–6, 2006 | Memphis Cook Convention Center | 22 |
| January 24, 2007 | New York, New York | August 14, 2006 | Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford | August 30, 2006 | Chelsea Piers, New York | 35 |
| January 30, 2007 | Birmingham, Alabama | August 21, 2006 | Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex | September 29–30, 2006 | Sheraton Hotel | 20 |
| January 31, 2007 | Los Angeles, California | August 6, 2006 | Rose Bowl, Pasadena | September 26, 2006 | Millennium Biltmore Hotel | 40 |
| February 6, 2007 | San Antonio, Texas | August 11, 2006 | Alamodome | August 26, 2006 | Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center | 24 |
| Total Tickets to Hollywood | 172 | |||||
Auditioning contestants were required to be between the ages 16 and 28 on August 6, 2006 (born between August 7, 1977 and August 6, 1990). Guest judges were used for audition this season.
Guest judges -
Jewel - Minneapolis audition
Carole Bayer Sager - New York audition
Olivia Newton-John - Los Angeles audition
Many of the people who auditioned had trouble with the double doors, with many often going towards the wrong door on their way out; this was spoofed by Idol later in the season with "audition footage" featuring Tony Bennett. This did not seem to be a problem for the seventh season as both doors were accessible.
An elderly man named Sherman Pore auditioned in Los Angeles this year after a successful petition drive to convince the producers to waive the age-limit rule so he can audition. He explained that he did it to ease the pain and suffering of his female companion who was dying of cancer, but had died shortly before he can audition before the judges. He later released an album for the benefit of cancer research. Another contestant that year was Melissa Sgambelluri, also known as "Fountain girl" for her appearance in the promo and opening sequence celebrating in a fountain after winning her golden ticket.
Jordin Sparks, the eventual winner this season, failed to pass through her audition in Los Angeles, but later won an audition in Seattle as a reward for winning a local Fox-affiliate-sponsored contest called Arizona Idol.
Read more about this topic: American Idol (season 6)
Famous quotes containing the word auditions:
“Addison DeWitt: Your next move, it seems to me, should be toward television.
Miss Caswell: Tell me this. Do they have auditions for television?
Addison DeWitt: That’s all television is, my dear. Nothing but auditions.”
—Joseph L. Mankiewicz (1909–1993)