If you think you're the next 'Idol,' here's your chance

Alright, Mr. Cowell, Salt Lake City is ready for its close-up.
Perhaps because of the success of David Archuleta and dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance," FOX TV officials are coming back to Utah.
Auditions for the next season of "American Idol" will be in Utah for the first time July 29 at EnergySolutions Arena in downtown Salt Lake City.
If you are planning on auditioning today, here are some things to keep in mind before you wait in line:
» Contestants must be between the ages of 16 and 28 years old as of July 15, 2008.
» You must register today or July 28 at the arena. When you register, you will be given a wristband and seat ticket that will allow you to audition. Registration opens at 7 a.m. today and will remain open for the next 49 hours - even at night and the early morning, until about 8 a.m. on Tuesday. (But if you wait until Tuesday morning, officials warn that they might run out of space and time to accommodate you.)
» Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and host Ryan Seacrest will NOT be in Salt Lake City. Contestants in the past normally went through at least two auditions in front of assistant producers of the show. Those judged especially good (or especially bad) will likely be flown to Hollywood for a taped audition before the three official judges. Contestants rated as good, will go to the semifinals, likely

to be in November.
» Jon Peter Lewis, dubbed "JPL" by "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest, was a finalist in the third season of the show. Lewis, whose family lives in Utah, offered this advice: "Be clear on who you are. It's not just about how you sing. The more unique you are, the more you'll be looked at. But that doesn't mean that you have to wear a gorilla suit."
» KFC is running a promotion that might make you a winner - even if you're a terrible singer. KFC President Roger Eaton challenged applicants to incorporate the Chicken Dance into auditions. If the performance airs nationally, the contestant will win free KFC food for a year and a spot in an upcoming KFC commercial.
To help you plan your competitive strategy, we've consulted some of your Utah competitors.
Ellen Seely, 18, of Centerville » Plans to croon "Killing Me Softly" by the Fugees or "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys. "I don't want to get on the show just because I'm wearing crazy clothes or I have a pet rat that I brought along," she said. "I wouldn't mind being on TV, but if I was on it making a fool of myself I wouldn't like that at all. I do not want to be walking down the street and have someone come up to me saying, 'Hey, weren't you that girl who sucked on 'American Idol'?"

Kyria Jorgensen, 26, of Murray » Plans to sing "Baby, I Love You" by Aretha Franklin. "I truly believe I have what it takes to be on 'American Idol,'" she said. "I've been singing since I was a little girl in Chicago. Churches, school choirs, bands - I've done it." She doesn't plan on wearing a costume, "unless skinny jeans, a trendy top and stylish accoutrements count as a costume."

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