Local singers who enviously watch "American Idol" and think to themselves, "I could do that," got their chance last night at the first round of auditions for the Xpress Talent Search, hosted by the Sweet Adelines' Acapella Jubilee Xpress Singers of Helena.

The grand prize may not be a recording contract -- but the $1,000 put up by Mountain West Bank isn't too shabby, either.

Four judges and a gaggle of helpers screened dozens of singers ages 15-21 during the evening audition at the Capital Hill Mall.

Donning sparkly purple eye shadow, Amber Casey, 15, who planned to sing "Keep Holding On" by Avril Lavigne, said it's a dream of hers to sing professionally.

When asked if she was nervous, Casey pursed her lips tightly.

"Yeah," she said.

In the fluorescent-lit corner of a vacant mall space, the auditions began without much fanfare at 5 p.m. One by one, contestants were led down a makeshift walkway to the judges' table. To promote an even playing field, the singers wore numbers and didn't reveal their names to the judges.

Wearing a cherry print top, Eliza Allison sat close to her mother, Lisa, outside Claire's as she waited for her turn.

"I'm probably way more nervous than she is," said Lisa, who stood on the sidelines when her daughter finally took the stage.

In a velvety alto, Allison belted out 16 measures of Carole King's "Where You Lead," a song the judges seemed thankful to be familiar with.

Judges for the contest included local music director Les Cramer, Xpress Singers' director Roger Morton and long-time Helena performers Dennis Rau and Lisa Schafer-Rau.

Cramer said the group was looking for good performers all around, singers who could carry a tune and also knew something about delivery.

And they were also looking for the next Kelly Clarkson.

"We'd like to see someone come in and knock our socks off," admitted Rau.

Although they were working with rubrics and had discussed their criteria beforehand, when things got rolling, the judges turned to more basic scorekeeping methods: pluses and smiley faces.

In just the first hour, they heard a little bit of country, pop, Broadway, and even an Aerosmith tune.

Even when you could hear the shakiness in their voices, all the singers showed some level of talent and presence. A few auditioners chatted up the judges, while others gave a hopeful thank-you and walked off abruptly when they were through.

From her unmoving stance, contestant number two appeared to be a little scared, but her airy soprano carried off the pop trills and swirls her song demanded effortlessly.

"I'm not nervous up here but I'm really fluttering," said Laura Miltenberger, a beautiful girl who resembled a blonde Meryl Streep.

The young auditioner gave a passionate, intelligent performance of a song from a Broadway musical.

Like many of the hopefuls, Miltenberger, a local home-school student, said she was at the audition simply because she likes to sing and not because of the money.

"I actually haven't thought about (what I'd do with) it," she said. "I'd probably save it."

Even in a dingy store in the mall, it was hard not to get chills as the singers belted out songs with lyrics that seemed to match their youthful hopes and dreams.

"I've got giant plans to shine as brightly as the sun," sang Jana Barros, one of Helena's well-known young actresses.

Organizer Shelly Pardis said the Xpress Talent Search is an effort to get young people involved in singing.

"We're an educational organization," said Pardis, a member of the Xpress Singers.

In the planning stages for the contest, Pardis said her group researched "American Idol" for ideas, but that they had no plans to critique or dress down singers a la Simon Cowell.

"Hopefully, we're nicer than them," Pardis said.

After last night's audition, the judges will select 12 singers to move to the next round; a second audition will be held Sept. 10.

The four finalists from that audition will perform during the Xpress Singers' annual show, "Thank You for the Music," on Nov. 10. The grand prize winner will be chosen by audience members at that performance, Pardis said.

Watch the IR Web site, www.helenair.com, for the first round of winners from the Xpress Talent Search and video of last night's auditions. For more information, go to www.acapellajubileexpress.org.