Christina Connors Wins 2019 TOMATOES GOT TALENT

Singer Christina Connors was named the winner the 6th Annual "Tomatoes Got Talent" Contest at The Triad on Monday, April 15. Celebrating the talents of extraordinary women over 40 who have made their marks and their livings outside of the entertainment world, but who consider the craft of singing and performing to be integral to their lives, the juried contest was hosted by Randie Levine-Miller, who co-produced with Cheryl Benton, the founder and publisher of Thethreetomatoes.com, the event's lead sponsor. Paul Chamlin music directed the sold out show, which featured a guest appearance by 15-year-old rising star jazz singer Anaïs Reno, as well as the 2018 winner Sheree Sano.

Winner Christina Connors is a licensed massage therapist who also used to perform on cruise ships. The runner ups were Kelli Maguire, who works at a Manhattan youth center and grew up in a carnival; special-education teacher, a court reporter, and a realtor Terri Levy; Evangeline Johns, an 82-year-old blues singer, formerly a market researcher for CBS; and Camille Diamond who is the director of a community center that serves children and families.

Among the other 12 finalists were: the reigning Ms. New York Senior America Maureen Griffin, who is a legal secretary by day; Amy Downey, a COO of a major bank; Rachael Epstein who is a government contract worker and a three-time cancer survivor; Delaine Douglas who writes plays and short stories, and loves the Great American Songbook; current runner-up in Ms. NY Senior America Laura Lorenzo, formerly an oncology nurse and now a furniture sales person; retired psychotherapist and current standup comedian Taffy Jaffe; and businesswoman and former equestrienne Lynn Henderson.

This year's judges were three respected industry leaders: the award-winning media personality, producer, radio host Valerie Smaldone; theater critic, author, playwright and former Drama Desk president Peter Filichia, and Sandi Durell, TheaterPizzazz.com editor/publisher and reviewer.

Levine-Miller has produced, hosted and entertained at countless star-studded musical entertainment events -- at The Triad, the Metropolitan Room, Feinstein's, and, for many years, at the Friars Club. Celebrated for their mix of humor and high-octane singing, Levine-Miller's concerts -- which include the "Showstopper Divas" and "Divos" shows -- have been a staple of the New York charity nightclub scene for years. Contest co-creatorCheryl Benton has been publishing her popular online newsletter on Thethreetomatoes.com ("The Insider's Guide for Women Who Aren't Kids)" since 2007.