The UNA Music and Entertainment Industry Students Association (MEISA) will hold its third annual music showcase Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the entertainment industry department’s new location on Pine Street.

Auditions for the showcase will be held Oct. 16 and 17 from 3 to 7 p.m. in the GUC performance center.

“They do it every year,” said Bob Garfrerick, chair of the Department of Entertainment Industry and MEISA adviser. “They have preliminary open auditions, and whoever makes the cut plays in the actual show. It’s been well-received.”

Members of MEISA are hoping for a strong turnout of talent at the auditions and the showcase.

“This is our third annual UNA music showcase,” said UNA student and MEISA president Katie Swann. “It’s kind of like ‘American Idol.’ We have a bunch of people audition, and whoever makes it through the auditions will get to compete in the actual showcase on Nov. 8.

“We’ll have a panel of judges who are from the entertainment industry. We haven’t gotten all of them nailed down yet. Hopefully, we’ll have some good people, and it will be good for people to perform in front of them and get exposure.”

Swann said people who audition have several options.

“What they’ll do is play one song. They can do it a cappella, or bring in a CD or guitar. It can be an original or cover song. They’ll audition in front of the MEISA officers, and then we’ll pick who will compete in the actual showcase.

“The first-place prize winner will get a four-hour recording session at Noiseblock studio, which is downtown, and that’s really huge. There will also be second- and third-place prizes.”

Swann said the auditions are open to everyone.

“We want to get as many people as possible to audition,” Swann said. “We want a lot of good talent. It’s open to the campus and the community — it’s not just a campus event. We want really good people to audition so we can get a good winner and have them record one of their songs or a cover song.”

The group members are excited about this year’s competition, said UNA student and MEISA member Olivia Tennant.

“We’re really excited about this year because Gary Baker is a judge,” she said. “We’re advertising on radio stations in Florence and the Shoals area, and we’re putting up flyers around campus. It’s good exposure, even if you don’t win.”

MEISA can be found on Facebook by searching for “MEISA: University of North Alabama Chapter.”