A Cappella & Unplugged 2023: Meet Finalist Marrisa Porter

July 15^th is the final round of the A Cappella & Unplugged 2023 competition. Five finalists—Elijah Myers, Paul Minnich, Robert Twine, The RMS Experience, and Marrisa Porter—will take to the steps of the Franklin County Courthouse to perform two songs and vie for the $500 grand prize.

“Franklin County Visitors Bureau (FCVB) is excited to host the 9^th year of the A Cappella & Unplugged. The competition collects and showcases a variety of talents from all around the area. It is an exceptional, entertaining experience that also encourages participation from the audience as they decide who is selected to be the winner,” said Evan Crider, FCVB Tourism Associate and master of ceremonies for the A Cappella & unplugged competition.

Meet Marrisa Porter, one of this year’s finalists. Since the day she was born, Marrisa was singing and crying in melodies. These melodies captured her attention. As a child, she found herself echoing the sounds and notes exactly as she heard them. It became her way of communicating despite being shy.

One of Marrisa Porter’s most memorable experiences was when she was not accepted into the 7^th grade chorus. She said, “That’s when my vocal obsession took off and I committed to reaching my highest potential. That ambition still exists within me, and I love working towards those goals!” To this finalist, music means the world. “I was diagnosed with social anxiety at the age of 16 and my obsession with singing immediately made sense to me,” Porter says. Music adds purpose and meaning to her life. And in addition, it helps her with escaping the social pressures of life in general.

Watch Porter’s 2023 A Cappella & Unplugged Round 1 performance here.

Marrisa Porter and other finalists perform at the Franklin County Courthouse on the square in Chambersburg on July 15^th at 7pm. The winner of the competition will be chosen by the public with an in-person ballot and a text-in option.

Attendance at the 2023 A Cappella & Unplugged is free. Bring a chair. Enjoy the talent of A Cappella & Unplugged and stay for the living history and light show of the 1864 Ransoming, Burning & REBIRTH.