Singing in the rain

The line formed early yesterday outside Gillette Stadium, but not a single Patriot was in sight.

Starting at 5 a.m., with rain clouds overhead, an estimated 8,000 people showed up to audition for the popular reality TV show, "American Idol."

"At the beginning, I was really nervous," said Megan Ryan, a 16-year-old contestant from Braintree. "I know I shouldn't have been, because I was doing it for the experience. After a while, when we got into the stadium, all my worries went away. Everything was so much fun."

Ryan Seacrest, host of the show, said the hopefuls were pumped up for the event.

"The crowd feels great. ... They seem to have the right energy," he said. "They all have seen the show, they know how to play the game, so it makes it interesting."

The kickoff auditions attracted contestants from all over the East Coast.

Besides having talent, courage and perhaps a thick skin, auditioners must also be between the ages of 16 and 28 and eligible to work in the United States.

Tiffany "Shorty" Dorsey of Walpole believed she had all that. While waiting in line for more than four hours, the 20-year-old used gel and other chemicals to fashion her hair into a faux mohawk. She promised to sing and dance to "Play That Funky Music" for the judges.

"I've got my friends with me. I'm loving it," Dorsey said.

The heavy rain and cool temperatures, however, made waiting difficult for contestants. For the judges, who were on the inside looking out, the weather was a plus.

"It makes the weak stay home," Seacrest said.

Contestants sat in the stands for two hours while people filtered in. Split into five sections, they were taken by group to wait in line for the judges' tents.

Once there, singers went in groups of four, and got about 30 seconds each to perform.

"You get as long as a verse and a chorus, if you're lucky," said Katie O'Connell, a contestant from Kingston and a junior at UMass-Amherst.

"It was kind of nerve-wracking," said Jessi Milch of Marshfield, a student at UMass-Boston. "It was a different experience."

As people filtered out of the stadium, it was clear the competition had been tough.

"It's like winning the lottery," said Erica Ether, a 20-year-old contestant from Haverhill.

"It was a great experience and something I would definitely do again," said Jessica Sullivan, 24, of Plymouth.

Associated Press material was used in this report.