Survivor fans flock to Salisbury tryout for big, 'life-changing' chance to be on show

Do you have what it takes to be the next "Sole Survivor"?

The 400-plus fans who recently attended an open casting call for CBS's hit reality television show Survivor in Salisbury, Maryland, believe they most certainly do.

Together, Wor-Wic Community College and WBOC-TV hosted an open casting call for Survivor on Friday, Nov. 10, at the college's Hazel Center, which is located at the corner of Route 50 and Walston Switch Road in Salisbury.

The event began at 3 p.m. and lasted until after 8 p.m., when the last of the auditionees stood in front of the camera and expressed why they believe they should be selected for the hit show.

Participants’ one-minute audition tapes were recorded at the event and sent to Survivor producers. The casting call was for season 47, which will begin filming sometime between May and July 2024 on the tropical archipelago of Fiji.

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Survivor fans determined: 'I will not give up'

Failure will not deter one dedicated Survivor fan, who just attended his 30th open casting call to date.

"The reason I keep coming back is because they haven't given me a call back," Jason Flick said.

Flick, who is from Illinois, drove a total of 13 hours, 862 miles, from his house to Wor-Wic Community College for yet another shot at being the next "Sole Survivor."

"I will not give up, because I know that there's a chance," he said of his refusal to quit. "I'm putting in the effort to show that I am going above and beyond everybody else here."

Flick wore a white t-shirt to Friday's open casting call.

The t-shirt, covered from front-to-back in swooping signatures, is just one example of the 50-year-old's adept social skills, which he uses to befriend or — in the case of Survivor— outwit those around him.

"I'm trying to get a signature from everybody I meet today. That shows more of my social game," Flick said. "Everybody who signs this shirt has some kind of investment in me, and I in them. It would bring me strength in the show, to have 8,000 people that have signed shirts for me."

One signature came from former contestant Ashley Nolan, who Flick met in line at a previous open casting call. Nolan later appeared on season 35 of Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers.

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For one hopeful, 'that one million dollars would be just life-changing'

Like Flick, Salisbury native John Whipps is determined to be casted for the next season of Survivor, and confident of his ability to "outwit, outplay and outlast." However, unlike Flick, this was Whipps' first time auditioning for the reality television show.

"That one million dollars would be just life-changing," Whipps, 28, said. "I'm a big fan of the show. I started watching when I was 5, had a little bit of a rough life, but brought it back together and have just been surviving my whole life."

Whipps — a member of the United States army and student at Wor-Wic — has been rewatching season after season to formulate a strategy, in hopes that he's chosen.

Yet, he said, if there was one player he would try to emulate during his time in the game, it would be "Boston" Rob Mariano, who played 152 days across five seasons and was crowned the season 22 winner of Survivor.

"I'm ready to go on this show and do it for real and be the last one standing," he said.

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Blind, deaf hopeful wants to represent 'the challenged'

For one individual, being chosen for Survivor is about more than just the fame, glory and one-million-dollar grand prize. It's about representing two disabled communities that tend to be overlooked.

Mariana Spano-Harrison, a 38-year-old blind and deaf woman from Salisbury, believes she can be a voice for members of the blind and deaf communities who often go through life feeling unseen.

"I think that I'm a good candidate for being a blind person, a deaf person, and representing the challenged," Spano-Harrison said. "I definitely think that, with using all of my skills, I could win the challenges or try to win as best as I could."

When will season 46 of Survivor premiere?

Survivor has been on the air for a remarkable 45 seasons thus far, with the show's first season premiering on May 31, 2000. Since then, the reality television show has built an impressive fanbase.

The show's 45th season began with a 90-minute premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 8 p.m., and the show will have 90-minute episodes for the entire 13-episode season, CBS confirmed to USA TODAY.

The 45th season features 17 new contestants and one returning player competing for the title of Sole Survivor and the cash prize that comes with it: $1 million. Last season saw Yamil "Yam Yam" Arocho crowned as the champion and winner of the cash prize, Delmarva Now previously reported.

Survivor recently announced online that its 46th season will premiere on Feb. 28, 2024, and continue with 90-minute episodes. As of right now, the show is actively casting for season 47.

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Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Salisbury tryout draws Survivor super fans for big shot to audition