“Star of the day, who will it be?

Your vote may hold the key!”

Long before the interactivity of “American Idol” and “America’s Got Talent” captivated couch potatoes across the nation, Bay Staters mailed in their votes to the “Community Auditions” television show. The venerable competition, which for the past two seasons has been taping at Dot’s Strand Theatre, is the longest-running talent show in the country. And now New Yorkers are copying its winning format.

Among the better-known “Community Auditions” discoveries that one can catch on YouTube are Meghan Trainor in her pre- “All About That Bass” days and 12-year-old Sarah Silverman, singing (not doing raunchy standup).

Originally sponsored by Community Opticians when it debuted in 1950, “Community Auditions” has changed format, hosts, venues, channels and fan bases many times in its 46 seasons, which span 65 years.

The original emcee, Gene Burns, was succeeded in 1965 by the popular Boston radio and television personality Dave Maynard, who for more than a quarter century presided over a folksy variety show that might include a ventriloquist or a ten-year-old belly dancer.

According to the show’s website, “With Maynard at the helm, the show quickly became…a family tradition throughout New England. Each half-hour episode featured a combination of singers, magicians, dancers, comedians, impersonators, and anyone with a talent to show off – even jugglers and Irish dancers. Six contestants performed during each show.   Viewers were encouraged to send postcards voting for their favorite contestants.  Winners walked away with bragging rights, a trophy, and a prize – such as a brand new TV set.”

The blogger “polarflares” recalls, “We knew people who filled out postcards for “Community Auditions” using every address in the phone book to get their child to win.”

Two decades after being cancelled in 1987, the show returned to the air in 2007 with the tweaked title, “Community Auditions: Star of the Day.”

In its current format, the program now showcases only musical performers. Winners are chosen based on judges’ scores as well as the in-studio audience applause meter. Current host Billy Costa from KISS 108 is joined by a rotating panel of local entertainment personalities like Magic 106.7’s Candy O’Terry, funny man Steve Sweeney, or Dorchester’s own Alda Marshall Witherspoon. Free admission to the Strand enables spectators to help choose winners.

According to Melodi Greene, the Strand’s general manager, “Community Auditions” comes to Uphams Corner only two or three times a year, taping batches of six episodes. That’s half a year’s worth of shows because only one episode is aired each month. Local broadcasts are on weekends on Channel 5 and its sister station MeTV as well as on Fox affiliates in Portland, Maine.

 The 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. tapings are not as well advertised as they might be, but the public is welcome to be part of the Strand audience. Aspiring discoveries should note that the Strand management does not book talent. That job is handled by a Madison Avenue firm, Armstrong InterActive at audition@communityauditions.com. Sign up on the Boston show’s Facebook page to be notified of your next chance to join Strand audiences in picking New England’s latest“Star of the Day.”

The guest host for this season’s finals competition is Ernie Anastos, veteran New York newscaster and Lifetime Emmy Award winner, who is prepping a Big Apple version of Community Auditions. This fall, “Positively Ernie” will host “New York’s Star of the Day Community Auditions,” which is slated to air in the NYC area on Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. on Fox TV.