'MSG Varsity Talent Show' is LI's 'Idol'

Kellenberg High School student Trish Torrales will compete on the... — Kellenberg High School student Trish Torrales will compete on the "MSG Varsity Talent Show" in an episode airing May 1. The weekly show will feature singers, musical groups and dancers from the tri-state area who will perform on-air in hopes of getting the most viewer votes to move forward in the competition. Credit: MSG Varsity

By MARISSA COXmarissa.cox@newsday.comApril 15, 2011

It's "American Idol" -- Long Island-style.

Thirty-two singers, dancers and musical-performance groups of high schoolers from the tri-state area will take their talent on-air to compete in "MSG Varsity's Talent Show," a new weekly elimination series on the Cablevision-owned network. It debuts Sunday at 6 p.m. on Cablevision iO TV channel 14. (Cablevision also owns Newsday.)

The half-hour show is prerecorded in front of an audience at SUNY College at Old Westbury's Maguire Theater and is hosted by "American Idol" semifinalist Jared Cotter. It will feature contestants squaring off in categories for male and female vocalists, vocal ensembles and dance ensembles.

Unlike "American Idol," contestants will not be critiqued by a panel of judges. But like the national singing competition, viewers are left to decide which contestants remain. Viewers will be able to cast votes online at msgvarsity talentshow.com to determine which acts move on to the next round.

The Long Island contestants include small choir groups and dance troupes from local high schools, as well as eight solo vocalists. All were cast from a field of 350 applicants who answered an online casting call.

"Being from Long Island, it's cool for me to see talent from where I grew up and see young people with the same dreams that I had," says Cotter, who graduated from Newfield High in Selden in 1999.

Voting begins each Sunday at the end of the show and stays open until 9 a.m. Thursday. The champions in each category will be announced during the June 12 finale. Winners will receive a professional photo shoot and two-day studio session to work with producers to record a video or demo CD.

"There are definitely kids in this bunch who are amazing," says Cotter. "I'm excited to see how the show plays out and who moves on in the rounds."

You can see a preview of the show at msgvarsity.com/tv-shows/the-talent-show?tab= Main

MALE VOCALISTS

Dan Berk, Oceanside (April 24)

Christopher Dunlop, St. Dominic (May 1)

Peter Richardson, Oceanside (May 1)

Al Calderon, Sachem East (May 8)

FEMALE VOCALISTS

Samm Sclafani, Commack (April 17)

Alexa Sheryll, Connetquot (April 17)

Trish Torrales, Kellenberg (May 8)

Elizabeth Lowry, Hampton Bays (May 8)