And the Winners Are …

 

The NYS 50+ Senior Idol Show took place LIVE on Sunday, November 12, 2017, in Huntington, LI, NY. The 20 finalists – from the over 70 entrants  competing came from all over Long Island and the Metro area. This talent-studded group includes singers, dancers and comedians who played to a packed house.

The finalists were:

The Tribunes of Hicksville

Celeste Belletti of the Bronx

Teri George of Medford

Richard Lanna of Dix Hills

Darie Ehrlich of Babylon

Pamela Merrill of Laurelton

Henry Simpkins of Elmont

Laura Lorenzo of Mastic Beach

Ernest Cannava of Blue Point

James DiNapoli of Merrick

Mary Malloy of East Rockaway

Dolores Brown of Wyandanch

Theresa Walton of East Norwich

Sean Farrell of Wantagh

Tony Tufariello of Copiague

Debra Holly of East Northport

Jerrold Fuller of Brentwood

Robert Alvey of Garden City

Kathie Bondhus of Rockaway Park

Larry Dubin of East Meadow

 

Judges Diane Giattino (founder of the Stage Door School of Dance), Chiara Klein (Managing Artistic Director at MainStage Shakespeare) and Leeana Costa (Radio and TV host and personality) had a difficult time winnowing down the 20 contestants.

But the winner was The Tribunes (Mike Cuomo, Shelly Wengrovsky, Les Levine, Johnny Costello and Bert Archilla), an oldies a cappella group from Nassau County!

Second place went to Celeste Belletti, a musical entertainer with a unique ability to sing and imitate instruments, from the Bronx, and third place to Henry Simpkins, a vocalist with an amazing range, from Elmont.

The Senior Idol competition was started in 2005, as the brainchild of Marie Trotta of 50+ Lifestyles and Ethel Bennet of Ms. NYS Senior America. After a nine-year hiatus, and hundreds and hundreds of requests, the competition was re-staged this year.

For those interested in trying out for next year’s event, send your name, address, phone number and talent (singer, dancer, comedian/enne, etc.) to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..