Cedar Grove Vocal Ensemble Competing for Television Glory

This weekend, five Cedar Grove songstresses will take center stage as they compete with other Tri-State Area performers on a televised talent competition, and your votes can help put them over the top.

The young women of the five-member a cappella vocal ensemble, known as Kaleidoscope, are all Cedar Grove High School students. Darrah Maffettone, Gabby San Roman, Carly O’Hagan, Alea Caporrino and Caitlin Flynn will all take the stage this Sunday night at 6 p.m. on MSG Varsity's Talent Show television program as they compete for top honors in the competition, and a professional recording studio session to craft a demo CD.

The competition, hosted by former "American Idol" semifinalist, Jared Cotter, features four categories: male vocalists, female vocalists, vocal ensemble and dance ensemble. In each episode, two performances from each category will be seen. Which groups advance to the next rounds will be decided by votes from the viewing audience.

Kaleidoscope is facing competition from seven other groups from the Tri-State Area. They can be seen in action at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 24 on MSG Varsity, (Cablevision's iO TV channel 14).

The girls are receiving guidance and encouragement along the way from CGHS music teacher Jennifer Jessen-Foose, who says the all the attention the group has been getting has been "great for the department."

Jessen-Foose says the entire school, including Superintendent Dr. Gene Polles, has gotten behind the competition, and that the schools have been blanketed with Kaleidoscope buttons, pins and color posters, which MSG Varsity's publicity department provided to the group.

The network even whisked the girls away to film their segments on Long Island, where they were given the royal treatment by professional hair and make-up artists before filming their segments.

At the April 12 Board of Education meeting, Polles included the news about Kaleidoscope's television appearance in his superintendent's report, in which he noted that each Internet connection can vote as many as 5,000 times.

Jessen-Foose says win or lose, the girls are having the time of their lives.

"I'm extremely proud of the girls, and really excited they've had this opportunity for this professional TV and music experience. It's something they'll remember for the rest of their lives," she said.

"They've already said to me, even if we don't make it to the next round, we already feel like we've won."

Those interested in voting for Kaleidoscope can do so whether or not they watch the show. Voting will be open from 6:30 p.m. on the night of the show until 9 a.m. on April 25.

You can cast your ballot for Kaleidoscope at msgvarsitytalentshow.com.