Media Theatre's Delco Idol Junior: Everyone's a Winner

For those of us who are well into adulthood, anytime a child or pre-teen sings, we are willing to forgive the notes that are not quite right or the lyrics that don’t quite make sense. Most likely, for the Delco Idol Junior audience that philosophy rings true as well.

The judges, however, have a different tale to tell as they must rank and rate each aspiring singer. Each week, after the young people sing with every amount of gusto they can muster, it’s then time to find out who gets to come back a week later and try again.

The Host

and made the point that, “All of these kids are winners.”

He said that, “Each of them encourage us and inspire us, each of them did an awesome job,” after the names of those returning were called and a few remained backstage, unable to move forward in the vocal contest.

Vargus entered the stage with the presence of someone who has a career background in front of the camera. His quick wit and gentle nature brought the audience and those competing into an atmosphere of friendship and kindness, with his focus being on each and every performer first and foremost.

A class act, Vargus even apologized to the youngsters whose names he had difficulty pronouncing. “Getting their names correct is very important,” he said. “That’s the number one part of this duty.”

One name we will certainly all remember is that of “Dr. Dolittle” when Vargus takes on the lead role in The Media Theatre’s holiday musical starting Thanksgiving week.

His charming wife, . Both of them share many of the same traits, which is a wonderful brand for the Delco Idol competitions. The Junior version highlights ages 7-13, while Wednesday nights focuses on ages 14-24.

The Competition

The contestants in the first week of each Idol contest seem to be figuring out what works and what does not, and a few who have competed in previous years may have a ‘leg up’ on the newbies, at least during the first couple of weeks. That does not mean, however, that things don’t change very quickly during the five weeks of the competition, due to the fact that some who return are still performing what worked for them in the past, not realizing an important fact: as they age, what once worked may not have the same ‘oomph’ it once did when they were a year or two younger. The difficulty lies in figuring out what works–to reference a classic tune—“As Time Goes By.”

While both of The Media Theatre’s “Idol’s” are friendly contests, there is still that undeniable sense of a healthy competition. It is, after all, leading up to only one winner. Delco Idol Junior exemplifies that spirit in the variety of song styles and choices.

Over a third of the contestants this week performed Broadway tunes, recognizing the fact that the summer event takes place at Delaware County’s only professional music theatre.

The Judges

Artistic Director Jesse Cline is one of the judges each week who must look beyond the age of the singers and focus on their ability—even though age does become a factor when all is said and done.

“There is no way to discern whether or not a 7 year old is ‘better’ than a 13 year old,” he explained. “What has to happen is eventually you must, as a judge, decide who has the best chance at having a career in the performing arts. There may be several youth who can sing the notes correctly, but who has that natural instinct to take it one step further? Who reaches beyond the notes and connects to the material? Those are the types of questions that must be asked as we rank the singers each week. After all, each of them have something to offer that is uniquely their own.”

The other two judging slots are filled by a rotating panel. This week, Tim D'Ignazio of the had the challenge, along with Kathy Herd of Iron Workers Bank, the title sponsor.

The Songs

Those who did not sing Broadway chose recent or current pop tunes by the likes of Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Celine Dion, and even Amy Winehouse. Classics by The Beatles always seem to show up, and sometimes a title such as “Just A Gigolo” is a surprise choice—particularly when the performer is only 7 years old. While the young singers may not realize what each lyric or phrase means, they certainly add a unique interpretation of songs generally performed by those who are much older, which adds a somewhat humorous slant to a sometimes very serious occasion.

It would not be appropriate at this point to suggest who might be ‘front-runners’ or ‘those to beat.’ Delco Idol Junior is only heading into its second week on July 22, so it’s still anyone’s game. As Vargus pointed out more than once, “They are all winners.”

Online votes do account for a portion of the scoring each week, providing the contestant is in the top three vote-getters through the theatre’s website.  The points are then added to the judges’ tally, which may or may not assist in moving a contestant forward to the next round.

Remaining Contestants

Returning for Week Two of Delco Idol Junior are:  Lily Altman, 8, Berwyn;  Emily Boyles, 11, Lansdale; Beada Briglia, 11, Media;  Daniel Briglia, 12, Media;  Katejoule Carney, 13, Garnet Valley;  Emily Chressanthis, 11, Media;  Katheryn Cooper, 9, Glen Mills;  Nicole Dugan, 12, Glenolden;  Amber Duncan, 13, Wallingford;  Cassidy Else, 7, Drexel Hill;  Elaina Fitzgerald, 8, Media;  Emma Gantard, 9, Bryn Mawr; Patrick Gaughan, 12, Wallingford;  Valentina Giribaldi, 13, Garnet Valley;  Layla Hardy, 13, Lima;  Blake Jelus, 13, Broomall;  Gillian Keener, 12, Aston;  Julia Kubo, 8, Darby;   Ashley Lennick, 12, West Chester; Cassidy Lennick, 10, West Chester;  Paul Mariani, 12;  Maura McManus, 13, Chadds Ford;  Fiona Moser, 9, Havertown;  Gianni Palmarini, 12, Aston;  Caitlin Reilly, 13, Springfield;  Teanna Rico, 13, Essington; Abby Schwartz, 11, Media;  Alex Smith, 7, Media;  Emily Smith, 10, Media;  Emily Steinhardt, Berwyn; Melissa Stern, 11, Malvern;  Matt Tierney, 12, Havertown;  Jd Triolo, 10, West Chester;  Heidi Winters, 10, Chadds Ford;  Alexandra Zeh, 13, Wayne.

Eliminations

Those not returning are Lauren Kuerschner, 10, Collegeville; Julia Lowman, 11, Nether Providence; Logan Mitch, 8, Chadds Ford; Grace Shevlin, 9, Thornton; Francesca Williams, 12, Newtown Square; and Madison Yannatelli, 12, Marple.

For tickets visit mediatheatre.org or call 610-891-0100. Delco Idol Junior takes place through August 12 at 7pm on Sundays.