Class acts at Sullivan West talent show

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Move over “American Idol,” and make room for the next set of rising stars. Sullivan West High School musicians, comediennes and even the reinvented Spice Girls drew rave reviews from fans at the school’s second annual talent show.

Veronica Kearney and Katie Schroeder, who performed a duet of “The House of the Rising Sun,” won unanimous acclaim as the evening’s best act from the judges, Alvin and Jolene Schulttheis and this reporter. Kearney played guitar as the two girls belted out the classic English folk tune made famous by Eric Burdon and the Animals in 1966.

The duo’s stock rose even higher with their rendition of Janis Joplin’s classic, “Mercedes Benz.”

Violinist Laura Berger, accompanied by Ken Hui, performed the challenging musical piece, “Hoedown,” by Aaron Copland, and the judges responded by awarding her the second place honor.

Heather Lander and Erin Bernhardt’s campy live concoction of who-knows-what-non-nutritional-mélange earned them third place. Their expertise was enhanced by the added arms of invisible co-cooks Donna Kelly and Sarah Lander. The four-handed chefs mixed up a dentist’s delight of sickeningly sweet treats in their act, “Mama’s Kitchen.”

Fourth place went to Kent MacDonald for his scintillating drum solo, replete with flying sticks, crashing symbols and a hyperventilating rhythm of bass drums. Other acts included a guitar and singing duet of the Berger sisters, Laura and Julia, who performed the Everly Brothers’ “Dream” and Lynryd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.”

Decked out in gala Christmas fashion, Briana Santos, Kristina Thalman and Megan Amorozewicz performed “Jingle Bell Rock.”

MacDonald and Zach Rettoun vibrated the house with “Letters to You,” by Finch. Retoun returned to sing “Hands Down” by Dashboard Confessional and “Fiction We Live” by Autumn to Ashes.

The show took on a mellower tone as Sarah Cutler sang a pair of Celine Dion songs, “Surrender” and “Rain Tax.” Her rich voice drew vociferous applause from the audience.

Returning to the stage from last year’s talent show performance were Sara LaFleur and Robin Crotty with their new TV show, “Too Edgy for QVC.” The pair’s hilarious accented gab about Thanksgiving Day food and fare had the audience in stitches.

School pop icons Lucas Sauer-Jones and John Vitulli brought their guitars and drew an enthusiastic reaction from many of the audience’s young female listeners. Sauer-Jones played “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica and Vitulli played and sang “Scar Tissue” by The Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The closing acts of the show featured the rowdy dancing of Sam Sandler, Jenna DiCostanzo, Tierney Cole, Nellie Norden and Heather Lander as Spice Girls in “Spice Up Your Life.”

Kearney’s violin solo of Bach’s “Concerto in D Minor” closed out an evening of talented performance. All of the acts of the evening were introduced by Natalie Triolo, Mason Rosello and Dave Lundgren, who exchanged clothing and hats to bring a new look to each introduction.