Arts & Entertainment

Viewfinder: Kean Idol Crowns its 2011 Winners

Former Kean contestant Jackie Evancho presents newest award.

The contest that has become known for its most famous contestant -- Jackie Evancho -- crowned its 2011 winners Friday night.

After months of winnowing down the competition to 30 vocal finalists, the Kean Idol Amateur Talent Contest named five winners:

The Judges Choice Award went to  of Peters Township, first runner-up was Katie Colosimo of Wexford and second runner-up honors belonged to Jordan Luntz of Saxonburg.

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The Audience Choice Award was bestowed upon Jessica Ortiz of Butler.

A new honor -- the Jackie Evancho Award -- was presented by the international singing star to Madeleine O'Neil of Pine Township. The award honors a contestant who has participated in Kean Idol for two or more years and displays determination, commitment and vocal talent. 

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Evancho was a Kean Idol contestant in 2008 and 2009 before she went on to become an international sensation on "America's Got Talent." (A separate article about Jackie will be published later today.)

The Kean Idol competition, founded in 2004, is performed at the Kean Theatre at St. Barnabas Health System in Richland. Proceeds from ticket sales and sponsorships benefit the St. Barnabas Free Care Fund to help poor and low-income patients at

Johnny Angel of Johnny Angel and the Halos was the master of ceremonies at Friday's vocal competition for acts who are 18 years old or younger. Earlier this year, Kean Idol held a vocal competition for adults and a dance competition.

For Garlick's winning performance, she sang "No Good Deed" from the Broadway play, "Wicked." Garlick is a junior at Peters Township High School where she is active in school musicals. For a profile of Garlick from the Peters Patch, .

First runner-up Katie Colosimo sang an original song, "New Orleans," and was accompanied by fellow student Niles Brandon on piano.

Colosimo also has performed in school musicals and was nominated in 2010 for a Gene Kelly Award for best supporting actress in PRHS's production of "Children of Eden." This year she sang in the

Second runner-up Jordan Luntz sang "Broadway Baby" for her performance.

O'Neil, the Jackie Evancho Award winner, performed "The Voice." The Pine-Richland High School student also performed earlier this spring in the high school musical, "Les Miserables."

The other contestants who performed Friday: 

Yvonne Chick of McCandless

Vanessa Clark-Deaver of Unity Township

Lily Cogley of Butler and Nick Kerpsack of Ellwood City

Rose Coppola of Ross Township

Lexi DiLucia of Peters Township

Kate Hardy of Peters Township

Kelsey Hillock of Gibsonia

Sarah Khatami of Franklin Park

Carly Koza of Brighton Township

Madison Kunst of East Franklin Township

Hannah Kwiecinski of Ingram

Marlee Manuel of Connoquenessing

Nicole McCleary of Derry and Caroline Niezelski of Latrobe,

Angelo Ragghianti of the North Side

Lena Skeele of Slippery Rock

Shane Treloar of McDonald

Megan Roethline of Hampton Township

Chloe Sebest of Knox, Ohio

Logan Smith of Plum Borough

Amanda Sybert of Butler

Braelin Stuver of Pittsburgh,

Markella Williams of Monaca

Savannah Wiggins of Penn Hills

Maura Yates of Franklin Township

Megan Zolnosky of Johnstown.


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