'Summer Idol' Expanded This Year

"Summer Idol" will be back this summer, but this year, the contest has been expanded to include contestants from surrounding towns.

Now, contestants from Livingston, Caldwell, Boonton, Parsippany and other municipalities are invited to join in on the singing and dancing fun.

"This is the third year we're doing it and basically, it's a competition more like 'America's Got Talent' than 'American Idol' because we include dancers," Dorie Berman, who is coordinating the contest, said.

Berman said contestants are asked to submit a DVD or video of their talent for review. Videos are to be submitted by a deadline of June 1, at which point 24 finalists will be chosen to perform the Thursday prior to the Independence Day celebration and then 10 top finalists will be selected by the judges to perform that Saturday night. One contestant will win a grand prize of $500.

This year's judges are a choreographer, a music teacher and a music director, Berman said, while the event's MC at the Montville Independence Day Celebration will be an award-winning producer and director.

Last year, 26 contestants performed at the event.

"It was won by a 9-year-old boy," Berman said. "We're open, age-wise."

Berman said there is no fee to enter the contest. Those interested in entering should send their video to 2012SummerIdol@gmail.com or mail their DVD to Dorie Berman, 8 Freedom Court, Montville, NJ, 07045. Submissions should include the contestant's name, age, talent, address and email address.