Derek Fans: This is the one that counts!

This is the one that counts, folks. You’ve done such a good job, but now you need to vote to get Derek into next week’s finals.

Because if he makes it into that top two, I think he’s got a great shot to win this thing.

In my opinion, Derek’s toughest competition is Max. He’s pretty much come out of nowhere to become the favorite. He’s got a great voice, he’s a good actor, but his look is a little off for me. Maybe it’s because he’s so young.

Austin (who was saved in tonight's sing-off after getting the lowest number of votes) tends to over-perform, which was especially obvious during the two group performances tonight. That tendency makes his Danny not come off as tough as he needs to be. I think Austin is a great performer, he’s just not meant for this role—even though David and Jim both picked him as their favorite tonight (Kathleen picked Max.).

The good news for Derek is that the panel no longer has any say and now it is completely up to you. So, vote, vote, VOTE!

Derek’s number is 1-888-I-VOTE-02. You can vote up to 200 times until 11 p.m. You can also vote online at www.nbc.com/grease up to 10 times per e-mail address (So if you have two e-mail addresses, vote 20 times.) until 4 a.m. Monday.

And in case you’re curious, my favorite Sandy is Laura, followed by Ashley.

Don’t forget that for a director’s perspective, you can visit the Tri-State Theater blog by clicking on the link on the right.