By Elizabeth Rome   erome@dnronline.com

Ryan Berry wants you to get your dialing fingers ready. Tonight, his little brother Colton, 18, will sing as one of the top 12 male contestants on Fox's "American Idol," and for two hours following the show viewers can vote via phone or text message to keep him on the show.

Due to contractual obligations with Fox, Ryan Berry, 28, of Harrisonburg, couldn't speak with the Daily News-Record directly, but that didn't stop his business partner and childhood friend Will Renton, 24, from getting the word out. "[Colton's] a bit of an underdog because he's from such a small town," said Renton, who works for the older Berry at DIGICO, a video production company off Court Square. "We want as many people to vote as possible."

Colton Berry, the youngest of Sam and Sandy Berry's four boys, is a senior at Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville, but he has ties to Harrisonburg. He worked at Hollister in Valley Mall before competing on "Idol." In a video interview posted on "American Idol's" Web site, Berry references the job. "The most interesting job I've had is being a store model," he says in the clip. "I just walked around the store. I was wearing the clothes and I said, ‘Hey, what's up?' "  

He is also involved in ShenanArts as an actor, director and the youngest board member in the organization's history, says Joan Wingfield, board chair. "We're absolutely thrilled. It's definitely his passion. We're excited for him," she said of his run on the show. "We think it's great for ShenanArts too."

Productions for ShenanArts, including "Les Misérables," "Chicago" and most recently, "The Wiz," have frequently brought Berry to Glen's Fair Price in search of props and costumes. "He's been coming here since he was I don't know how small, for years," said Melinda Bare, co-owner of the store on North Main Street. "I've been to quite a few of his performances.

"I saw ‘Wizard of Oz' a few years ago. I thought this little guy who was in the show couldn't be beat. He almost stole the show! He is just a super all-around actor, singer and I hope he makes it."

Renton recalls the moment he found out Berry was going to be on the hit show. "[Ryan] was like, ‘Hey, guess who's going to be the next "American Idol?" ' We all thought it was pretty funny because [Colton's] really theatrical," he said. "It was funny that someone we know was going to do ‘American Idol.' "

Wingfield plans to send an e-mail to the ShenanArts listserv "to make sure" everyone votes for Berry after tonight's show, which airs at 8 p.m. To vote for Berry, take note of the toll-free number that appears onscreen during his performance, then dial the number as soon as the show ends at 10 p.m. Or, if you have AT&T cell phone service, you can text votes to a toll-free text number also appearing on the screen.

Visit www.americanidol.com/faqs/ for additional voting information.

"We're just trying to get the word out any way we can," said Renton. "A lot of people just watch the show for fun and don't vote, but this is a local boy, we've got to take care of him."

Contact Elizabeth Rome at 574-6272 or erome@dnronline.com