This year Elizabethtown College held its 25th annual Mx. Etown pageant, hosted by junior Alli Walker and senior Shannon Creaney. Mx. Etown began in the year 2000 as “Mr. Etown,” a male spoof on the Miss America pageant, but was opened for students of all gender expressions to compete in the year 2020. Each year, every housing group on campus votes for a representative to compete in a lip sync battle and interview for a cash prize.
Saturday, March 29,, Leffler was filled with people waiting to get in to see the show.. The theme this year was 2000’s throwback, an ample opportunity to sell the crowd with their favorite classic pop songs and dance moves from the turn of the twenty-first century.
The crowd was abuzz with theories as to who the winner would be and rumors of the antics that each group had planned.
“I’m here to support Mx. Meyer for sure. I know Caelan Quick has talented people by her side and has a great routine planned,” sophomore Logan Crossett said.
“A few of my friends are performing in the Mx. Founder group,” senior Isaac Kraenbring said. “So that’s who I’m here to support. I know they have some wild moves they are gonna bust out.”
“Trey Firestone for sure will win,” sophomore Gavin Toy said. “He’s an experienced dancer and he’s so sweet.”
Sophomore Lola Shaeffer, who came with several of her friends, also put their money on Firestone, representing the off-campus students.
“He’s an awesome dancer, what can I say?” Shaeffer said.
Though Firestone seemed to be a popular pick, it was anyone’s guess as to who would take home the first place prize of $200 and the title of Mx. Etown.
After an introduction from the hosts and a group number called “Macho Madness,” choreographed by students Jill Schwarz and Alyssa Wolfe, the lights were dimmed and the first act stepped to the stage. Senior public relations major, Brock Malone, leading the Mx. Apartment group, burned the house down with a compilation of pop diva hits as he and four of his friends donned technicolor wigs and shook the junk in their trunk. Suffice to say, the crowd went wild.
Following this showstopping act were Maria Kumor, representing Mx. Brinser, and Zachary Hinkel, representing Mx. Founders. Moving from hip hop to country, these acts raised the stakes for the level of group choreography expected from the following contestants. Afterwards, Caelan Quick and her Mx. Myer cohorts performed serious dancing and lifting bits flawlessly, interjected with comedic moments involving old Windows sound effects. You would never know it was Quick’s first time seriously dancing with the way she bounded across stage in a glittering suit.
Following this act was the much-anticipated Mx. Off-Campus showing, led by Trey Firestone. Firestone wove his act around classic scream-along Eminem and hip hop cuts and wowed the crowd by giving each member of his team a chance in the spotlight alongside his inimitably cool attitude.
To close, Brynn Donoff of Mx. Quads and first-year Jonah McDonald of Mx. Schlosser rocked the house down with rock-oriented acts that incorporated jumping moves and even mini mosh pits. After brief interviews, the audience was able to vote alongside the three judges and see who the winner would be.
Yet, there’s one group still left to discuss: Mx. Royer. Led by sophomore Katie Farrell, the group centered their performance around certified 2000 classic “It’s Gonna Be Me” by NSYNC. The group’s act opened strongly, featuring bold group moves from Farrell and the gang before simply blasting the roof off. At one point, there was a comedic ad break, yet before the audience could register what was occurring onstage, suddenly Etown’s Blue Jay mascot appeared and Farrell was wrapped in a dramatic dance with him, Dancing With The Stars-style. Someone handed Farell a microphone and in that moment, history was made. As she sang across the bridge of the song, the crowd cheered.
After a tense few minutes, the audience and the judges had voted, and Farrell of Mx. Royer was crowned Mx. Etown and the first female winner of the event. The night was a blast, and one that this generation of Etown students will not be able to forget. If there is any takeaway to be had, it is that together in school spirit, we can put aside our differences and enjoy the creativity of our peers.
