One night. Eleven boys. One winner. The competition is getting heated as the contestants, grades 10-12, prepare to be crowned at NH’s annual male pageant Mr. North Harford.
On February 27, these very different boys will take the stage to compete in a variety of competitions ranging from swimwear to a talent portion. These boys are getting the chance to show just why they should be crowned the one and only annual Mr. North Harford.
This year’s competition has been set up by the Journalism Staff and of this staff, seniors Courtney Sewell and Alexis Lyttle will be hosting the competition. And they have been putting a lot of effort into making sure this show is successful. “We’re going to make a lot of really funny jokes, and make sure that it all stays classy.” says Courtney Sewell “I also hope that everyone competing remains classy as well.”
“We hope someone in the audience will be filming to send to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. They may host the Golden Globes every year, but hosting Mr.North Harford is the highest prestige a hostess could ever be honored with,” said senior hostess Alexis Lyttle.
“This competition will be much better than last year, it’ll be bigger, better, since I’m in it,” claims senior competitor Ryan Fochler. It has even been rumored that past winner, Calen Dowley, has been invited to come back and pass off the crown of Mr. North Harford.
“Since he’s the previous winner, it only makes sense,” says junior competitor Jacob Gross, “It’ll be good to see how he acts and thrive off of that energy.”
All of the boys competing are at an equal advantage, but some are sure that they could be the winner. “I’m preparing to the extreme, I’ll definitely be the winner with how I’m preparing, there’s nothing stopping me,” says senior Scott Angstadt. “I’m not nervous at all, I have nerves of steel,” he claims.
They are also preparing vigorously. “I’m doing a rigorous regime of smile- ups, calf- ups, and rolling around in mustard,” says senior Patrick O’Leary. While O’Leary is focused more on physical warm-ups, Fochler is eating breakfast everyday and a strict diet of “candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup.”
Rehearsals do not begin until a week before the show, but the attending audience could not be more excited to see Patrick O’Leary, Luke Johnson, Jordan Jean-Louis, Jacob Gross, Tyler Ziegler, Ryan Fochler, Christopher Hare, Andy Miller, Alec Presley, Andrew Schutt, and Scott Angstadt all compete to be crowned Mr. North Harford on Friday, February 27, at 6pm.
“Mr. North Harford is funny, it’s definitely a good time,” says Presley. “Calen Dowley was hilarious in years past, i look forward to the prospect of him being there. It’ll be really cute watching my competition try and beat me out.”