Mr. and Miss Blazer competitions to take place

The Mr. Blazer competition, an annual fundraiser sponsored by the senior class, is scheduled to take place on April 16. In addition, the senior class is also hosting a Miss Blazer competition for the first time.

The Mr. Blazer competition is an annual event that is "mostly for fun," said senior class president Lynn Favin. "Officially, [Mr. Blazer is] supposed to be for the most talented upperclassmen at Blair," she said, describing the competition as "a parody of beauty pageants."

According to Favin, the money raised from the Mr. and Miss Blazer competitions will be used to help pay for Prom.

This year, in addition to Mr. Blazer, the senior class is introducing a Miss Blazer competition. "Girls always wanted to try out for Mr. Blazer," said Favin. "There's a lot of female talent."

Senior Elan Brisbane, who plans to try out for Miss Blazer, said that the new competition is a good idea. "I'm excited," she said. "I think it's a chance to let the girls show what they have." Brisbane said that if the senior class had not created the Miss Blazer competition, she would have tried out for Mr. Blazer.

Senior class sponsor Norman Stant said that the Mr. Blazer competition started when the senior class decided to have a fundraiser a few years back. "They wanted to do something different and something that would appeal to a lot of people," Stant said. "It went over as a huge success." The success of the first Mr. Blazer competition encouraged the senior class to turn the competition into an annual event, Stant said.

Both the Mr. and Miss Blazer competitions will consist of categories in question and answer, formal eveningwear and talent. The talents that contestants have signed up to perform this year include singing, dancing, skits, band performances and acrobatics. "If you can do a talent, then we encourage you to try out, no matter what it is," Favin stated.

The tryouts are open to juniors and seniors, and auditions are taking place after school on March 9, 10 and 11. Favin estimates that about ten boys will be chosen to perform in the actual Mr. Blazer show. The senior class has not yet decided how many girls will be chosen, but the number will likely be less than that of the boys because the Miss Blazer competition will be shorter than the Mr. Blazer competition, said Favin. Both Mr. and Miss Blazer will be chosen at the actual show. The judges will be a panel of five teachers.

The Miss Blazer competition will take place in the late afternoon on April 16, while Mr. Blazer will begin at 7:00 p.m. that evening after Blair Fair. Tickets will be $5 for the Mr. Blazer competition and $3 for the Miss Blazer competition, "because [Miss Blazer is] earlier in the day," said Favin. Tickets for both competitions are $6.

Favin encourages students to purchase tickets early. "We always sell out," she said.