Review: Mr. Georgetown at Gaston Hall on Oct. 2
Every so often, Georgetown hands you a night so gloriously unserious that you forget you’re supposed to be networking. This year’s Mr. Georgetown pageant was one of those nights. Hosted by the Georgetown Program Board (GPB), this annual tradition brings together male seniors who represent various student organizations to compete for the illustrious title of Mr. Georgetown. By the end of the three-hour show, we had watched 17 men in cowboy hats compete for a crown and had grown far too emotionally invested in a Dolly Parton drag performance. One of us (read: Natalia) even lost our voice from cheering.
What made this night magical was its complete commitment to the bit. There was no easing in as the opening dance, choreographed by Groove Theory, featured plenty of boot-scootin’, hip swaying, and body rolls. Every Mister gave it their all, leaving us stunned as they pranced across the stage. The fashion show raised the stakes (and the heels). Mr. Mask and Bauble Nate Findlay (CAS ‘27) arrived as Elphaba Thropp, Mr. Phantoms Scottie Vandy (CAS ‘27) strutted in Phant-astic knee-high heels, and Mr. Germs Rico Chan rolled onstage atop a gurney. Each contestant showed off their club’s personality; no words were needed.
If the first half of the show demonstrated that these men could commit, the talent portion proved they could deliver. Highlights included Mr. Pep Band Nate Morris (CAS ‘27) staging a martial arts scene using his instruments as weapons, keeping us more entertained than any modern action movie could; Mr. Philodemic Arthur Schneiders (CAS ‘27) claiming he could 50 women off the top of his head but running out of time at number 43; and finally, Mr. Jawani Rishi Dinesh (SFS ‘27) turning up the energy with a Bhangra dance so electric our eyes never left the stage.
All but four contestants were eliminated for the pageant’s finale. Mr. DC Reads Eli Amos (CAS ‘27), Dinesh, Chan, and Findlay comprised the final four. During the finalist trivia round, Amos wrote “Dollywood” as the name of Dolly Parton’s literacy charity and one of us (again, read: Natalia) let out a cackle so loud we sank into our seats. The interviews contrasted with the night’s endless string of jokes, offering previously unseen sincerity from the contenders. Amos, for example, highlighted the beautiful community he’s found through tutoring with DC Reads, while Chan shared how infectious his smile has become since coming to Georgetown.
In the end, Dinesh took home the title of Mr. Georgetown, with Findlay as a close runner-up. The audience voted Chan as Mr. Fan Favorite, and the contestants voted Mr. BMDT Aidan Munroe (CAS ‘27) as Mr. Congeniality—a reminder for the audience that the Misters spent the evening cheering each other on, as well. Mr. Georgetown is a rare night on campus where the goal is to be shamelessly silly, bringing a much-needed levity to the midterms purgatory most of us are mired in. All in all, next fall, be ready to win the CampusGroups ticket war, because Mr. Georgetown is a show you won’t want to miss.
Yeehaw, gentlemen.
Natalia Gonzalez-Chelala and Lorelei Schwarz are Sophomores in the SFS and CAS, respectively. They strongly believe in the transformative power of a good cowboy hat.
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