Mr. West Essex officially scheduled for June 9
Calling all seniors to the stage! After a two-year hiatus, the senior boys will proudly reclaim the auditorium stage on June 9 as they compete in the beloved Mr. West Essex pageant. Spearheaded by business teacher and coach Andrea Mondadori, the annual tradition will be restored for the Class of 2022.
Because the pageant usually happens in March, rumors of uncertainty regarding the status of Mr. West Essex production permeated the hallways until Feb. 18, when Mondadori officially announced that the fan-favorite show would return. She cites her motivation for resuming pageant production as the administration’s decision to lift the mask mandate as of March 7.
“When they lifted the mask mandate, and cases obviously went down, that just kind of gave us the go ahead to get back to normal,” Mondadori said. “Performing with masks or having an audience in masks wasn’t an ideal way to run the show, [and] if we’re gonna do it, it’s got to be done the right way.”
Despite the recent announcement, production is already in full gear.
“Right now, I’m trying to figure out who we want to be in this,” Mondadori said. “I’m trying to see what we’re working with, what kind of talent level we have and what kids can do. Once we kind of figure out who our main characters are, then we can develop the show.”
With COVID-19 interrupting the past two productions, the current seniors are barely accustomed with the Mr. West Essex tradition, allowing Mondadori to work with a clean slate of contestants.
“It’s almost like working from the ground up, so what I’m most excited for is to see what kind of talent we have in this senior class,” Mondadori said. “I really want to showcase that as much as possible.”
With Mondadori at the reins and the unique personalities of the 2022 senior class, the return of Mr. West Essex is sure to be unforgettable. Mark your calendars for June 9.
