See more of The Viking Vibe’s Mr. SBHS coverage here and here
On Thursday, March 26, South Brunswick High School held its annual pageant-style comedy event, Mr. SBHS, where senior boys dance, sing, act, and dress up for the title of Mr. SBHS. This year, the show was Disney themed and hosted by Dr. Negraval and Mr. Tuliszewski, who draw in a large crowd every year with their comedic bits inspired by current events and popular figures, well known both inside and outside the school. The eleven contestants this year were seniors Agustya Chinta, Arnav Mota, Rishab Kangyampeta, Jacob Walczyk, Aidan Fung, Emiliano Reyna, Alex Vega, Mario Williams, Ryan Santoro, Ian Taylor, and Dami Osinowo, in order of their contestant numbers.
In the weeks leading up to the event, the contestants rehearsed for about an hour and a half a day for 3 weeks straight, mostly working on choreography. Ryan Santoro, Contestant #9, says that “The best part of planning was definitely the dress rehearsal before the show, where we brought all the choreography, talents, and activities together. It was really fun to see the show finally come together.”
To start off the event, all the boys performed a rehearsed dance to Descendants’ ‘Ways to Be Wicked’ choreographed by the student council. To introduce themselves, each contestant performed an original rap/rhyme, which had to include their contestant number. Alex Vega, contestant #7, won the award for Best Rhyme. He said, “I made sure to include all the important things about me, my job instructing taekwondo, my soccer and coding passions, my academic strengths, and even my love for Brawl Stars. Although, I believe the things that led me to win Best Rhyme was the double entendres, as I made sure to sprinkle in a few all around while keeping the flow intact.”
Afterwards, Dr. Negraval and Mr. Tuliszewski held their first intermission skit: they brought students and teachers up to the stage from the crowd to perform their best interpretations of Mickey Mouse and to see who could put on a dress the fastest. Dr. Negraval says “I think any time we can do an opening skit or an intermission skit that lands it’s a good night.” These intermission skits draw engagement from the audience and keeps students and teachers coming back.
The next part of the event was the talent segment, a segment most students look forward to every year. Contestants could choose any talent they could perform on a stage, and most talents stemmed from the contestants’ passions and hobbies. Conversely, some were comedic. Mario Williams, contestant #8, performed a lip-syncing rendition of “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid. Mario dressed in a seashell bikini and red-haired wig and performed the song with dedication, a sight that many audience members thought to be the highlight of the night. This performance won him best talent by the judges and popular vote. Contestants #10 and 11, Ian Taylor and Dami Osinowo, lip-synced to a song from the movie High School Musical, committing to the bit with the iconic Troy and Gabriella costumes. Some contestants showed off their athletic abilities and musical talents, and some even showed their academic prowess.
Other rounds of the competition included the school spirit dressing contest, the formal wear segment, and the Q and A segment, where contestants were asked questions about their future goals, hobbies, and societal opinions. Vega shouted “that’s my man” and all the contestants slapped their knee, this year’s version of the routine following every answer. When asked about the inspiration behind the phrase, he said that “As a group, we decided on saying “That’s my man” since it is a viral sound and fits perfectly with our humors.” For his question, his girlfriend in the crowd shouted “that’s my man”, drawing in loud cheers from the audience. This segment was one of the funniest and creative portions of the event, because it showed the versatility of the contestants.
Following the Q and A, the audience members could vote on their favorite contestant before the judges announced Mr. SBHS, and the hosts would announce the winner of Mr. Legs, which was given out as a google form to students in the week leading up to the event. The winner was Ian Taylor, Contestant #10. After giving out awards for Best Dressed to Dami Osinowo, Contestant #11, and the previously mentioned honorable mention awards, the title of Mr. SBHS went to Contestant #9, Ryan Santoro. Santoro’s rhyme and talent both showed his creativity and passion in performing, making this event one where he could excel in greatly. He says that the best part of the show was “getting to know all the other guys and making closer connections with them.” All in all, the event was another huge success, raking in cash for the student council committee, and providing a night of entertainment that students look forward to attending in the future.
