The Alumnae Auditorium was alive with the sounds of chatter and laughter as faculty, staff, and students alike patiently awaited the drawing of the curtain on the evening of October 5, 2019. Glittering posters, made by the seniors, cheered on the Jr-Soph class from the balcony. Big sisters sat in the wooden seats with bouquets of flowers littered in their laps and at their feet. The crowd came to an abrupt hush as the lights of the auditorium’s elegant chandelier dimmed and Head of Virtue Committee Julia Singleton took the podium onstage. Pageant 2019 had begun.
This year’s Jr-Soph Pageant was based on the play “Unhappily Ever After,” the story of a counselor who holds a counseling session for a hodgepodge of fairy-tale characters to see how they are getting along. Little does the counselor know, their “happily ever after” isn’t very happy at all!
In keeping with Judson College tradition, the play was “Judson-ized” for the enjoyment of the Jr-Sophs’ big sister class, as well as other Judson faculty, staff, and alumnae. The Jr-Soph class had the opportunity to represent their beloved families with hilarious jokes, silly songs, and exceptional dance moves!
Elaina Johnson, this year’s Pageant director, describes her experience with leading her class in this exciting tradition: “Leading my class was hard, stressful, and scary, because I had never done anything like it before,” she explained. “In the end, it was one of the best things I’ve ever done. Not because I was able to be ‘in charge,’ but because I got to know my class in a different way, and they also got to know me differently. I’m forever grateful and honored for the experience they gave me.”
Immediately following the show, the audience had the opportunity to meet with the cast and crew and show their praise and appreciation. Refreshments were served in the foyer and parlors of Jewett Hall.
For more information on Pageant and other traditions, see a previous article.