Las Vegas Weekly

January 20, 2009 · 10:10 AM

Photo Galleries: Five days gone, five days to go; Miss America contestants meet The Phantom

By Robin Leach

Florida native Andrew Ragone (Raoul), Miss Florida Sierra Minott, Miss Wisconsin Briana Lipor, Wisconsin native Anthony Crivello (The Phantom), Miss Colorado Jamie Dukehart-Conti and Colorado native Kristi Holden (Christine).

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

After a long day of rehearsals, the 52 Miss America contestants had their last social fun last night. They enjoyed “The Music of the Night” at a special performance of Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular at The Venetian. Our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue was along for this exclusive photo shoot.

After the performance, the contestants met lead cast members Andrew Ragone (Raoul), Kristi Holden (Christine) and Tony Award winner Anthony Crivello (The Phantom). And just for the cameras, the new Super Bowl contender states’ representatives Miss Pennsylvania Kendria Perry and Miss Arizona Erin Brittany Nurss put aside their football rivalry and congratulated the Phantom. Andrew, who hails from Florida, met with Miss Florida Sierra Minott; Anthony, who is from Wisconsin, posed with Miss Wisconsin Briana Lipor; and Kristi, from Colorado, chatted with Miss Colorado Jamie Dukehart-Conti.

This morning, we’ll talk with the top two Miss America officials, Chairman Sam Haskell and President Art McMaster, about what we can expect new and different in this year’s pageant. We’ll also talk today with Brent Zacky, TLC’s VP of programming, about Saturday’s telecast. We’ll have those reports right here tomorrow morning. The contestants continue on all day long with the crucial judges’ interviews, rehearsals and wardrobe preparations before tonight’s first round of preliminary competition.

Vegas DeLuxe has a full crew of contributing photographers on duty with the 52 contestants today and tonight, and we’ll have that first showcase look at the costumed competitors also right here tomorrow morning.

Actor and TV host Mario Lopez will once again emcee the Miss America Pageant on Saturday, which will air live on TLC. It’s Mario’s second consecutive year, and agent Mike Esterman has him lined up with a slew of local appearances. On Friday night, just 24 hours before the telecast, Mario will host a Countdown to the Crown party at the Extra lounge at Planet Hollywood. Shortly after the Miss America festivities, Mario is set to jet off to Tampa, Fla., where he will handle Extra’s pregame interviews at the Super Bowl.

Miss America officials have arranged a special treat for Vegas DeLuxe readers as a result of our continuing daily coverage since the pageant’s glamour girls arrived in town last week. They have set up a special promotional code for readers and fans with Ticketmaster so you can get a 50 percent off discount for the three preliminary competitions and the actual Miss America telecast! Simply go to www.ticketmaster.com and enter “2 for 1” in the promotional code box!

Here’s what’s on deck for the remainder of this week: Tomorrow, we meet with the panel of judges to see what they will be expecting from this year’s huddle of hopefuls. The second preliminary competition follows an afternoon of live broadcast rehearsals. On Thursday, as rehearsals continue, Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund and other former Miss Americas announce the Quality of Life Award winners before the final night of the preliminary competitions.

On Friday, we’re set for our candid chat with Mario, and we’ll have that posted Saturday morning. Marie Osmond will be the special guest at the Planet Hollywood “Dinner of Dreams,” with 1981 Miss America Susan Powell hosting. I’ll join the ladies for the Friday night special toast onstage. Susan will introduce entertainment performances by Kirsten, 2007 Miss America Lauren Nelson and 1965 Miss America Vonda Van Dyke. The Miss America dance party will follow, and in between the disco and other dance routines, the contestants will shuttle to Extra lounge for Mario’s reception.

Saturday is the big day, with the live telecast beginning here at 5 p.m. Pacific Time for the 8 p.m. Eastern Time telecast on TLC. After the new Miss America is crowned two hours later, I will have the first exclusive interview and photo session with the winner, and we’ll post that right here Saturday evening. Our interview will run Sunday before the 2009 Miss America flies to New York for her first TV appearances there Monday morning.

Remember that your best source for daily coverage of all things Miss America is right here at Vegas DeLuxe!

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