Lakeport >> This marks the third year for the Lake County Theatre Company (LCTC) production, Mr. Lake County. But by the heavy turnout and the constant chatter leading up to the event, it’s hard to believe the male pageant isn’t a time-honored tradition.
Following the traditional beauty pageant lineup, a dozen men take to the stage to show off their evening wear, swimsuits and talents, along with answering an interview question — thought up by the audience. But there’s one huge difference between this event and a normal pageant: no one is taking Mr. Lake County seriously.
“If you look at the base core of what the show is, it’s a parody of real pageants. Real pageants can be fiercely competitive,” said William McAuley, who’s competing for the second time this year. “The show only works if everybody’s having a good time.”
So far, the show has been going spectacularly. Most men admit that they’ll be shocked to win, that they’re competing for the camaraderie that comes along with the experience.
And that’s the right way to go about it, said last year’s winner Larry Richardson. His advice for this year’s contestants was simple: “I say have fun, don’t worry about winning or losing and enjoy. That’s it. Just have fun.”
The objective of the show is to make people laugh, so contestants can’t have any qualms about embarrassing themselves. Thankfully, that doesn’t seem to be much of an issue. “At some point in your life you don’t take yourself so seriously so you can let loose,” said competitor Victor Puentes.
It certainly isn’t a problem for Jeff Craig, who won the Celebrity Lip Synch competition at the Soper Reese Theatre last year with his performance of Shirley Temple’s Animal Crackers in My Soup. He donned a dress, blond wig and makeup for that performance. Mr. Lake County is more of the same.
The event isn’t for the faint of heart, be they audience members or contestants. There are sexual innuendos and jokes, cursing and even nudity from the braver men. Obviously, Mr. Lake County is intended only for those 18 and over.
The pageant is a fundraiser for LCTC, as they attempt to purchase their own theater building. For some time now, they haven’t had a set rehearsal or performance space, jumping from location to location as time and money permit. They still have some time to go before they bring in enough funds, but Mr. Lake County is a much-anticipated event each year.
Since winning isn’t at the forefront of anyone’s mind, the fundraising aspect was the draw of entering the pageant. Many of the men just wanted to do their part to help the community.
Then there are some contestants who look at Mr. Lake County as acting experience. Puentes, who was recently involved in the LCTC production of South Pacific, is hoping the pageant with open some doors in the theater community. Kaleb Sancterson also thought the show could be a nice stepping-stone into performing. He admitted he doesn’t know much about singing and dancing, but Mr. Lake County is helping him come out of his shell.
A long-time LCTC actor, McAuley looks at the show as an entirely different and refreshing acting experience. “You’re putting on a heightened performance version of who you are, which is way more fun and challenging than just learning lines and developing someone else,” he said. “You get more creative control, because it’s whatever you want to do.”
Although the show is a spoof on real pageants, as the reigning Mr. Lake County, Richardson’s responsibilities aren’t so different from a traditional pageant queen. He regularly makes appearances around the county to promote the LCTC and the event. “I go out and try to make things happen because I want this to be well known,” he said. “I want to pack the house every time they have one of these things.”
He’s been doing the job well, and he might just be a difficult act to follow. “Brian Martin and Larry Richardson, you couldn’t ask for better men to represent Mr. Lake County,” said competitor Michael Williams — Martin was the winner of the inaugural show. “And I just hope this year’s winner will be able to measure up.”
Richardson feels that he won Mr. Lake County because of his active presence in the community, even before last year’s event. Which is why this year they’re switching up the show just a little bit.
Acting as MC this year, Richardson intends to make the pageant just a little more personable, giving the audience a chance to get to know the men. He’ll be playing off their hobbies and interests more than in previous years.
This will likely come at the expense of some of the contestants, as it did last year for McAuley, the youngest of the bunch — at one point, his virginity was up for auction. But he didn’t mind. That’s what the show is all about. “Being a comedian, you have to make fun of yourself, it’s something you do constantly. So being the butt of the joke is fine as long as it is a joke,” he said. “Ultimately whatever works for making the show better is okay with me.”
Like the last two years, the pageant is bound to be riot, with the audience rolling in their seats. It’s coordinated by Sarah Dutra and Diana Schmidt, who help put on the Lip Synch every year — another eagerly-anticipated hit. Though much of Mr. Lake County is planned out, there is a spontaneous aspect to it, which makes it quite the change from normal, scripted LCTC productions.
Mr. Lake County takes place Saturday, July 16 from 7-10 p.m. at the Lake County Fairgrounds Little Theater Building. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. VIP tables — sitting 8 people — are available for $300. Tickets can be purchased at the Soap Shack in Lakeport or online at www.lakecountytheatrecompany.org. For more information call 533-9645.
