Mr. Marist Contestants Captivate Sold-Out Theater
Marist College students filled the sold-out Nelly Goletti Theater on Nov. 14. for the annual Mr. Marist talent show. The event was hosted by Marist Greek Life to raise money for charities of the participants’ choosing.
The night began with introductory remarks from the two MCs of the show, President of Greek Council, senior Maggie Gravano, and Events Chair, senior Megan Gregor. The opening act showcased each of the Mr. Marist contestants in unique costumes answering the question, “What are you wearing tonight?” evoking laughter from the audience.
Part one of the raffle giveaway followed, leading into a video message from President Kevin C. Weinman. Due to technical difficulties, the video could not be played, and the show continued to its talent show portion. The acts from the Mr. Marist candidates included stand-up comedy, vocal performances, tricycle riding and a magic trick. The show concluded with part two of the raffle giveaway and the announcement of this year’s Mr. Marist.
The winner of Mr. Marist, Theta Delta Chi fraternity member sophomore Andrew D’Amico, performed Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York.” He was accompanied by junior Patrick Hannon, who was dressed as the Statue of Liberty, as well as a kickline.
This song choice was intentional, as D’Amico’s fraternity big, senior Matthew La Malfa, sang “New York, New York” two years prior at the Mr. Marist event. La Malfa came in second place in a close run, and D’Amico’s performance and win was a tribute to his big.
“I did some of the shows in high school for theater, so I thought my senior year, my being on stage was over,” said D’Amico. “This was nice because it gave me a little leg up to get back up on the stage one more time. I had a ton of fun with it.”
D’Amico chose the Tunnels to Towers Foundation as his philanthropy. This foundation pays the mortgages of fallen first responders of Sept. 11, 2001 families. D’Amico has a personal connection to this foundation, as his uncle was a first responder that day.
This year marked a milestone for Marist Greek Life, as the show was sold out, a feat that council members attributed to detailed preparation and teamwork. Starting from the moment she first stepped on campus this semester, Gravano in particular worked tirelessly in her efforts to secure the venue, plan rehearsals and coordinate contestant nominations.
“It’s a lot of preparation, but it’s rewarding,” she said, adding that seeing the packed audience and the vibrant energy onstage made all the effort worthwhile.
Reflecting on the challenges of organizing the event, Gravano shared insights into the technical difficulties that arose. The outdated lighting and sound systems in the venue proved to be obstacles, requiring collaboration with the Student Activities team.
“We just had to roll with the punches,” she said, describing moments when quick thinking was necessary to keep the show running smoothly, such as when a projector malfunctioned.
Despite these hurdles, the Greek Council team delivered an engaging and theatrical production that surpassed previous years in terms of quality and entertainment.
Gravano’s favorite part of this year’s event was witnessing the creativity of the contestants and the increased use of costumes and props, which added a theatrical component to the show. As a senior, she found this final show particularly meaningful.
“Selling out the show and even needing extra seats — it was definitely rewarding,” she said.
The event rallied many groups together, and the entirety of the TDX fraternity showed up in support of one of their members participating in the event, who ultimately won Mr. Marist that night.
“It was really a community-building moment for Greek Life,” said sophomore Caila Barreiros, backstage volunteer.
She worked with the participants and council leaders during the week of the show, with rehearsals starting at 9 p.m. and running for multiple hours. Barreiros acknowledged that participating in the show was a big time commitment and required not only a flexible schedule, but also patience for the hours-long rehearsals.
One member of the audience, Jenna DelGrego, a senior at Marist, heard about the event from friends, fellow students speaking about the event during class, flyers posted on campus and from students promoting the event on social media.
“This was the first time I’ve ever been to Mr. Marist. I have heard about the event in previous years but was not quite sure what exactly it was,” DelGrego said. “The event acted as a great source of entertainment…the overall goal was to raise money for a charity, and that goal was definitely met because the show was sold out, and there were more people in attendance than the number of seats available in the theater.”
Before attending Mr. Marist, DelGrego was not aware that fraternities and sororities were involved in philanthropy.
“Attending the event and seeing that Greek life is more than just dressing up and partying allowed me to see that there is more to Greek life than just what you see on social media,” she said.
Reportedly, many last-minute changes were made to the show. Sophomore Thaddeus Kinlaw’s tricycle act did not go as planned. The president of TDX, senior Jack Crowley, was meant to assist him; however, he contracted an illness and was hospitalized before the show. Last-minute helper Hannon was added to Kinlaw’s act. Because Hannon was unpracticed, Kinlaw had a small tumble on stage.
Among these last-minute changes, and aside from the quick decision to do a kickline during “New York, New York,” D’Amico’s answers to the question portion were a surprise even to him. This is the first year that the question portion was rehearsed; however, D’Amico mentioned, “I changed it all like five minutes before I went out.”
Barreiros, also delegate for the Greek Council, noted that the participants were much friendlier and easier to work with than she anticipated. They continuously offered backstage help, and it was clear they each cared deeply about their philanthropic cause.
She also commented on her positive experience working with the council leaders, some of them even being fellow sisters from her sorority, Tri Sigma.
“They’re such great people to work for and help out, and they make you want to help them…it was an easy decision to work with them.”