Twelve contestants will compete for the title of “Mr. Batavia 2018” on Friday March 23rd at 7:00p.m.at the Batavia High School Auditorium. The annual fundraising event is in its sixth year and has become a tradition.
“I’m pretty proud,” says teacher/advisor Lisa Robinson.
“The kids started it and I have been able to help carry it on. The committee kids have really taken charge of this. They help out where we need it, this also gives them a good learning experience for when they become seniors and want to be in the show.”
The 12 seniors will compete in group dance, talent, swim, lip sync, tux walk and a question and answer section.
Each contestant has chosen a charity to raise money for. The top three winners will share their winnings with their charity.
The first place winner will get 50% of the profit and the second and third place winners will each get 25% of the profit. Last year the event sold out and raised about $4,500.
(Group dance) (Left to right-Paige Wasilewski(host),Lauren Leon(co-host), Mikey Lullo/Host/Choreographer)
Tickets will go on sale on Monday March 19th and are available during lunch periods for the kids and at the Main Office at BHS from 9am-3pm for the general public.
Adults tickets are $7.00 and student tickets are $5.00. About 800 tickets are available. If any remain after pre-sale, they will be available at the door.
Charles Men’s Shop will provide the tux rentals, Reed Eye Associates will provide the sunglasses and Extreme Streetwear provided the T-shirts. Blink of an Eye Photography/Barb Paserk provided the banner pictures.
Nick Neid/The Salvation Army
“I wanted to do this because I saw my friends doing it last year and the year before that, and I thought it would be great way to give back to my community, “says Neid.
Neid enjoys the camaraderie with others during practice and says he puts a lot into all aspects of the show.
Neid says he chose the Salvation Army because they helped his family a few times when they needed it.
Chase Monachino/Catholic Charities
“I’ve watched the competition through my high school career and I’ve seen the more popular students doing this and I
wanted to prove that anyone can do Mr. Batavia,” says Monachino.
Monachino has come to know everyone in the cast and has become close with them, “They are like family to me.”
“I really enjoy the talent portion of the show, I can finally use my accent for something useful.”
Monachino says he loves to dress up and the tux walk is his favorite part of the show.
“It’s always weary getting up on stage like this, but once you do, it becomes pretty easy and enjoyable.”
Monachino chose Catholic Charities because he likes the idea of giving to a faith based organization and raising money for those less fortunate.
Brandon Buck/Batavia Veterans Association
“I didn’t grow up in Batavia or New York State, I grew up in Washington D.C., my dad was in the Marine Corp., so I figured it would be cool for a person not from Batavia, NY to win Mr. Batavia,” says Buck.
Buck’s dad is from Batavia and their family has lived in many different places over the years.
In the three years Buck has attended BHS, he says he has witnessed a lot of goofiness in the show, a lot of feminine things which he finds very funny. “I like to do funny things.”
Buck’s favorite part of the show?
“I really like the lip sync, I really think it fits me perfectly.”
Buck will be raising money for the Batavia Veterans Association.
Valentino Zinni/Volunteers for Animals
“I thought this would be fun, get to know some of the guys better and get close to some of my friends doing this,” says Zinni.
“This has been awesome, we’ve gotten closer and we just bonded.”
Zinni says the show looked like fun over the years and thought he would give it a try in his senior year.
“The best part will be wearing a suit from Charles Men’s Shop.”
Zinni was keeping his lips sealed on his plans for the talent portion of the show.
“Keeping it a surprise.”
“A lot of people that you might know that are quiet coming out, being different, and out of their comfort zone, it will be interesting.”
Zinni says he is very passionate about animals and loves them a lot and so he will raising money for Volunteers for Animals.
Cameron Hardy/Genesee Cancer Assistance
“I’ve been to the show every year that I have been at the high school and I saw all my friends doing it and they seem to really enjoy it, so I wanted to try it out,” says Hardy.
Hardy says his favorite thing has being able to hang out with his friends, getting to see their talents and their lip syncs.
How does your lip sync compare to your friend’s lip sync?
“A little better I think, I get to express myself.”
Hardy says cancer has affected his family over the years and that is why he chose Genesee Cancer Assistance to give back to.
“Hope to see everyone there, it is going to be fun to see everyone make a fool of themselves on the stage.”
Jon Liciaga/Anna’s Wish
“I wanted to step out of my comfort zone, so I am not quiet and more open,” says Liciaga.
When asked what we might see during his performances?
“You will just have to come out and see.”
Liciaga says he chose Anna’s Wish because he wanted to raise funds during this year’s Homecoming Pep Rally, but was unable to.
“I’ve seen a lot of people come out of their comfort zones doing this, I never thought they would be on stage doing half the stuff they are doing.”
John Kindig/Alzheimer’s Association of WNY
“I’m doing Mr. Batavia to make a lot of new friends and hang out with my boys and have a good time,” says Kindig.
Kindig says dancing on stage was very different, but they had a great Choreographer, Mikey Lullo helping out.
“It has been different, going out of my comfort zone, learning to dance, I am used to being in front of a crowd for sports, so not really nervous about that.”
Kindig is asking the community to come out to the show for a great time, great cause and raise money for charity.
“You will definitely see some stuff you don’t expect.”
Kindig chose the Alzheimer’s Association of WNY because his grandfather was affected by the disease and died as a result.
“It is really close to me”
Nate Loria/Habitat For Humanity
“I’ve been to Mr. Batavia every single year that it has been going and they always look like they have so much fun on stage,” says Nate.
Did you have any stage fright?
“Oh I definitely did, but I think this has been a great time.”
So have you got over the stage fright?
“Not at all, I’m still extremely nervous, but I think its going to be fun.
But you have been on stage practicing for two months?
“Yeah, but there hasn’t been a crowd, so we will see how it works out.”
Any favorite part of the show?
‘I think my talent stands out a little more than the rest, its a little unique.”
Nate will be raising funds for Habitat for Humanity, he thinks it is a great foundation and their mission statement is very good.
Anand Patel/Golisano’s Children’s Hospital
“I have been on the committee for Mr. Batavia for 3 years now and I have been planning my debut for Mr. Batavia March 2018 since day one,” says Patel.
“I am so ready for this.”
Do you think all the past experience puts you ahead in the competition?
“I mean we don’t want to say that, but we can make an inference, an educated guess, I ‘ve seen every single Mr. Batavia show.”
Any word of advice for your competitors?
“I feel like you just gotta get out there and be who you are and really show the crowd what they might not see in a regular school day.”
Patel says the process that goes into the event, the practices on weekends where they all get together and work on the show is the best part.
Patel is raising funds for Golisano’s Children’s Hospital because the daughter of the senior class advisor was a patient there and the hospital really helped her out and it really means a lot to Patel and the rest of the senior class.
Julio Vazquez/The Michael Napoleone Foundation
“I’ve watched Mr. Batavia in the past and it looked like fun, so I have decided to join the fun, says Vazquez.
Planning since his sophomore year, Vazquez had an idea of what he wanted to do in the show, but his ideas changed after the group started practicing for the show in December. Vazquez says he changed as a person and decided to change things up.
What have you learned about working with all these guys the past few months?
“Some of them are funny, I learned some of them have really good talent, didn’t expect that.”
Vazquez is raising money for the Michael Napoleone Foundation because they are important to the community and he thought it would be good to give back.
Joe Marchese/Crossroads House
“I’ve always wanted to do Mr. Batavia, I’ve watched the first show and I have watched every show since and it has been really something, I wanted to go up on stage, do my talent, it has been a dream come true,” says Marchese.
Marchese says it has been big bonding experience between him and 11 other guys.
“Just to do this with them, it will be something to talk about for years to come.”
Dancing is something Marchese says he had to learn after being involved in the show.
“It has been a lot of fun, have learned a lot of new things like dancing, I couldn’t really do body rolls, still can’t do them, I definitely would not want to do anything else in my senior year.”
Marchese is raising funds for Crossroads House because they helped his grandmother out when she needed it. “I just wanted to pick an organization close to home and I think it is a very important organization.”
Evan Bellavia/Lifetime Care, Home Healthcare and Hospice
“I love every bit of performing on stage and I have seen every Mr. Batavia show, in the 2016 show I helped Ross Chua with his lip sync, it was such a great experience, thought I should do this for my senior year,” says Bellavia.
Bellavia says the whole show will be great, he thinks the audience will love everyone’s performances.
“Each of these contestants gets to put themselves out there, they get show everyone who they really are as an individual. I have always been this sort of shy, kind of weird kid and this will help”
You have been on stage acting in several plays during high school, are you really that shy?
“Not really that shy, but I never really get to show who I really am, I always get to play characters on stage.”
Bellavia is raising funds for Lifetime Care, Home Health Care and Hospice.
“Earlier this year I had a friend, Tori Nigro who tragically passed away in a car accident and she was such a wonderful human being, we did everything for each other, I felt like I could give something back to her even though she is not here by helping and supporting her family and helping those who have lost loved ones either in a car accident or who have fallen to cancer.”
Nigro was involved in a past Mr. Batavia show, helping a contestant as a coach with his lip sync segment.
Do feel like she could be here in spirit with you doing this?
“Yes, absolutely.”