The women stood on the stage, standing in the middle of the glaring spotlight and colonnades of white balloons. Throngs of supporters screeched high-pitched sorority catcalls from their seats. The energy reverberated throughout Old Cabell Hall auditorium, in sync with the booming bass blasting from the speakers.
The University's Iota Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. held the "Frozen Fantasy" beauty and talent pageant Friday from 8 p.m. until well past midnight in Old Cabell Hall with a crowd of about 300 to 350 spectators.
By the end of the night, after a talent display as well as a question and answer section, third-year College student Evelyn Boatwright beat out seven other contestants and was crowned "Miss Black & Gold 2000."
But regardless of which woman won the pageant, they all left knowing that they helped in supporting a good cause. The proceeds from the show will go to college scholarships for seven black male high school students in the Charlottesville-Albemarle community.
First runner-up Marquita Stephens was crowned "Miss Iota Beta," second runner up Renee Charity was crowned "Miss Onyx" and third runner-up Shayla McGee was crowned "Miss Yellow Rose."
McPheeters said the pageant was open-entry but the committee was looking for well-rounded women with good academic and extra-curricular credentials.
First-year College student Timika Downes; third-year Education student Kia Scott; third-year College students Candace Parham and first-year College student Ivy Clare also competed for the title.
The contestants appeared in white-button down shirts, cowboy hats and black pants for a sultry opening number that set the tone for the evening.
They stated their goals, involvement in the community and reasons for deserving the title of Miss Black & Gold 2000 in the business-wear segment.
The talent portion witnessed varied routines including clarinet accompaniment to the Titanic theme, Giovanni's "Egotrippin," Chopin and Mariah Carey. Richmond's Teen Scene Steppers added coke-can rhythms to the high intensity performance between talent sections.
The question and answer period was the last segment, and the point of highest pressure for the pageant.
First came the question for which she had prepared.
"What do you think the biggest issue will be facing African Americans in the 21st century?"
Then came the random question.
"What do you think of Monica Lewinsky posing as a spokesperson for Jenny Craig?"
Or maybe it was, "What is the biggest problem facing the University community?"
The Alphas stepped and stripped - an added bonus.
Michael McPheeters, vice president of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, pageant committee chairman and Black Fraternal Council president, said the Alphas' first endeavor in pageantry went over very well.
"The Miss Black & Gold Scholarship Pageant is an event to recognize the intelligence, strength and beauty of women of color on the Grounds of the University, to assist them in their scholastic pursuits and to award them for their hard work in making a positive impact on our community," McPheeters said.
He said all of the proceeds raised from the pageant will go toward scholarships for the ladies of the Black & Gold Court and the Iota Beta Chapter's Rev. Arthur J. Only Scholarship Fund.
Nita Booth, Miss Virginia 1998-1999 and Hampton University senior, attended the pageant as one of the six judges and as entertainment, singing Whitney Houston's "I Believe in You and Me."
Booth said even though she had been to many pageants, this was her first fraternity pageant.
Pageants "help promote young women and help build self esteem," she said. "I want to wish the girls the best of luck in what they gain from [this pageant] in the future or for their future."
McPheeters said the contestants "really went all-out ... They looked very nice."
The question and answer period consisted of two questions, one of which the contestants had prepared and another that had to be answered on the spot.
Joshua Holmes, third-year College student and assistant director of the Miss Black & Gold Pageant committee said that the event was exciting for the Alphas. Alpha Phi Alpha, a historically black fraternity, recently got its charter reinstated and is now in its third semester of operation at the University.
He said McPheeters was assigned the task of organizing the Alpha Phi Alpha nationally-recognized pageant immediately after re-chartering last spring.
"We started working on it tentatively last October with basic planning," Holmes said. "Once we got back from Winter Break we had a meeting and it was full thrust from there."
The contestants and committee practiced every week for three to four hours and every day for two to three hours the week before the pageant.
Shayla McGee, now "Miss Yellow Rose," lounged in her sweats before the pageant began, and waited to run through her two original poetry pieces for the umpteenth time.
McGee gained much more than a title. She met women she wouldn't have met otherwise and had interacted with the people on the pageant committee.
"I'm extremely nervous - more nervous than I intended on, that's for sure," McGee said. "I'm not looking at winning."
Booth agreed that the pressure of the pageant was great.
"I think there's a little bit of nervousness, but relief the day it's here because you're ready to show your stuff on stage," she said. "It's harder in front of your peers because peer are more judgmental than other people. To get on the stage is enough to be commended for."
She appeared on stage during the talent section with her hair teased into an Afro and delivered the rousing last lines of her poem to one of the standing ovations of the night.
"Black people in this place stand up," she said. "Because you know we have work to do."
McPheeters estimated that about $3,000 to $3,500 was raised to put toward the scholarships for the high school students.
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