LHS’s sacred tradition of senior boys dancing on a stage with shiny costumes and breathtaking talents in front of the entire student body has graced the school once again. After an eventful night filled with acts from the Mr. LHS contestants, and a very difficult decision from the judges, meet your 2024 Mr. LHS, Charlie Lantz.
Lantz took the floor on the night of Thurs Apr. 18 and swept the judges and the audience off their feet with his act by performing “My Way” by Frank Sinatra.
“A lot of time went into my act. I can’t thank Graycie Farnsworth and Liv LaBranche enough for choreographing,” Lantz said. “Also Evelyn Godbout and Ava Sampson. They came in on their Friday nights to help me look less stupid on stage and I’m extremely grateful to them.”
Beforehand, Lantz had his act together and choreographed and even had a few surprise elements that he came up with like starting his song from the top of the audience.
“I had it all planned out once I got to the stage, but before that it was all improv,” Lantz said. “Walking through the bleachers I was trying to find people in the crowd to mess with like Evan Fortin. But I was mostly trying not to voice crack.”
The preparation for the show consisted of each contestant getting their acts together and getting props and choreography. The guys would even help each other and play different roles in each other’s acts.
“In preparation for the show it never felt like a competition,” Lantz said. “I think all of the guys would agree that it was more like preparing for an episode of SNL.”
Lantz was a big help with other contestant’s acts including Matt Carroll and Brendan Gear [BG]. In Gear’s act, Lantz played the host, “Steve Charlie.” Gear’s act consisted of a game show that had questions that revolved around the senior class.
“Getting to play Steve Charlie, BG and I spent a lot of time working with the surprise guests to get them in the act and it was sick to see it all come together,” Lantz said. “Brainstorming with him and Carroll for ideas made my week.”
Lantz and all of the other guys were “very focused” on getting their acts together, so winning was one of the last things on their mind.
“It wasn’t until [the contestants and I] were backstage during intermission where we all realized how cool it would be to win,” Lantz said. “Still, even right before getting back on stage for awards, I had no idea how it would turn out. The other guys all did awesome and I could see it going any way.”
The day after Lantz won was “a day to remember” for him.
“I can’t lie, I felt like a celebrity,” Lantz said. “Some kid I never met took off his hat and bowed it to me at Nutfield while I was getting breakfast that morning and was honestly on an ego high for the rest of the day.”
The whole night and all of the acts wouldn’t have run as smoothly as it did without the help of all of the staff and crew.
“Dewinks, Pat, Mr. Barrett, and all the people who worked on Stage Crew,” Lantz said. “I couldn’t have done it without them.”
