Friday, April 4, was a big night for the 2025 Mr. East contestants. Seniors Ethan Barroway, Sam Becker, Aarav Bommu, Kevin Garvin, Adam Leibowitz, Yul Nam, Reph Shohat, and Joe Weigle finally performed the acts they had been perfecting since February.
The theme – chosen by chairpeople Barbara Armstrong, Charlie Heidt, Aline Tang, and Emily Yeary – was occupations. After the opening group dance number, which was choreographed by Christina Coen and Pushti Shah, the show followed with work-themed segments. There was a beach-themed “personal time off” section, a “career day” section where the contestants mainly showcased their talents, a formal wear section, and finally, a Q&A.
Ethan Barroway, who competed as Mr. Big Red, won first place. He was a cowboy for his occupation, and his main act was singing Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”. To preface his talent, Barroway also showed off his flute skills in front of the curtain as helpers set up his drum set. When the curtain opened, he had a band with two guitarists and a drummer playing, and four other people waving American flags next to him onstage. Barroway’s outfits throughout the night included a cowboy costume, a white T-shirt with jeans for his Springsteen performance, and finally a bright red suit to match his name for the formal wear segment. Alongside some smaller prizes, Barroway won two tickets to the upcoming Senior Prom.
“I feel that it wasn’t winning Mr. East that made the night great, but the fun I had along the way with the other contestants, and those in my act really made it special. I couldn’t have won without everyone who helped me along the way,” Barroway said.
The second place winner was Sam Becker, competing as Mr. Sam I Am. His occupation was a rabbi. For his main talent, he performed “The Greatest Show” from “The Greatest Showman” amidst a crowd of backup dancers waving red flags. Then he put on a black and white striped jacket and showcased his miming skills. He also brought out Trevor Preece (’24), who won last year’s competition as Mr. Sue Sylvester.
Kevin Garvin, as Mr. Wonder, took third place. He sang “Sarah’s Place” by Zach Bryan and then played “Superstition” by his namesake Stevie Wonder on the drums. He had his dad onstage alongside him playing guitar.
The other contestants gave the competition their all as well. Adam Leibowitz as Mr. CHUBS brought Mr. Finkle onstage to sing “Sweet Caroline”, while Aarav Bommu’s Mr. Jiggletron act and Joe Weigle’s Mr. Congeniality act both involved a crowd-pleasing magic trick. Reph Shohat had multiple outfit changes as part of his pop star Mr. So Hot routine, and Yul Nam’s act as Mr. Yulius Caesar had a lot of interactivity with the crowd through his Masked Singer- based performance.
While the chairpeople made sure that the show itself ran smoothly, there were some technical difficulties with the microphones that Yul Nam addressed in the Q&A segment.
“Even though the mic cut out, and there were a couple other hiccups today, I feel really happy about it, and I think that I can call that a success,” he said when asked how he defines success.
The chairpeople decided to dedicate this year’s Mr. East contest to a local South Jersey charity called Tools For Schools. The charity gives school supplies to underprivileged students. Before the winner was announced, the boys ran through the crowd and collected numerous donations from audience members.
The cheering crowd of students, teachers, and parents proved that the show was a success, but it wasn’t just about the competition. While the boys put on an unforgettable performance, they also helped raise money for kids in need who won’t forget about East’s generosity any time soon.