When introduced, senior Zach Ellis, the eventual Mr. Mason, arrived on stage and immediately began to take off his clothes, revealing a Spiderman suit underneath.

During her introduction, the next Ms. Mason, Mary Catherine Donovan, notably left the stage in the middle of her biography; leaving the the audience, and her escort (her father Rob Donovan), both stunned and amused.

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The two didn’t disappoint in the talent portion of the evening either: Ellis won the judges over with one of his signature videos. Donovan brought the house down with her voice.

The opening performance, freshman Miles Jackson’s comedic singing act, was a huge crowd pleaser and set the tone for a show that was funnier than Mr. and Ms. Mason events of the past.

This year’s competition was a creative blend of humorous and musical talent. Held in a generously filled auditorium with all funds raised going towards the Awassa Children’s Project, each participant did their part to contribute to the night’s success with their acts, culminating in more than $800 for the SCA’s cooperative outreach efforts with junior Hermela Hailemariam.

Science teacher Mr. Mark Sokolowski and Executive Board President Blaise Sevier served as emcees and smoothly transitioned from one part of the show to another. Finalists were chosen based on two categories: entrance and biography, and talent. The finalists then participated in the evening wear and question portion of the show, followed by the announcement of the new Mr. and Ms. Mason.

As participants were introduced one by one, the audience delighted in the light-heartedness of the prepared biographies. Then came the beginnings of the talent portion.

Jackson set the bar high with a rendition of comedian Bo Burnham’s song “Sad,” and the combination of humorous lyrics and Jackson’s impeccable facial expressions had the audience laughing throughout his act.

Sophomore Michael Curtin performed the song “Greek Tragedy” with his band, and thoroughly showcased vocal and instrumental talent, as he and his bandmates effortlessly captivated everyone in attendance.

Sophomore Mary Klemic shocked all with an imaginative performance in which she and friends danced to a few upbeat songs while dressed in bold, colorful sacks.

Junior Alec Reusch displayed major multi-tasking skills when he came onto the stage brushing his teeth, and proceeded to juggle.

Next came the Wills sisters, junior Korinne and senior Sabine. The two performed a charmingly choreographed rendition of “Sisters,” which was very well-received.

The remaining seniors brought the talent portion of the show to its end with an entertaining variety of collaborative tech savvy and musical skill. Ellis humored the crowd with a video that featured multiple students, and teachers Ms. Karin Tooze and Mr. William Stewart. He asked questions like “would you rather I be your king or president” and “do you know who I am” and received a mix of comedic responses.

Maraena Allen-Lewis and Annie Ferguson introduced their act with a significantly dated video of themselves dancing to “Pretty Girl Rock”. They then came on stage and recreated the video to the audience’s amusement dressed in bright, patterned, pink outfits and with a troupe of background dancers.

The last two acts, belonging to Kiran Menon and Donovan, featured their immense vocal talent. Menon performed a version of Justin Bieber’s popular tune “Love Yourself” accompanied by some friends, while Donovan sang a parody of Adele’s “Hello” with lyrics lamenting the hardships of the IB Diploma.

During a short intermission, student and faculty judges were charged with choosing their finalists, while for the first time in Mr. and Ms. Mason history, a group-wide selfie was taken on stage with many encouraged to join in.

After the break, the finalists were called back onto the stage in their evening wear and went on to choose a judge who then asked them a random question. In the end, Ellis was crowned Mr. Mason and Donovan Ms. Mason, and both received crowns, sashes, and “Mason” jars filled with chocolate.