A quiet roar ensues as audience members wait with anticipation.

The last minute stragglers rush to their seats before the lights begin to dim. As the sound of the curtain being pulled can be heard, a hush comes over the crowd and the show begins.

Twenty-four teens, who are competing in the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant, took to the Vicksburg Auditorium stage last night for the first round of preliminary competitions, and in addition to the contestants, the production also includes nine talented youth who are serving as the performers for the show.

All but one, are locals, and Katelyn Perry, who is from Gulfport, says she is no stranger to the River City. She was a contestant in the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant for four years.

“It’s really different being on the other side. It’s less stressful,” Katelyn said.

Katelyn along with John Tillman Thomas and Allie Falls are the featured vocalists for the pageant.

John Tillman, who is no stranger to performing in his hometown, said his sister, Taylor Thomas Hosemann, the choreographer for the pageant, asked him if he would entertain during the pageant.

“I love getting any chance I have to perform, so of course I said yes,” John Tillman said.

He is the oldest of all the performers — finishing up his freshman year at Belmont University in Nashville.

Allie is a rising senior at St. Aloysius, and she said Jaynie Fedell, the producer of the pageant, approached her about performing after hearing her sing in the school play. Likewise, Katelyn, who just graduated from high school, said Fedell also approached her about performing for the pageant.

All three met for the first time on Tuesday, and Kristy Brumfield, who is acting as the vocal director for the pageant said she was amazed at how well all three performed together.

“These kids are all talented as they can be, but the fact that they can harmonize especially on a piece like “White Winter” — Pentatonix does that one, and to bring these kids together for the first time and having them click like that is fulfilling to me,” Brumfield said.

Brumfield serves as the artistic director for the Mississippi Girl Choir, and she teaches music at Porters Chapel Academy.

All three vocalists agreed performing on a professional level has been fun.

Serving as dancers for the show are Annabeth Breeden, Madalyn Burke, Lyndsey Cowart, Vera Ann Fedell, Tess Frazier and Anna Kate McCain. This is Annabeth and Vera Ann’s sixth year to perform in the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant, they said. It is the third year for Tess, second for Lyndsey and Madalyn and Anna Kate are first timers.

All six girls said they are enjoying performing, and Vera Ann added it is fun to see how the show comes together.

Although most of the practices have occurred earlier in the week, the dancers did meet one day in April to learn the routines.

Performing in the Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen Pageant has been fun and a “neat experience,” Vera Ann said, and as a whole the dancers said they preferred performing to being a contestant.

“When I was a princess in the teen pageant the dancers always looked like they were having so much fun,” Madalyn said.