April
10, 2008
WEDNESDAY
AT REHEARSALS:
The
final day started at 10:00am for the third and final day of intense camera and
stage rehearsals. The session is set to go well into the evening as a visit by
Donald Trump this afternoon will close the set for an unknown amount of time.
So the nightly meet and greet has been cancelled as they will go straight to
their rooms for a night of sleep. Then tomorrow its dress rehearsals and then
show time! We will keep you informed all the way to the opening of the
broadcast. Presenting our exclusive viewing primer on the internet only from
your friends at Miss Florida USA!
VIEWING
PRIMER
For
the second day we will present a viewers guide to watching our National
Championship of Pageantry. Today we focus on the Swimsuit Competition as well
as other segments in anticipation of Friday Nights nation wide broadcast. It
should also be noted that both Donny and Marie Osmond are now on set to give
the feel of the show finally being a day away.
OPENING
INTRODUCTIONS:
We
were shown the television pre-packaged opening as the first item of the
rehearsal. The delegates are shown in Evening set-ups in and around the
photogenic Las Vegas strip and then culminating at Planet Hollywood. Our Miss
Rafalowski looked beautiful in her red Sherri Hill design as the lighting on
the package was outstanding. Look for each delegate to be introduced on a head
to tow shot then followed by a medium close up second shot as their state and
hometown are announced.
SWIMSUIT COMPETITION The segment begins with the non-finalists in a fashion parade segment to start the production.
After the delegates parade to the front of the stage look for wide shots of the suits and then close
ups. Our Miss Florida USA if she does not make top 15 will be in the third wave of delegates on stage
left. After the stage is cleared the competition begins with a reveal of contestant number one entering
on stage right from the front stage stairwell. The head to tow shot is followed up by a close up of the delegate. Look for nerves at this point as it can clear who is calm and who is shaking. The delegate
then heads front stage to position number two closer to center stage. She then proceeds to her third
and final mark on stage left. This continues until the fifteenth delegate who waits for the remainder of
the finalists to join her. The segment concludes on a pan left to right of the presentation.
CATCHING UP WITH MISS FLORIDA USA
It was a very early morning for our Miss Rafalowski as she and thirteen other delegates joined Donny and Marie Osmond for a video press tour of the country. “They were so much fun to work with” says our Miss Rafalowski. After around three hours on-set it was time to get ready for today’s marathon rehearsal day. After that fun start to the day she is in great spirits and ready to get the day started.
Miss
Rafalowski with a proud mom along with Mrs. Antos and Miss Waller
Our
alumni and current Miss New York USA Miss Roundtree with Miss Rafalowski
(left)
Ms. Kuchar and Miss Wunderlich outside awaiting rehearsals (right)
Around the Pageant we are finally seeing the influx of Florida faces as on Wednesday we were joined by pageant coach Jules Meyer, Pageant Director Kim Decker and former Miss Gold Coast USA Kendra Waller. Arriving this morning at rehearsals included our Miss Florida Teen USA Jillian Wunderlich with her mom as well as Miss Daytona Beach USA Emily Kuchar. Many more are expected to join us after our deadline so we will show pictures on Friday of the fun from Las Vegas!
The
Teen USA delegates are in town!
POOLSIDE AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD
Jessica
Rafalowski, Miss Florida USA 2008
Candice Crawford, Miss Missouri USA 2008, and Courtney Erin Carroll,
Miss Alaska USA 2008 pose for a photo in their Syrup
swimwear
at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
Jackie
Bruno, Miss Massachusetts USA 2008; Candice Crawford, Miss Missouri USA 2008;
Beckie Hughes, Miss Colorado USA 2008; and Jessica Rafalowski, Miss Florida
USA 2008
Lindsey Jo Harrington, Miss Oklahoma USA 2008
BOXING & PAGEANTRY
Boxer
Joe Calzaghe of Wales poses with Miss USA 2007 Rachel Smith during a media
workout at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, April
9, 2008. Calzaghe will fight former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins of
the U.S. on April 19 in Las Vegas.
GETTING
TO KNOW
MISS IDAHO USA
LAS
VEGAS -- Post Falls' Tracey Brown is no stranger to the pageant scene and has
attained something no other Idaho woman has. She has represented the state at
the nationals of America's Junior Miss, Miss America and now at Miss USA.
Along with representatives from every state, Tracey arrived at Planet
Hollywood in Las Vegas on March 26 to prepare for the live network television
production; a whirlwind of rehearsals, fittings, appearances and sleep
deprivation.
Tracey, 21, is a Post Falls High School graduate and an honor student at
Whitworth College majoring in communications. She created Idaho's breast
cancer specialty license plates, which raise money to provide mammograms for
low-income and uninsured women in Idaho.
Her parents, Bill and Debbie Brown, arrived in Las Vegas on Saturday in time
for the preliminary competition show, where the contestants appeared in a
stunning array of evening gowns and in swimsuits. Tracey's sister, Shannon,
and her grandparents and friends are all arriving in Las Vegas in time for
Friday's big show.
When asked how the two most famous pageants, Miss America and Miss USA,
differed, Tracey said that she was feeling a little less stress this time
around than at Miss America in 2006 simply because she will not need to
perform and practice her ballet talent at Miss USA.
"Miss USA is more about the glamour and making personal
appearances," she said. "We've got our hair and make-up done from
the time we leave our rooms until we return at the end of the night, even at
rehearsals."
Tracey's roommate is Washington's Michelle Font, and she has been impressed
with "sweet" Miss North Dakota Stephanie Tollefson. Miss Utah, Julia
Bachison, is an "old" friend, having competed in Miss America 2006,
as did Tracey.
The
Browns are excited about meeting the Miss USA Pageant hosts, Donnie and Marie
Osmond. They had a good laugh describing their first encounter with Marie when
Tracey was just a little girl. The family attended a production of the Sound
of Music, starring Marie, and waited at the stage door for an autograph and
photo. Debbie took the picture of Tracey and Shannon with Marie and was
heartbroken when the film was developed and most of the famous Osmond sister's
head was cut off. They're hoping to get another chance for a photograph at
Miss USA.
The excitement is building as the celebrity judges and pageant owner Donald
Trump begin arriving with a red carpet pre-pageant event on Friday.
By the time Tracey gets her first glow of the spotlight to introduce herself
to more than 30 million viewers -- "Tracey Brown, Post Falls,
Idaho!" -- she'll be ready to wear the biggest crown of all.
Tracey Brown, Miss Idaho USA 2008, and her Best Buddy pose together during
the Farouk-sponsored Miss USA/Best Buddies Nevada "Sock Hop"