 "Photo: Photo by Jennie McKeon")
Four students took the Argo Galley stage April 16 and gave it their all in the competition to crown the Open Mic Night champion.
In the end, it was Rashawnda Foster who won the $150 grand prize.
“I’m so excited because I needed some gas money,” Foster cheered after the judges announced the winner.
The winners of the competition were judged not only on their performance, but also on their stage presence, fashion and other categories as well.
Foster’s rendition of Beyonce’s “Work It Out” was a hit with both the judges and the crowd. The student audience whooped and hollered as she sang and danced in a performance that was full of attitude and charisma.
Micah Roland, Avery Greene, Cecilia Fang and Foster were chosen to perform that night based on their performances from the previous Open Mic Night in March.
Twenty-two year old Fang was the first to take the stage, and she sang a song in Chinese. Despite having technical difficulties with her accompanying CD, Fang finished her song a cappella amid enthusiastic applause.
Roland, who snagged the $100 second-place prize, sang a song he had written himself. He even came down from the stage and serenaded one of the audience members.
The only performer to incorporate something beside singing and dancing was third-place winner Greene, who beat-boxed and played the harmonica, simultaneously blending beats with the blues.
Greene also channeled the well-known beat-boxer Rahzel with his version of the song, “If Your Mother Only Knew.”
“The beat boxer was my favorite,” Rebecca Mitchell, English major and senior, said. “I was impressed.”
Students weren’t the only ones to command the stage Thursday night. Featured artist and emcee for the evening Nathan Angelo performed before and between the acts.
The University of West Florida was one of Angelo’s stops on his college-campus spring tour.
“I had a great time,” Angelo said. “I drove six hours, so it was nice to be treated so kindly.”
Angelo, who could be grouped in the same genre as John Mayer, received a warm welcome from not only the Center Stage volunteers, but also from the spirited audience that cheered eagerly after each of his songs.
“I’d love to come back,” Angelo said, concerning his visit to UWF.
At the last Campus Activity Board event of the semester, students heartily ate fried chicken and corn as they watched the energetic performers take the stage.
Those who came out to the Open Mic Night finale would probably agree with Mitchell, who summed up the evening simply when she said, “it was a lot of fun.”
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