Behind the scenes of the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant

JACKSON, Tenn — As the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant entered the third night and final night of preliminary competitions, WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News took a look behind the scenes of what it takes to put the show together.

The old saying must be true,  team work really does make the dream work. There is an entire crew that helps the 36 Miss Tennessee contestants prepare each night.

Pageant contestants entered the civic center a hour before show time, but what many in the audience don’t get to see is the work that goes into getting the ladies on stage.

“Backstage is a little different we have a little fun, but these girls are here to win a crown,” backstage chairman, Nichole Lawrence said.

Lawrence has been a crucial part of the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant for the past 14 years.

“We’ve got 36 beautiful girls, we’ve got to steam dresses, we’ve got to pin earrings, dresses, whatever we need to do to make sure these girls look their best when they go out on stage.”

Lawrence said with a crew of about 12 to 15 people they’re able to get the ladies prepped and ready to go each night.

Lawrence said the steaming takes the longest time, “because there’s so many beautiful gowns and we just want to make sure that their all perfect.”

The pageant is something the crew looks forward to every summer. “I just keep coming back and helping every year just because I believe in this program and I believe in what it does in empowering young women,” said Lawrence.

Three nights of prelims and one year later means it is the last day of current Miss Tennessee, Grace Burgess’s reign.

“Grace has been an absolute jewel,” Lawrence said.

The outgoing Miss Tennessee will place a tiara on her successor, Saturday night at the end of the pageant. Lawrence said Burgess has been a great representative for the state.

“She really gets in gets with the children and understands what it means to fulfill this job and do it well.”

The final night of competition begins Saturday night at 7:45 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in downtown Jackson. The 36 ladies will be narrowed down to 15 at the beginning of the show.

The winner of the Miss Tennessee pageant will advance to the Miss America Scholarship Pageant, which will take place September 10 in Atlantic City.