New producers set the tone for the Miss Mississippi pageant
Posted 8:36 pm Friday May 31, 2024
Amy Campbell, left, and Ashley Thompson pose outside the Cadence Bank building, where the Miss Mississippi Corporation office is located. Campbell and Thompson are co-producers of the Miss Mississippi Pageant. (Terri Cowart Frazier/The Vicksburg Post)
The contestants will head to Vicksburg this weekend, as the countdown begins to find out who will be crowned Miss Mississippi 2024. And while the contestants prepared for the competition, two newcomers worked diligently to prepare for the production. Ashley Thompson and Amy Campbell will be the producers of this year’s Miss Mississippi.
Thompson, a former Miss Mississippi contestant, became involved with the Miss Mississippi Organization shortly after she became ineligible to compete.
“When I stopped competing, I felt a void and knew I didn’t want my time in the organization to end,” Thompson said. “In 2010, I emailed David Blackledge (Miss Mississippi executive director) and expressed my desire to volunteer. I think I told him I would sweep the floors if it meant he could still be part of the organization.”
Throughout her years of service to the organization, Thompson said she worked with in-kind scholarships, sponsorships and helped prepare the reigning Miss Mississippi and Miss Mississippi’s Teen for their respective national competitions. She and she now takes on the role of co-producer.
Campbell, a Vicksburg resident, has been involved in designing costumes for the production for several years. He also has deep family ties to the Miss Mississippi Organization. His mother-in-law Carole is a longtime Miss Mississippi host. Blackledge is his mother-in-law’s brother; Her husband’s cousins, Laura Kidder and Lindsey Blackledge, also volunteer.
Fortunately, Thompson and Campbell will have help in their new roles. Kandace Williams Peppers, who was crowned Miss Mississippi in 1992, serves as artistic director of the production and Miss Mississippi 2003 Ali Kellogg is the choreographer and director. Both Peppers and Kellogg helped with last year’s production.
The theme of this year’s show is “Dance the Night Away.”
“We’re celebrating our current Miss Mississippi, Vivian O’Neal, who is a dancer,” and in doing so we’re showcasing all forms of dance with “amazing music,” Thompson said. “From Motown dancing to hip hop and ballroom dancing, the hope is that audiences will be dancing in their seats.”
The theme, as well as all other decisions relating to the production of the Miss Mississippi pageant, Thompson said, was a collaborative effort by Campbell, Peppers, Kellogg and herself.
“The four of us have made all the decisions as a team,” he said, adding: “Amy has a great gift for seeing a vision and working in the costume and set to improve the vision. She is 100 percent responsible for the jukebox that everyone will see on stage. Peppers has been the driving force behind what you see and hear on stage.” Thompson said Kellogg brings her background in dance.
The master and emcee for the four nights of competition are Cheryl Prewitt Salem and Jonathan Brannan.
“We are thrilled to have Miss Mississippi 1979 and Miss America 1980, Cheryl Prewitt Salem and Jonathan Brannan, back as co-hosts,” Thompson said. “Cheryl was here in 2017 and Jonathan has been a staple in the Miss Mississippi production since 2015.”
Also on stage as performers are Taylor McCarter, who Thompson said was the only person in Miss Mississippi history to receive a standing ovation after her talent performance, and Miss Mississippi 2008 Christine Kozlowski Merrill.
“We love bringing former local champions and state winners onto the stage,” he said. “It’s a great testament to the wonderful talent we have in Mississippi and the incredible women who have competed on this stage.”
With the competition just days away, Thompson said she is excited to not only see the production come to life, but also to see the contestants “shine on stage.”
The Miss Mississippi Pageant preliminaries will be held at 7 p.m. on June 5, 6 and 7 at the Vicksburg Convention Center, 1600 Dr. Briggs Hopson Blvd. The final round of competition and crowning will begin at 8 p.m. on June 8.
Tickets are $40 for Wednesday and Thursday prelims; $50 for Friday’s preliminaries and Saturday’s final round of competition, or $150 for all four competitions. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 601-638-6746.
Other scheduled events include: Starting at 7 pm on June 3, a Miss Mississippi parade will be held along Washington Street, followed by an autograph party at The Mulberry Vicksburg.
Autograph parties will also be held at 10 a.m. June 5 at Kirk Chevrolet, formerly Atwood, and at 10 a.m. June 6 at various stores along Washington Street.
About Terri Cowart Frazier
Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly after, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and editor of Vicksburg Living magazine, which received first place from the Mississippi Press Association. She also received the First Place award in the editorial division of the MPA Best Newspaper Contest for “Best Story.”
Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.
Before coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, he was self-employed at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time homemaker.
Terri is a member of Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a life member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and a former member of the Sampler Antique Club and the Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.
“From staying informed about local government issues to hearing the stories of its people, a local newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post during my tenure and hope that with theirs and local support, I can continue to grow and hone my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When I’m asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always “the people.”
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