TROY – Three Troy University students will make their first on-stage appearances tonight in Birmingham as the 2006 Miss Alabama Pageant gets under way.

Miss Troy University Mary Elizabeth King, 19, a sophomore broadcast journalism student from Bethany, Conn., Miss Tombigbee Erin Turner, 21, a senior communications arts student from Hoover, and Miss Fountain City Laura McDonald, 21, a senior business administration and accounting student from Prattville, all take the stage beginning at 7:30 p.m.at Samford University’s Wright Center.

The three students, all members of competition group Mu which includes 16 of the 48 contestants, will compete tonight in talent and on-stage interview question categories. On Tuesday, they competed in the judges interview category.

King’s talent is a tap dance to Allegro by Mozart. Her platform is “AKA: Active Kids Achieve.” Turner will offer a vocal selection of Summertime. Her platform is “ArtStart – Enriching the Youth Through the Arts.” McDonald will dance to Fever. Her platform is “Discover Dance.”

The group competes in the swimsuit category on Thursday night and in the evening gown category on Friday night. The final round of competition will take place on Saturday evening.

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