Miss America contestants facing off in preliminaries

They've got their eyes on the prize.

All other eyes, meanwhile, will be on the 53 contenders for the 2012 Miss America title.

By the time the pageant telecast concludes Saturday on ABC (beginning locally at 9 p.m. on KTNV-TV, Channel 13), we'll know which contestant will wear the coveted crown for the year.

Between now and then, however, there's a week's worth of competition in store -- at Planet Hollywood Resort and around town -- during the pageant's sixth Las Vegas visit.

Saturday night's telecast was "on the verge of selling out" Planet Hollywood's Theater for the Performing Arts a full three weeks before the pageant finals, according to Art McMaster, president of the Miss America Organization.

"I don't think that's happened this early" during the pageant's six-year Las Vegas history, he adds.

For those eager to experience the full range of the Miss America competition, however, McMaster suggests the pageant preliminaries, scheduled at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. (Tickets, priced at $75 plus fees, are available online at Ticketmaster.com.)

After all, unlike the pageant finals, "with the preliminaries you're still seeing all 53 of the contestants," he notes.

And audiences at all three preliminary competitions will see Miss America hopefuls vying in all three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and talent. (Miss Nevada -- and Miss Clark County -- Alana Lee is scheduled for onstage questioning during Tuesday's preliminary round; she'll compete in swimsuit and evening gown categories Wednesday and will sing Thursday.)

The talent competition "is what makes us different" from other beauty pageants, McMaster says; each preliminary features 17 performances, from jump-rope to Irish step-dance routines.

As the Miss America contenders compete this week, they'll interact with the pageant's seven-member judges' panel, which includes representatives from five ABC shows: "Dancing with the Stars" regular Mark Ballas, "Bachelor" executive producer Mike Fleiss, "Man Up!" regular Teri Polo, "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition's" Chris Powell and "Good Morning America's" Lara Spencer.

Univision's Raúl de Molina and "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" matriarch Kris Jenner round out the lineup of judges.

"The Bachelor's" Chris Harrison and "Dancing with the Stars' " Brooke Burke-Charvet return as pageant host and co-host, respectively.

"We want all of our judges to engage for the full week," McMaster says. "It's a wonderful experience for the seven judges, seeing how they're responsible for" evaluating the pageant's 53 contestants.

But audience members can join the process by watching videos of the Miss America hopefuls and voting online through Thursday at missamerica.org/videocontest; the winner will be anointed "America's Choice."

Locally, contestants were scheduled to appear Thursday at a Planet Hollywood arrival ceremony (wearing outfits supplied by sponsor Express) and the Fashion Show mall, where they were expected to walk the runway and sign autographs Saturday.

Locals also may see contestants at Planet Hollywood and other Caesars Entertainment Corp. properties during pageant week, McMaster says.

But if you really want to see the Miss America contestants in action, he adds, the pageant preliminaries remain the best bet.

Contact reporter Carol Cling at ccling@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272.