Wadena-Deer Creek was among five schools in Class A to earn 'starred performance' ratings Thursday in the 2015 State One Act Play Festival sponsored by the Minnesota State High School League.
The two-day festival is conducted at O'Shaughnessy Auditorium on the St. Catherine University campus in St. Paul.
After watching, listening, and then individually critiquing eight Class A dramatic productions, a panel of judges rated five of them "starred performances."
The top eight Class A productions from across the state took the stage throughout the day.
Wadena school represented Section 6, with "The Chair Play" earning the school its sixth "starred" rating in its 11th appearance under this name. Wadena made one additional appearance in 1969. The play, written by Alan Haehnel, was directed by Jay W. Patterson. In this production, the playwright uses the symbol of a simple chair to explore the condition of the human heart. What is it that causes an individual or a country to want something so badly they are willing to desperately hurt others to get it? Perhaps it is a thirst for power or control of lands, perhaps it is pride, envy, or greed. History is full of these moments; ideologies embraced, ideas that spawn a darkness upon mankind, and, as a result, great harms etch their way into the fabric of humanity. And then, inevitably, the end game brings everything into focus. Cast members were Hope Norenberg, Isaac Berger, Michael Small, Taylor Dirks, Hope Dumpprope, Samantha Kirkland, Alyssa Gilster, David Wegscheid, Anissa Mench, Beth Schmitz, Elizabeth Peterson, Mitchell Haman, Esther Berger, Devyn Norenberg, Grace Mertens and Michael Schmidt. Support personnel were Derek Plautz, Logan Taggart, and Jasmyn Wood. Wadena earned its previous top ratings in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2007.
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The Minnesota State High School League State One Act Play Festival does not involve direct competition. Judges rate the plays according to specific criteria, including pace, blocking, costuming and projection of the play's meaning. Each production is limited to 10 minutes of stage preparation and 35 minutes of actual performance.
The judges consult after each production and then openly critique each in front of the cast, crew and audience. "Starred performance" ratings are determined by private balloting of the judges. One school from each of eight sections in each class gets to perform at the state level. Three hundred teams participated in One Act Play this season, 208 in Class A and 92 in Class AA.
