The Tassel Performing Arts Center hosted the RPAC One-Act contest on Thursday, November 14th. Eight plays from the East and eight from the West were performed under one roof. Be sure to check out all of the fun interviews that we did with the kids in the green room on our social media pages! Let's examine the plays and the results for the West.
West Team Results:
Paxton
Wauneta-Palisade
Dundy County Stratton
Hayes Center
Wallace
Sutherland
Maywood
Hitchcock County
Outstanding performers for the West went to Miah Fox and John Fricke of Paxton.
Outstanding Tech Crew for the West went to Wauneta-Palisade.
Dundy County Stratton
The Tigers performed Don Zolidis's The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon. In this selection, two narrators attempt to recreate all 209 of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm in a wild, fast-paced extravaganza. To make it more difficult, they attempt to combine them into one gigantic fable using Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and other more obscure stories like Lean Lisa and The Devil's Grandmother.
Acting awards for Dundy County Stratton went to Emma Baldeh, Brenton Haskelm Leslie Gomez, and Klayton Rinne.
Hayes Center
Hayes Center performed The Most Viewed Least Watched Talk Show in History by Kenneth R. Preuss. This piece is about public-access talk show hosts Brighton and Avery, who don’t have very good guests. Or many regular viewers. Their show, “Monumental Achievements,” features anything but, as guest after guest, proves to be entirely unexceptional in almost every way. But just as the hosts are about to call it a wrap on another unremarkable show, a special, last-minute guest provides a future perspective that has Brighton and Avery reconsidering everything and wondering if their show might truly wind up being the most viewed someday, even if it is the least watched talk show in history.
Hayes Center acting awards went to Tyler Stewart, Kesli Cox, and Caylie Softley.
Hitchcock County
The Falcons performed An Experiment by Brent Holland. This selection is about a fantasy world; five confused participants wake up with no memory of their past life … with only one word, a personality descriptor (such as compassionate, courageous, or orderly) written in type on their shirts. The doctor explains that each is here willingly, and all are compensated for participating in a research study. Will the participant's assigned attributes affect their behavior when under extreme duress? Once the experiment begins and they find out that to lose is to die, all five do what they must to survive the experiment. The Hunger Games meets Survivor in this experiment.
Hitchcock County acting awards went to Jill McArthur, Karsyn Kolbet, and Calista Carney.
Maywood
Maywood performed Omnipotence and the Wheelbarrow Man by Alan Haehnel. This is about a bored, egotistical, and slightly sadistic narrator who seems to think that the audience has come to watch him alone. His demeanor goes from arrogant to miffed to panicked to defeated as control of the play is slowly taken away from him
Acting awards for Maywood went to Graci Peterka, Emma Peterka, Alianah Del Carlo, and Dallas Grunden.
Paxton
The Tigers performed The Wishers by Aurora Lee. A story inspired by the fable of 1001 Arabian Nights. It is a tale of love, magic, and everything In between. Features the story of corrupt nobles, a headstrong princess, and a diamond and a diamond in the rough.
Paxton's acting awards went to Chase Holm, Eva Crowley, Miah Fox, John Fricke, Noah Coppersmith, Kayden Vazquez, Mile Rogge, Landon Drews, Natalie Jorgensen, Kepler Spurgin, and Madilynn Mullen.
Sutherland
The Sailors performed The Price by Don Zolidis. On a frigid winter night, a young mother nurses a sick child, hoping it will live through till morning. A stranger appears at her door, asking for shelter from the cold. She takes him in, but no sooner does she close her eyes that the man and her daughter are gone. The stranger was indeed Death, and he had taken her child, but the Mother did not give up. She races against Death, trying to reach the other shore before he does, but what price will she be willing to pay to save her daughter?
Sutherland's acting awards went to Mahala Vasquez, Tritan Maxcy, Memphis Goodwin, Eliana Dyer, and Maleah Vasquez.
Wallace
Wallace performed Ghost Hunt by Brian D. Taylor. It’s a spooky tale with a surprise ending guaranteed to give your audience goosebumps! A group of seven high school friends decide to spend the night at an abandoned house that is supposedly haunted. Phinn and Joey, who fancy themselves aspiring documentary filmmakers, have plans to capture the ghosts on film. Believing she is a medium, Sarah hopes to communicate with the ghosts, but Timmy, the prankster, keeps interrupting her focus. Apparently, the students were right about the haunted house—a mysterious family in Civil War garb enters, looking for shelter from the storm. The weird thing is that our teenage ghost hunters can hear this father and mother and their three children, but they can’t see them. Before Phinn or Joey can unravel the mystery to capture the ghosts on film, Timmy barges in and scares the family off. The ghost hunt is on as the teenage ghost hunters do their best to capture the family on film before the spirits get the best of them.
Wallace's acting awards went to Kendall McClintock, Jason Fisher, Ryleigh Hanson, Mallory McConnell, Ryder Cable, and Bradley Hanson.
Wauneta-Palisade
The Broncos performed Property Rites by Alan Haehnel. Kyle Macmanus has invested millions in a high-tech work of art -- fifteen human-figure sculptures programmed to perform thousands of movements, monologues, dialogues, and more. But just when Kyle is about to sell the sculpture, it malfunctions; the figures are alive. As each one struggles to achieve autonomy, they begin a fatal race against their desperate owner's destructive plan.
Acting awards went to Abigail Greaves, Lillian Dinnel, Maggie DeWester, Gregory Littrel, Kisha Jameson, Chloe Manley, and Kasey Ward.
East Team Results:
Bertrand
Cambridge
Maxwell
Southern Valley
Southwest
Alma
Eustis-Farnam
Elwood
Outstanding performers went to Emmeline Lucas of Maxwell and Isaac Hernandez of Bertrand.
Outstanding Tech Crew for the East went to Bertrand.
Alma
The Cardinals performed The One-Act Play Disaster by Don Zolidis. Pulling off a heist is pretty tough. But that's nothing compared to pulling off an unauthorized adaptation of a popular heist movie onstage. Everything that can go wrong will go wrong when you've got a light board operator out for revenge, a dollar-store set, and a cast, which is a total mess. The smooth-talking con man has crippling stage fright, the acrobat is completely uncoordinated, and the understudy keeps reading all the stage directions out loud. Can the group survive a run-through? It might be a total disaster, but it will definitely be hilarious.
Acting awards for Alma went to Lydia Sikes, Kaylan Ogier, Titus Epp, Kamri Neal, Tierston Moore, Cloey Crooker, Izzy Park, Alleigh Holmberg, and Davis Clark.
Bertrand
Bertrand performed The Bubble Gum Murders by Jon Jory and Michael Bigelow Dixon. A small-town public library is haunted by the ghost of the Bubble Gum Heiress, who was murdered in 1927 when two feuding bubble gum companies engaged in corporate espionage. Her murder was never solved, and her fortune was never found. Now three men, desperate to discover the whereabouts of the missing gold coin collection, descend on the library, searching for clues hidden deep within the stacks. Their efforts are foiled, though, by the librarian, her crossing-guard sister who dreams of becoming a detective, two teenage lovers named Bobby and Bobbi, and a French novelist who writes the new murder mystery aloud as it unfolds before their eyes. On this dark and stormy night, a crime is committed, a culprit is identified, a best-seller is written, and whoever said “crime doesn’t pay” never visited this little library.
Bertrand's acting awards went to Livia Philips, Addie Andersen, Ashlynn Edgren, Isaac Hernandez, Kevin Chavez, Bradon Whetstine, Ryker Schroeder, Aspyn Chapin, and Marie Ford.
Cambridge
The Trojans performed Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling. The action is set in Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the " anybody " ladies come to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser ("I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a bad mood for forty years"); an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M’Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town), is about to marry a “good ole boy.” Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, the play moves toward tragedy when, in the second act, the spunky Shelby (who is a diabetic) risks pregnancy and forfeits her life. The sudden realization of their mortality affects the others but also draws on the underlying strength—and love—which give the play and its characters the special quality to make them truly touching, funny, and marvelously amiable company in good times and bad.
The acting awards for Cambridge went to Kate Salberg, Jensyn Weiss, Mallory Springer, Rachel Harris, Jolie Farr, and Irmina Cramer.
Elwood
Elwood performed The Monkey's Paw, written by their director, Dennis Seberger, and adapted from the W. W. Jacobs Story. The Monkey's Paw is a story by W. W. Jacobs that we've adapted to a more modern 1970s version. The story is about a family that finds themselves happy, content, and on a path toward success...until the monkey's paw enters the situation. The monkey's paw grants three wishes, but it also teaches about the dangers of ill-gotten gains. The White family will suffer the consequences of using the monkey's paw, and their happiness will shatter.
Acting awards for Elwood were given to Kara Brockman, Zailey Moler, and Adrianna Seberger.
Eustis-Farnam
Eustis-Farnam performed Charlotte's Webb by Joseph Oberg. The Children's Literature Association named this "the best American children's book of the past two hundred years," and Joseph Robinette, working with the advice of E.B. White, has created a play that captures this work in a thrilling and utterly practical theatrical presentation. The costumes and unit set may be simple or as colorful and elaborate as you wish; it's the story and relationships that make the show. All the enchanting characters are here: Wilbur, the irresistible young pig who desperately wants to avoid the butcher; Fern, a girl who understands what animals say to each other; Templeton, the gluttonous rat who can occasionally be talked into a good deed; the Zuckerman family; the Arables; and, most of all, the extraordinary spider, Charlotte, who proves to be “a true friend and a good writer.” Determined to save Wilbur, Charlotte begins her campaign with the "miracle" of her web in which she writes, "Some pig." It's the beginning of a victorious campaign which ultimately ends with the now-safe Wilbur doing what is most important to Charlotte. This is a beautiful, knowing play about friendship that will give your actors a great opportunity and your audience an evening of enchantment.
Acting awards for Eustis-Farnam were given to EllaRay Koch, Beau Kerznar, Christian Maurer, Whitney Page, Allison Wall, and Ashley Easterday.
Maxwell
The Wildcats performed The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields. From Mischief, Broadway masters of comedy, comes the smash hit farce. Welcome to the opening night of the Cornley University Drama Society’s newest production, The Murder at Haversham Manor, where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. This 1920s whodunit has everything you never wanted in a show—an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Nevertheless, the accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences! Part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes, this Olivier Award-winning comedy is a global phenomenon that’s guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter!
Acting awards for Maxwell went to Genevieve Lucas, Makenzie Margritz, Emmeline Lucas, Lauren Mead, Christina Smith, Kiejjon Martyszenko, and Julyssa Miller.
Southern Valley
The Eagles performed FREAK by Angela Hill. "I've already been to high school; that's like the biggest freak show of all." Monique dreads school. The constant torment makes her feel like a sideshow freak. Every day, Monique wanders the scariest place on earth, the school hallway, and wishes she could just disappear - and then she does. Monique finds herself out of high school and in an "unusual, disturbing, and fantabulastic" sideshow. Monique the freak, the freakiest freak of all, wonders how she got there, why she is there, and what other outcasts lurk inside. This fantasy social drama explores bullying and its extreme consequences. Though sometimes dark, Freak emphasizes hope, and it is hope that finally leads her home.
Acting awards for Southern Valley went to Kallie Felzien, Jackson Adams, Emily Layton, Mikah Schutz, Anna Hamilton, Alex Meyers, Tori Bose, Bennet Jorgenson, and Ehme Linner.
Southwest
Southwest performed #Viral by Maria McConville. In this ensemble-driven drama featuring an all-female cast, five high school girls recount a cruel locker room bullying incident that is initially cloaked in secrecy but ultimately goes viral online. What happens next forces the students to question their respective roles in the events that unfolded in that fateful day. A virtual version is also available upon request.
Acting awards for Southwest went to Jadyn Walz, Anikka Nelms, Kyra Nelms, Amelia Minary, and Adeasha Escobar-Salas.
Districts are right around the corner, and we will break down the district assignments.
Southern Valley is hosting the C2-4 District on December 2nd with Sutton, Sandy Creek, Deshler, Johnson-Brock, Superior, and Headland.
In the C2-5 District on December 4th, Axtell, Elm Creek, Burwell, Amherst, Alma, Pleasanton, Maxwell, and Gothenburg will compete at Gothenburg.
In the C2-6 District, Ainsworth will host on December 4th with Kimball, Sutherland, Hemingford, North Platte St. Pats, Bayard, and Morrill in attendance.
In the D1-5 District, Cambridge will host at The Tassel Performing Arts Center in Holdrege on December 3rd. Callaway, Overton, Anselmo-Merna, Brady, Southwest, Maywood, Bertrand, and Cambridge will all compete.
In the D1-6 District on December 7th in Ogallala, Garden County, Wauneta-Palisade, Dundy County Stratton, Potter-Dix, Hitchcock County, South Platte, and Paxton will be in attendance.
Ansley is hosting the D2-4 District on December 4th. Litchfield, Elwood, Eustis-Farnam, Ansley, Hayes Center, Thedford, and Sargent will compete in this district.
In the D2-5 District, Hyannis is hosting on December 3rd. Schools in attendance are McPherson County, Hyannis, Mullen, Wallace, Sandhills, Cody-Kilgore, and Arnold.
State Play will be at the Johnny Carson Theatre in Norfolk December 11th-13th. Everything you will need to know for state can be found using this link.
