ONE ACT PLAY

With the public’s focus on high school sports and other extra-curriculars, another group of students worked hard in a competitive activity that teaches many important life skills-one act plays.

Students from the LPHT drama department, (Lester Prairie and Holy Trinity Schools) practiced diligently for the one-act play competition, “Death of a Dead Guy.” Practices ran most every day for two months, lasting over an hour. There were two performances before the competition: one for Lester Prairie students and the other for the public; both were held on Friday, January 29.

This year’s one-act coaches were Lester Prairie teachers, Paige Aldrich and Jennifer Smith.  Aldrich, the high school science teacher, and Smith, the high school English teacher, enjoyed coaching this year’s cast. The cast of actors included: Gerri Williamson (Mrs. Bascombe); Harley Hentges (Collette); Olivia Sanders (Bertram); Logan Groff (Pete Cannon); Jamie DeBruyckere (May Fielding); and Cameron Bolf (Reginald Bascombe III). Stage crew included: Aaron Rasmussen, Anthony Priebe, Ivan Lezama, Paige Hausladen, and Mikayla Cohrs.

LPHT students competed in the one-act sub-regional competition held at Rockford High School on Saturday, January 30th.  Other schools that participated: Holy Family School (Victoria); Providence Academy (Plymouth); Central High School (Norwood Young America); Glencoe Silver Lake; and Rockford High School.  Although Lester Prairie High School did not advance to the state competition, the students learned a lot from the competition and had fun.  Those schools that did advance to the state competition were Glencoe Silver Lake (first place) and Providence Academy (second place).

LPHT students gained so much from the competition.  Students were able to take away many things from the competition, and gained a newfound appreciation for theatre, watching other schools perform their selected plays.  Smith, in her first year of coaching one-act plays (third year coaching theatre), said this experience is great for the kids: “It allows them to effectively communicate, work collaboratively with others, and constructively learn from others.” In simpler terms, “the one-act was awesome.”