Student thespians go ‘extreme’
PEARCY — Lake Hamilton High School students in the theater program will present an “extreme theater” performance on Saturday with plays they will prepare in the 24 hours prior.
Participating students will stay on campus from the end of the school day on Friday at 3:30 p.m. through their performances, which are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday in the high school auditorium. They will write, organize, memorize and determine the technical elements of their performances, all within the allotted time frame.
“This is one of the biggest challenges you will face as an actor and performer, because you literally have 24 hours to put together a show,” said Kelley Lester, the high school’s theater teacher and director of the Lake Hamilton Thespian Troupe.
It will be the first extreme theater performance at Lake Hamilton. Lester performed extreme theater in college.
Seniors Reese Petersen and Kirsten Rasmussen were the driving force behind plans for the event.
“Originally, we wanted to do it as our senior send-off,” Petersen said. “We decided it can be used as a fundraiser rather than just a fun thing to do. Now, it serves a dual purpose.”
Confirmed performers include sophomores Molly Blancaflor, Hayley Johnson and Guinness Riley. The rest of the cast will be determined.
All of the performers are members of the Thespians Troupe, which saw 14 students earn superior awards in February at the Arkansas State Thespian Festival in Jonesboro to qualify for the national event this summer. The group is currently fundraising to attend the International Thespian Festival, organized by the Educational Theatre Association, June 19-24 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Several members of the Troupe were unable to perform this weekend due to scheduling conflicts. The Lake Hamilton High School Winter Winds won their first Winter Guard International regional championship last month in Texas to qualify for the WGI World Championships this weekend in Dayton, Ohio.
Four students qualified for the International Thespian Festival in solo and duet categories while 11 others earned superior marks as part of a group musical performance. Only six students will be able to attend the event this summer.
“We had too many in our group event that were not able to go,” Lester said. “Unfortunately, we will not be performing group musical, because numbers did not make it feasible for us to do it well. So, we decided to pull that one.”
Three of the six students will perform and compete in Lincoln. Senior Connor Holmes was one of only two students at state to earn superior in Short Film with his entry, “Color My World,” which also received the best of show award as the best film. Students who do not compete will be able to attend various activities and performances during the festival.
Rasmussen and Petersen qualified to compete in Lincoln in Duet Acting. They were among eight teams in the category to earn superior in the state festival.
Petersen received a $600 Student Leadership Scholarship. She said she is looking forward to the interaction among the cast this weekend and learning how far they can stretch their creativity.
Performers will work together to write and perform four different 10-minute plays. They will break up into pairs for three duet performances and an ensemble play.
“It takes me a solid week to memorize something, easily,” Rasmussen said. “Since we are going to be doing duets, but also a play all together, I am worried I am going to mix up lines and say something I am supposed to say in one of the plays in a different one.
“The no sleep is OK for me. I have always wanted to do a lockin, but I am worried about the memorization.”
Admission to the performances on Saturday will be free. Performers paid $25 to cover the costs of food during their stay, as well as shirts.
Awards will be presented based on voting. Audience members will be able to select their favorite plays for $1 per vote.
“I think it will be a new challenge for them that will teach them new things and teach them how much they are capable of, which is more than they think,” Lester said.
Center Fork Baptist Church hosted a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for the Thespian Troupe on Monday. Donations can be made for the group’s trip to Lincoln at https://www.gofundme.com/lhthespian1699.