Middle School One Act Play Festival

Haggard play wins at festival

The cast and crew of "The Ubu Plays" won the first Middle School One Act Play Festival at Plano Senior High School a week ago. Max Vakulenko received the Technical All Star Cast Award. Honorable Mention All Star Cast awards went to Justin Solomon, Mikey McBride and Nathan Luttrull. Justin Amos received an All Star Cast Award. The cast and crew also received a superior rating.

More congratulations to the cast and crew of "The Ubu Plays" for winning the first Middle School One Act Play Festival held at Plano Sr. High last Friday! The following students received individual awards: Receiving Technical All Star Cast Award was Max Vakulenko. Honorable Mention All Star Cast Awards went to Justin Solomon, Mikey McBride, and Nathan Luttrull. Receiving an All Star Cast Award was Justin Amos. The Cast and Crew also received a Superior Rating. Their picture is below. Way to go, Mr. Taylor and HMS thespians!

Students Excel at District's First Middle School One-Act Play Festival

Plano Senior High School was host on February 4 for the first Plano ISD Middle School Theatre One-Act Play Festival. According to Carla Ford-Rich, Plano West Senior High School theatre director and lead teacher for speech and theatre for the school district, six middle schools presented their entries for the festival, including:

Haggard Middle School, under the direction of Jonathan Taylor, presenting "The Ubu Plays" by Jeff Goode; Wilson Middle School, under the direction of Suzi Zimmerman, presenting "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller; Schimelpfenig Middle School, under the direction of Sandra Parker, presenting "Mr. Winkler's Birthday Party" by William Gleason; Frankford Middle School, under of Jonette Dalfonzo, presenting "Dearly Departed" by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones; Rice Middle School, under the direction of Katherine Clouser, presenting "Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson and Stephanie S. Tolan; and Armstrong Middle School, under the direction of Mandi Wofford, presenting "Shakespeare!" by Squire Fridell.

The following students received individual awards:

Haggard Middle School: Receiving Technical All Star Cast Award was Mark Vakulenko. Honorable Mention All Star Cast Awards when to Justin Solomon, Mikey McBride, and Nathan Luttrull. Receiving an All Star Cast Award was Justin Amos. The Cast and Crew received a Superior Rating.

Wilson Middle School: Receiving Technical All Star Cast Award was Devin Dusek. Honorable Mention All Star Cast Awards went to Daksha Arjun, Ryan Knauber, and Blair Wooten. Receiving All Start Cast Awards were Stephanie Carlsen and Nelson Weatherford. Chris Hartman received Best Actor All Star Cast. The Cast and Crew received a Superior Rating.

Schimelpfenig Middle School: Receiving Technical All Star Cast Award was Britton Cunningham. Honorable Mention Award went to Nick Tatum. All Star Cast Award went to Taylor Hensel. The Cast and Crew received an Excellent Rating.

Frankford Middle School: Receiving Technical All Star Cast Award was Rachael Phillips. All Star Cast Awards went to Jarvis Coburn and Max Holditch. Best Actress All Star Cast went to Natalie Logan. The Cast and Crew received an Excellent Rating.

Rice Middle School: Receiving Technical All Star Cast Award went to Michael Senktas. Honorable Mention All Star Cast Awards went to Kyana Shamloo and Cathy Marks. All Star Cast Awards went to Karl Bock and auburn Berry. The Cast and Crew received an Excellent Rating.

From Armstrong Middle School: Receiving Technical All Star Cast Award went to Aubrie Jeffry. Honorable Mention All Star Cast Award went to Rachel Kimpton. All Star Cast Awards went to Stephen Farmer and Steven Kendall. The Cast and Crew received an Excellent Rating.

The judge for the day was Bev Moerbe, a 42 year veteran of public education directing UIL One-Act Play and other academics. She has directed many state meet finalists. "She believes that the process is as important as the product," said Ms. Ford-Rich. "Theatre is the best means not to find oneself but to create oneself." Bev is a former Texas Educational Theatre Association Secondary Educator of the Year recipient.