What happens when people think aliens have invaded Grover’s Mill, New Jersey, in 1938? How have women’s roles in war evolved over time? What transpires when a servant promises to help two young men who have fallen in love with penniless beauties? What happens when a school shooting shatters an Amish community? These are a few of the topics that will play themselves out on stage during the 2012 State One Act Play Festival.
Scores of the state’s most promising actors and actresses will take to the stage performing 16 one act plays this Thursday and Friday, Feb. 9 and 10, at St. Catherine University’s O’Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul during the 64th annual festival.
Eagan leads all qualified schools by making its 18th festival appearance, while Belle Plaine, which is making its 10th appearance, is the leader among Class A schools. Eagan also leads all schools in “starred performances,” and is hoping to earn its 17th this year. White Bear Lake Area is the only school making its debut appearance at this year’s festival.
Thursday’s festival-opening production will be Relativity by Wadena-Deer Creek High School and the day concludes with Judah’s Daughter by East Central High School of Finlayson. The other Class A selections to be presented on Thursday are Chipped, The Invasion of Earth as it Began in Grover’s Mill, New Jersey, The Man in the Bowler Hat, Occupy Spoon River, Women and War, and Variations on a Theme.
The curtain opens on Friday with Equus by Minnetonka High School and the day’s concluding play will be Property Rites by Cambridge-Isanti High School. The other Class AA productions scheduled on Friday are Of Mice and Men, Scapin, Stop Kiss, The Amish Project, Interview, and Radium Girls.
The plays are limited to no more than 35 minutes, following a maximum 10-minute stage set-up. Total cast and crew cannot exceed 20 students.
It is a festival — not a competition. However, each production will be judged and publicly critiqued immediately following each performance. Each cast will attempt to achieve an exceptional rating known as a “starred performance.” In 2011, for example, eight of the 16 plays, five from Class AA and three from Class A, were awarded “starred performance” ratings.
The Spotlight on the Arts Award of Excellence will also be presented at the 2012 festival, a unique form of recognition for fine arts participants created by Wells Fargo, the League’s premier corporate sponsor, in cooperation with the League. Each cast and crew member of schools earning a “starred performance” rating will receive a handsome acrylic trophy incorporating the Spotlight on the Arts logo.
The Class A schools participating this year (including number of appearances and * starred performance years) are: Wadena-Deer Creek (ninth; * in 1998, 2001, ’02, ’06, and ’07); Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (third; * in 1999; Tyler made one additional appearance in 1949); Belle Plaine (10th; * in 1993, ’97, ’99, 2000, ’07, ’08, ’09, and ’11); St. Charles (ninth; * in 2003, ’04, ’06, and ’07); Sauk Centre (seventh; * in 1975, ’76, and 2007); Roseau (fourth); St. Croix Lutheran, West St. Paul (second; * in 2005); and East Central, Finlayson (sixth; * in 1989, 2002, and ’04).
The Class AA schools participating this year (including number of appearances and * starred performance years) are: Minnetonka (eighth; * in 1969, 2003,’06, ’08, ’09, ’10, and ’11); Eagan (18th; * in 1991, ’92, ’93, ’94, ’95, ’96, ’97, ’98, 2000, ’01, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’10, and ’11); Delano (10th; * in 1981, ’83, ’87, 1990, ’95, ’96, and 2007); Eastview, Apple Valley (eighth; * in 1998, 2002, ’03, ’07, ’09, ’10, and ’11); Buffalo (15th; * in 1973, 1982, ’86, 1997, ’99, 2002, and ’05); Moorhead (ninth; * in 2007); White Bear Lake Area (first); and Cambridge-Isanti (third; Cambridge made two additional appearances in 1953 and 1981).
Here is the schedule of the performances:
Class A — Thursday, Feb. 9
Section / School /Play /Time
6 Wadena-Deer Creek : Relativity - An Original Production 9:15am
3 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton : Chipped by Forrest Musselman 10:00am
2 Belle Plaine : The Invasion of Earth as it Began in Grover’s Mill, New Jersey by J.R. Mimbs 11:00am
1 St. Charles : The Man in the Bowler Hat by A. A. Milne 11:45am
5 Sauk Centre : Occupy Spoon River by Margaret Kitterman & Doug Kampsen 1:30pm
8 Roseau : Women and War by Jack Hilton Cunningham 2:15pm
4 St. Croix Lutheran, West St. Paul : Variations on a Theme by Ed Monk 3:15pm
7 East Central, Finlayson : Judah’s Daughter by Jules Tesca 4:00pm
Class AA — Friday, Feb. 10
Section / School / Play /Time
6 Minnetonka : Equus by Peter Shaffer 9:15am
3 Eagan : Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 10:00am
2 Delano : Scapin by Bill Irwin & Mark O’Donnell, adapted from Moliere 11:00am
1 Eastview, Apple Valley : Stop Kiss by Diana Son 11:45am
5 Buffalo : The Amish Project by Jessica Dickey 1:30pm
8 Moorhead : Interview by Jean-Claude Van Itallie 2:15pm
4 White Bear Lake Area : Radium Girls by D.W. Gregory 3:15pm
7 Cambridge-Isanti : Property Rites by Alan Haehnel 4:00pm
The public is invited to attend the 2012 Minnesota State High School League One Act Play Festival. Admission is $10.00 per four-play session for students and adults, and there are two sessions per day. A daily pass is available for $15.00 per day.
O’Shaughnessy Auditorium is located at 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul.
