State One Act Play Festival

What happens when a dancing caterpillar becomes famous worldwide? How does a fire in an industrial factory in 1911 affect its workers and owners? What transpires when a play examines the process of self-exploration, identity formation, and self-reconciliation? How does one teacher inspire children living in a Jewish ghetto during the Holocaust? These are a few of the topics that will play themselves out on stage during the 2014 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. 13 and 14, at St. Catherine University’s O’Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul during the 66th annual festival.

Park Rapids Area (Class A) leads all qualified schools by making its 27th festival appearance. Eagan is making its 19th appearances in the Class AA festival. Eagan also leads all schools in “starred performances” and is hoping to earn its 18th this year.

Three schools are making their first appearances this year: Nova Classical Academy of St. Paul in Class A, and Duluth East and Irondale of New Brighton in Class AA.

Thursday’s festival-opening production will be Around the World in 80 Days in Under 35 Minutes by New Prague and the day concludes with The Actor’s Nightmare by Irondale. The other Class AA selections to be presented on Thursday are: My Client Curley; Frozen; The Triangle Factory Fire Project; The Diviners; Wiley and the Hairy Man; and La Dispute.

The curtain opens on Friday with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Nova Classical Academy and the day’s concluding play will be The Drowsy Professor by Belle Plaine. The other Class A productions scheduled on Friday are: And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson; Anti-Play; I Never Saw Another Butterfly; Between the Lines; Wiley and the Hairy Man; and FREAK.

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 2013, for example, seven of the 16 plays, four 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 2014 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: Rushford-Peterson (third under this name; * in 1998; Rushford made six additional appearances, earning a * in 1960 and ’64); Park Rapids Area (27th; * in 1972, ’75, ’76, ’78, ’79, ’82, ’91, ’93, ’94, 2000, ’09, ’10, and ’11); Belle Plaine (12th; * in 1993, ’97, ’99, 2000, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’11, ’12 and ’13); East Central [Sandstone/Askov] (seventh; * in 1989, 2002, ’04, and ’12); Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (fourth under this name; * in 1999; Tyler made one additional appearance in 1949); Sauk Centre (ninth; * in 1975, ’76, 2007, and ’13); Ada-Borup (third under this name; * in 2005; Ada made four additional appearances between 1951 and 1960); and Nova Classical Academy (first).

The Class AA schools participating this year (including number of appearances and * starred performance years) are: Duluth East (first); Robbinsdale Cooper (fifth; * in *1972); New Prague (fourth; * in 1982); Eastview, Apple Valley (10th; * in 1998, 2002, ’03, ’07, ’09, ’10, ’11, ’12, and ’13); Buffalo (16th; * in 1973, ’82, ’86, ’97, 2002, and ’05); Little Falls (seventh; * in 1985 and ’89); Irondale (first); and Eagan (19th; * in 1991, ’92, ’93, ’94, ’95, ’96, ’97, ’98, 2000, ’01, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’10, ’11, ’12).

            Here is the schedule of the performances:

Class AA — Thursday, Feb. 13
Section	School	Play	Time
2	New Prague	Around the World in 80 Days in Under 35 Minutes by Steve Schroer	9:15
7	Duluth East	My Client Curley by Norman Corwin	10:00
1	Eastview, Apple Valley	Frozen by Bryony Lavery	11:00
5	Buffalo	The Triangle Factory Fire Project by Christopher Piehler & Scott Alan Davis	11:45
3	Eagan	The Diviners by Jim Leonard, Jr.	1:30
8	Little Falls	Wiley and the Hairy Man by Jack Stokes	2:15
6	Robbinsdale Cooper	La Dispute by Marivaux, Translated by Timberlake Wertenbaker	3:15
4	Irondale, New Brighton	The Actor’s Nightmare by Christopher Durang	4:00
Class A — Friday, Feb. 14
Section	School	Play	Time
4	Nova Classical Academy, St. Paul	Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll	9:15
7	East Central (Sandstone/Askov)	And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson by Jim Leonard, Jr.	10:00
1	Rushford-Peterson	Anti-Play by Forrest Musselman	11:00
5	Sauk Centre	I Never Saw Another Butterfly by Celeste Raspanti	11:45
3	Russell-Tyler-Ruthton	Between the Lines by Dennis Bush	1:30
8	Ada-Borup	Wiley and the Hair Man by Jack Stokes	2:15
6	Park Rapids Area	FREAK by Angela Hill	3:15
2	Belle Plaine	The Drowsy Professor by B. Dwayne Craft	4:00

            The public is invited to attend the 2014 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.

State One Act Play Festival Results

After watching, listening, and then individually critiquing eight Class A dramatic productions, a panel of judges rated three of them “starred performances” on Thursday, Feb. 9, during the 2012 State One Act Play Festival sponsored by the Minnesota State High School League. The two-day festival is conducted at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on the St. Catherine University campus in St. Paul. Eight productions by Class AA schools will be staged Friday, Feb. 10.

The top eight Class A productions from across the state took the stage throughout the day. The three schools whose performances were cited for “starred performances” were (in order of performance) Belle Plaine for The Invasion of Earth as It Began in Grover’s Mill, New Jersey, St. Charles for The Man in the Bowler Hat, and East Central of Sandstone/Askov for Juda’s Daughter. The other participating Class A high schools were Wadena-Deer Creek, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Sauk Centre, Roseau, and St. Croix Lutheran of West St. Paul.

Representing Section 2, Belle Plaine’s “starred performance” of The Invasion of Earth as It Began in Grover’s Mill, New Jersey by J.R. Mimbs was directed by Tony Hartmann and Peter Jacobson. For four different groups of people awaiting the radio broadcast of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds in 1938, things go horribly awry when a news report indicates that aliens may have invaded Grover's Mill, New Jersey. As fears set in, concerns over money, conspiracies, faith, and self-defense come to a head and panic builds as everyone struggles to decide what to do next. But what if things are not necessarily as they seem? In the face of a possible catastrophe, everyone must discover what is important in their lives. The school was making its 10th appearance and earned its ninth “starred” rating. The school earned previous “starred” ratings in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011. Cast members were Aiden Winterfeldt, Kyle O'Brien, Nick Johnson, Tyler Fatz, Cassidy Pumper, Erin Winters, Mitchell Farmer-Lies, Kyeanna Pickar, Kali Gorman, Jake Hartmann, Kelly Morrison, Matthew Ludvik, Laura Schaefer, Patrick Selly, Dylan O'Brien, Rylee Pumper, and Alec Lroenz. Bren Preusser, Andrew Winterfeldt, and Mikhayla Clausen provided support.

Representing Section 1, St. Charles’ “starred performance” of The Man in the Bowler Hat was written by A. A. Milne and directed by Theodore Derby. The school was making its ninth appearance and earned its fifth “starred” rating. This is the story of a stuffy upper-class British couple just aching for some excitement in their lives. Enter a lusty young couple, a pair of crafty villains, and of course the mysterious Man in the Bowler Hat, and the thrills may just bowl the prim couple over. The Man in the Bowler Hat is a witty comedy from one of the world's most beloved authors. Cast members were Ethan Mundt, Ashley Paladie, Kasey Mihalovic, Adam Muschler, Rachel Storey, Mitchell Jones, Laura Kramer, Jack Roessler, Anthony Paladie, and Annalise Gall. Support personnel were Ben Krause, Alexis Persons, Jessica Mueller, Abby Forbes, Catelyn Holm, Ashley Thorpe, Sadie Davis, Mariah Bell, Terrel McDermott, and Jaclyn Storey. The Saints earned previous “starred” ratings in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007.

Representing Section 7, East Central’s “starred performance” of Judah’s Daughter by Jules Tesca was directed by Kathleen M. Ebnet and Richard Ebnet. East Central, which includes the communities of Sandstone and Askov, was making its sixth festival appearance and earned its fourth “starred” rating. The school earned its other top ratings in 1989, 2002, and 2004. This production, set in late 15th-century Venice and Verona, hinges on Judah and his daughters. The story of one daughter, legitimate and raised as an orthodox Jew, and the other, illegitimate and raised as a Christian, is a family tragedy. Cast members were Stuart Lourey, Rowan Hilty, Joyce Domogalla, Colton Lourey, Dannielle Yaste, Phillip Jansen, Bailey Beckman, Keith Rolston, Rene' Nelson, Kasha Wallace, and Sami Yocum. Support personnel included Amanda Downs, Kirsten Ecklund, McKinley Larson, and Chelsea Lourey.


The Minnesota State High School League State One Act Play Festival does not involve direct competition. Judges rate the plays according to specific criteria, including pace, blocking, costuming, and projection of the play’s meaning. Each production is limited to 10 minutes of stage preparation and 35 minutes of actual performance.


The judges consult after each production and then openly critique each in front of the cast, crew, and audience. “Starred performance” ratings are determined by private balloting of the judges. One school from each of eight sections in each class gets to perform at the state level. Two hundred and eighty-one teams participated in One Act Play this season, 194 in Class A and 87 in Class AA.

Each cast and crew member involved with these three productions was also presented a Spotlight on the Arts Award of Excellence recognition pin. This is a fine arts recognition award created by Wells Fargo, the League’s premier sponsor, in cooperation with the League. The casts and crews were also awarded a handsome acrylic trophy incorporating the Spotlight on the Arts logo.

Eight Class AA troupes will present their productions on Friday, Feb. 10 at 9:15 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m., and 4 p.m.

State One Act Play Festival

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.