MHS Cast and Crew to Present One-Act Play at State This Weekend

The cast and crew of the MHS one-act play earned second place at the regional contest in Aberdeen on January 27 . Milbank students now  head to the Class A State One Act Play Festival that starts Thursday, February 5.

The state contest continues through Saturday, February 7, at the Brandon Valley Performing Arts Center. The Milbank students will perform The One Act Play That Goes Wrong . Plays are judged on the students’ acting, technical aspects, and the overall production. 

During the regional competition, six members of the cast received individual superior performance medals:Hunter Reede, Sebastion Vogel, Jack ter Denge, Rebecca Lavallee, Jenna Korstjens, and Preston Laskowske. 

Cast members Parker Grabow, Sam Shelstad, Caitlyn Frerichs, Izzy Glomstad, and Tayton Reede will also be performing at the state festival.

Crew members also making the trip to State: Taylor Hallquist and Kaitlyn Brandenburger, assistant directors; Darin Hagen and Colton Roark, lights; Tate Pew, sound; Cody Wiik and Franklin Pederson, stage managers;  Kinley VanHoorn and Eleanor Gastineau, backstage crew. Holly McKernan serves as the director.

McKernan commented on the unique performance and challenges created by a comedy that includes a play within the play. “It requires precise, choreographed, and safe execution of pretend accidents such as doors coming off hinges, staged fights, and set pieces that fail.”

‘“The biggest challenge for us was the set. Normally in a one act, we would only bring a few pieces of furniture and two or three actual set parts to represent entire walls,” she explained.  “For this show, we will bring an entire full stage set that includes walls, a window, and a door that stretches from one side of the stage to the other. We will also bring a fainting couch, a chair, two tables, artificial plants, and pictures that temporarily hang on the walls.” 

McKernan said, “Building this entire set and tearing it down all must be done within the 45-minute time frame. We have managed to construct the set, with furniture and everything, in less than 30 seconds.”