Payson High School’s Drama Students Return from Shakespeare Competition

     Payson High School’s Drama Department has recently returned from Ceder City, where they represented our School in the Shakespearean Competition where students from all over the state and even further come to act, dance, sing, and even play music to remember a brilliant mind. Our school participated in Ensemble and Individual Events including scenes and monologues. Our Ensemble this year represented a collection of all the works of Shakespeare. They set the stage by putting down a stool and a large book and then a group of people clumped together shuffling on stage and then lay down on the ground. Not long after the group had fallen to the ground a boy comes out talking on his cell phone, he doesn’t notice the large book and trips over it. The group moves as if he had ran into them. Intrigued, the boy hangs up his phone and kicks the book, and is giddy that the group again responds to the hit. After a few minutes of lifting, dropping, and kicking the book, the boy sits down and opens the book. The group then stands and acts out the various parts that the boy opens up to. The audience sees small parts from Shakespeare; classics like Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and a few sonnets. “Everyone had a really good time. Unless we’re having fun we don’t want to go,” Said our director Dane Allred. “It was way good, it was way good.” Said Kevin Thompson, who was all smiles about how the group did with their ensemble.
  Not only were the actors working hard on the ensemble, but preparing for and competing in the scenes and monologues competitions. In this part of the competition each school was only allowed to only bring three monologues and two scenes. The people competing in this section face three rounds of judging and the fear that someone will be doing the exact same scene or monologue you are. Though it is nerve-racking, it helps you progress as an actor and looks great on a resume. Vallerie Mott who portrayed Queen Margret in Richard the 3rd, Caitlin Dart was Kate from Taming of the Shrew, and Jessica Jones was the beautiful Juliet from Romeo and Juliet. These great ladies represent our school in the monologues. Alison Steed, Candace Burningham preformed a duo scene from A Midsummer Night ‘s Dream Alison played Hermia and Candace played Helena. Jessica Ward, Justin Zohner, McKenzie Ewell played the three witches with a nice little modern day twist from Macbeth. We definitely had some great people representing our great school. And we appreciate all the work that they have done for us. I mean really you try learning iambic pentameter.
  Members of the Ensemble included: Candace Burningham, Jake Dansie, Caitlin Dart, McKenzie Ewell, Maren Giessing, Melissa Green, Missy Jenson, Jessica Jones, Victoria Mecham, Vallerie Mott, Matt Payne, Teal Delligattie, Alison Steed, Aubrey Taylor, Kevin Thompson, Jessica Ward, Justin Zohner, Tyler Hill, and Misty Hill.

Pic: Candance Burningham, Teal Delligatti, Kevin Thompson, Jessica Jones, Maren Giessing, Alison Steed