The Minneapolis High School Drama Club is concluding a busy school year with the one-act play competitors earning a 1 rating at the Kansas State High School Association Regional Contest held Saturday, April 12, in Claflin, Kansas, and heading to the State Contest held at Kansas Wesleyan on Saturday, May 3. Members earning a gold medal for the regional competition were Amanda Baker, Michelle Baker, Brinley Boyer, Breck Bronson, Kingston Deronnet, Nevaeh Disney, Elizabeth Hyde, Emery Stickles, Justin Villalpando, Jessica Young, and Leah Young. The actors cut and shortened their spring play performance of “The Rehearsal,” by Don Zolidis, to fit the parameters of the competitive contest.
On April 9, five juniors and seniors traveled to Cloud County Community College to tour the theatre and communications departments and watch CCCC’s production of “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds,” a 1965 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Paul Zindel. MHS alumni, Clare McKain played a leading role in the production. The students attending were Michelle Baker, Elisabeth Hyde, Justin Villalpando, Nyah Weis, and Jessica Young.
On Saturday evening, April 12, 14 drama club members attended a bravura Salina Community Theatre and Kansas Wesleyan University’s production of Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, by Stephen Sondheim. MHS alumni, Class of 1980, David Corman was the musical director of this production, and his son, Jacob Corman, a KWU student played the title role, and his daughter, Grace Corman, played the part of Johanna. Students attending were Amanda Baker, Michelle Baker, Brinley Boyer, Breck Bronson, Nevaeh Disney, Elizabeth Hyde, Amarah Lott, Ashley Nichols, Kenneth Nichols, Braden Smith, Justin Villalpando, Ryan Villalpando, Jessica Young, and Leah Young.
On Monday, April 14, seniors Nyah Weis and Justin Villalpando competed in Sterling College’s first-ever Musical Theatre Competition against 30 other vocalists throughout the state of Kansas. Weis performed “Seventeen,” from Heathers, The Musical, and Villalpando performed “Words Fail” from Dear Evan Hansen. The day also included a backstage tour and a matinee performance of Sterling College’s spring musical, Urinetown.
Other Drama Club activities included a visit to the Kansas City Renaissance Festival on Saturday, October sponsoring a variety show in December, and attending the Salina Community Theatre production of The Sound of Music,