By Taylor Sasser Student Writer
The Opelika High School Trumbauer group will travel to Florence, Dec. 1 through Dec. 4 to compete in a statewide acting competition.
Students individually gained the invitation to the Florence competition by receiving a rating of 40 or more at the district acting competition held Nov. 5 at the Opelika Performing Arts Center. Actors were judged by fine arts teachers from around the district.
Students will compete with a monologue, duo scene or musical number. Also, a one-act play performed by some of the students in the Trumbauer group entitled Take the Repeat.
The students prepared for their district and state competitions in a class that met during school.
“We selected our individual events at the beginning of the school year and we had to memorize, block and practice them while Mr. Gholston, our theatre teacher, would give us notes on how we could improve them,” Mary Grace Sasser, sophomore said.
She will perform in Florence in Take the Repeat and in her own monologue and duo scene. Preparing for the students’ respective scenes also took work and time individually.
“The only way to really prepare for monologues is to do them over and over again until you can say them in your sleep,” Stephanie Downing, junior, said.
Downing is not only involved in Take the Repeat, but will also perform a song entitled “I’m Not Afraid of Anything” and a comedic monologue from Neil Simon’s play, The Star Spangled Girl.
Take the Repeat, written by Opelika’s very own Revel Gholston and Wesley Ballew, depicts the story of a boy named Andrew who has big dreams to move to Kansas City to pursue his musical aspirations.
The experience of preparing for Florence has taught the actors not only new lessons about their craft, but about themselves.
“Trumbauer has also brought me out of my shell a lot more.. … I’m also not nervous anymore when I go on stage, I’m always super excited,” Sasser said.
The thespians are hopeful that they will return home Dec. 4 with high ratings and awards.