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(GRAHAM ISD | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Graham High School One-Act Play competed Friday, March 28 in their district contest in Stephenville and advanced to the bi-district competition with their performance of ‘The Diary of Anne Frank.’ -
(GRAHAM ISD | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Members of the Graham High School One-Act Play visited the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum in February to understand more of their play ‘The Diary of Anne Frank.’
One-Act Play students from Graham High School competed in the District 6-4A contest and are advancing to bi-district for their performance of “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
The students competed in the contest Friday, March 28 in Stephenville. The OAP participants have been hard at work on the performance since January.
OAP and Theatre Director Katie Huitt said the students have been committed to honoring the real characters portrayed onstage and giving tribute to the victims.
“We were looking for something that was important, we wanted to tell an important story. I believe that the story of Anne Frank and the others hidden in the annex helps us understand the importance of standing up to those who seek to hurt others, and to help whoever you are able to help,” Huitt said.
The students traveled to the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum in February to understand the world in which the play takes place and honor the story.
“We had the opportunity to hear from the daughter of holocaust survivors and hear how it shaped her life. We heard recordings from survivors no longer with us about the horrors of the concentration camps and the death march,” Huitt said. “We learned about the great price people paid to protect others, and we heard too many stories without happy endings.”
UIL One-Act Play competitions follow strict rules which include limits on the number of lighting instruments or scenic items used, the play that can be chosen and the setup of the stage.
“Add to that the knowledge that each advancing level of competition takes us to another venue, with different stages and technical elements available. It’s very much a lesson in flexibility,” Huitt said. “We have to be ready to address whatever challenges surface, on the fly.”
At the district contest last week Jackson Kidd was presented All-Star Tech, Cy Sweedler was named Honorable Mention All-Star Cast and Sara Peyton and Jade Dospapas were named All-Star Cast.
“I am incredibly proud of the heart and the power with which our kids tell this story,” Huitt said. “It’s challenging, because everyone knows this scenario. We have to work hard to make these people who actually lived and died during one of the most terrible times of our history real and three-dimensional.”
The bi-district competition will be held from 12-5 p.m. Thursday, April 3 at Snyder High School.
