Madison production in state festival

“Places, everyone! Lights, cue sound, curtain.” These famous words are heard before any show of live theatre as the director hurriedly communicates with the actors and his crew.

Such was the case at Madison County High School on Nov. 21 as the top two schools of each district in Single A Region B came together to compete for Regional honors and a coveted performance position in the VHSL State Festival.

Madison County High School hosted the Region B Theatre Festival where their play, “Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie” took second place behind Nelson County’s show, “Tuna Fish Eulogy, A Ladder Play.”

Local artist RobertaMason, U.Va. professor Jeremy Caplin, Harrisonburg teacher Kathleen Holter and Chesterfield County teacher Melissa Atkinson, all praised the Madison production saying that it was “a true delight” to see the “playfulness between siblings “when telling a story that uses humor to deliver such an important and real message.”

“Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie,” a scholastic novel, tells the tale of typical siblings until one day the ”rug is pulled from beneath” their relationship.

The show investigates how, when one sibling is diagnosed with a possibly terminal illness, he is forced to deal with the effects.

The show takes you on a humorous roller coaster ride of emotions leaving the audience with a smile. In the district competition Matt Estes, playing the character of Steven and Andrew White, playing the character of his brother Jeffery were both named to the District All Star List of Actors.

Estes followed this up by receiving the best actor award for Region B.

As a result of their second place finish, Madison’s show will compete in the VHSL State Theatre Festival in early December.

The Group A State Theatre Festival will be held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing Arts Center on Monday, Dec. 7 with the first show slated to take the stage at 10 a.m. The eight shows in the festival will run consecutively throughout the day with Madison performing at 3:30 p.m. The Group AA State Theatre Festival will follow on Dec. 8. The public is invited to attend one or all seven of the performances.

For further information about the festivals contact Lisa Giles, Assistant Executive Director of Activities at the VHSL Office in Charlottesville.