The Theatre Department at John T. Hoggard High School has much to celebrate, as they bring home honors from the 2016 North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC) High School Play Festival, held at Washington High School earlier this month. The theatre program, led by Alley Collins, made the school and community proud with their presentation of the plays, Interview and Chamber Music, at the Festival, and is thrilled to bring home the following awards:
Chamber Music – Rating: Superior
Interview – Rating: Superior
Festival Spirit Award
Theatre Arts Award – Excellence in Music Direction – Jacob Jones, Interview
Barbizon Outstanding Achievement in Design & Production – Hair and Makeup Design – Trenton Kong, Interview and Chamber Music
Excellence in Acting – Mikayla Marshall, Interview
Excellence in Acting – Nicole Baker, Chamber Music
Excellence in Acting – Jacob Jones, Chamber Music
Outstanding Achievement in Acting – Amelia Loudermilk, Chamber Music
Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Acting – Interview and Chamber Music
Excellence in Directing – Alley Collins, Interview and Chamber Music
Distinguished Play (Cast Your Vote) – Interview
For over 30 years, the NCTC High School Play Festival has strengthened arts education in schools by bringing curriculum to life, challenging students to do their very best work, and contributing to the development of future audiences for live performing arts. The program was named one of the “Top High School Theatre Festivals” by Stage Directions Magazine, and is the largest high school theatre event in the Southeast, and has been replicated in nine other states. This year, 3,000 students from 90 schools performed 126 plays.
Each fall, professional theatres, colleges and high schools host eight regional festivals across the state. The top two outstanding productions from each of the regional sites advance to the NCTC State High School Play Festival, which will be on November 17-18 at Greensboro College. Winners there go on to represent the state of NC at the Southeastern Theatre Conference’s annual convention, which will be held in Lexington, Kentucky in 2017.
The atmosphere at the Play Festival is positive and exciting, and students are filled with energy as they watch shows, learn from their peers and make new theatre friends. Schools travel with theatrical sets and load-in to a 10’x10’ backstage area. Before their 45-minute time limit begins, students eagerly await hearing the starting phrase, “Your time begins NOW!”, to which they respond with an enthusiastic reply. The 45-minute time limit includes setting up, performing the play and clearing the stage. Following their performance, students join their peers in the cheering audience to receive feedback from professional actors and directors with Broadway and Hollywood credits. Actors, designers, writers, directors and teachers are celebrated and bring home awards that are displayed beside school sports trophies.
The NCTC High School Play Festival is made possible with support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; The Beattie Foundation; Lincoln Financial Group; the Moore County Unrestricted Endowment Fund; and Barbizon Lighting Company.
About the North Carolina Theatre Conference
The mission of NCTC is to strengthen North Carolina’s vibrant theatre industry, and engage tomorrow’s artists, audiences, and advocates. NCTC has served as the leader of the statewide theatre industry since 1970, and produces several events throughout the year, including the NCTC Producing Gathering, NCTC College Discovery Day, the NCTC Theatre Admin Intensive, the NCTC Awards and statewide NCTC Middle School and High School Play Festivals.
For more information on NCTC, please contact Executive Director Angie Hays at 336-369-1984 or visit www.nctc.org.
For more information on the John T. Hoggard High School Theatre Department, please contact Wanda Seed at 910-350-2072.
-Content provided by New Hanover County Schools
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