As the final performance after two and a half months of rehearsal, NC’s Standing Ovation performed Jim Leonard, Jr’s The Diviners at the Region 3 AAAAAAA One-Act Play Competition at Kennesaw Mountain High School on October 29. NC took home third place, as well as the award for Best Set and two All-Star Cast Awards.

Five schools presented shows, each under fifty-five minutes, for a panel of three judges who scored them based on characterization, enunciation, set, costumes, and more. The competing schools also included McEachern with Seven Guitars, North Paulding with Still Life with Iris, Hillgrove with Urinetown, and Kennesaw Mountain with The Boys Next Door.

“I really enjoyed seeing all the other shows,” sophomore Hope Kutsche said. “When you watch shows you know how much work goes into them, how so many people contribute to this one hour of storytelling, and it’s amazing to see what everyone can do. Everyone there was so supportive and encouraging, it was just all around a really great experience.”

NC spent an hour backstage perfecting makeup, costumes, and preparing to put on the show. As per tradition, five minutes before the show, the group sang Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” to warm up.

“My personal favorite drama tradition is when we sing ‘Bohemian’ before every show,” senior Jordan Warren said.  “We have so much fun acting out the song and dancing around that you forget it helps us warm up our voices for the show and helps every one relax and calm down as well. It’s truly a special part of being in a show.”

After the shows concluded, cast members played games and talked with other students as the judges deliberated. Members of each show shared their favorite parts of the other shows and praised the actors.

“It was cool getting to meet the students from other schools and talk about how we enjoyed the shows and enjoyed watching each other,” senior Conner Crafton said. “Everyone is very friendly and very open. It’s a really fun environment to compete in and I’m so glad that i got to experience it.”

Out of the five schools, NC won third place and took home the award for Best Set. Junior Jordan Hicks and junior Kimberly Hoffmann both earned All-Star Cast Awards.

“I felt very honored and amazed!” Hicks said. “We all did so well, and I’m so happy for the whole cast and crew! All of our hard work and endless hours finally payed off. I have learned so much from this experience and I can’t wait for the next show.”