BHS One-Act places second at Region Competition

Published 12:42 pm Wednesday, November 3, 2021

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Bainbridge High School’s One-Act team competed in the One-Act regional competition over the weekend, where they placed 2nd for their rendition of A Chorus Line-Teen Edition.

A Chorus Line is a 1975 musical set on the stage of a Broadway theater. It centers around 17 Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. During the course of auditioning, audience members get a glimpse into the personalities of the performers and the choreographer, as they describe the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers.

One-Act sponsor, Leigh Powell picked A Chorus Line, knowing it would really challenge the students.

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“I tend to pick the classics that everyone would know,” she said. “I wanted the students who really have an interest to drama to know this piece. I think it was very challenging, because it was very dance heavy and some of these students have never danced before.”

Even with the challenge, students rose to the occasion.

Powell said nearly 10 new students auditioned for the One-Act piece.

“We cast the parts in May and have been working on it since July,” she said.

However, Powell knew it was a risk to also pick such a well-known production.

“I took a risk choosing such a well-known show,” she said. “The judges who are so familiar with this show could possibly compare it to what they’ve seen before.”

While the team didn’t take home first place as a whole, several actors and actresses stood out to the judges and won Best Actor and All-Star cast.

Senior John Ingram won Best Region Actor, while Ashley McClanahan, Shayla Allen and Teri McCord won All-Star Cast members.

“This is an indication they really stood out on the stage, even amongst 17 other people,” Powell explained.

Despite an All-Star cast and Best Actor, Thomas County Central took home the win, performing a play based in the Vietnam War era.

Powell is hopeful, though that the experience and difficulty of the play will create a lasting effect on the ensemble’s acting skills, which will soon be honed in on again for the BHS Drama Department’s production of Aladdin Jr.