Play presentation leads to state festival

The Rector Drama Department was able to prepare last week for its performance this week at the state drama festival in Alma while at the same time offering a top-notch show for area students and the Rector community.

The all female cast won praise here in its presentation of the first act of "The Odd Couple" Thursday and Friday, Jan. 15 and 16.

The play, written by Neil Simon, centers on the topics of friendship and inner strength. It features six close friends who meet weekly for a game of Trivial Pursuit. While waiting for their friend Florence, played by senior Amanda Layer, the other five women learn of the dissolution of Florence's marriage and begin making preparations to offer their support.

In the other roles were: sophomore Ashley Williams, as Olive; seventh grader Hadleigh Watson, as Mickey; junior Abie Petty, as Renee; eighth grader Sydney Simmons, as Sylvie, and eighth grader Madison Cate, as Vera.

"It's really a story of friendship," Layer said. "They're all concerned about their friend and want to make sure she's going to be okay."

Due to the competition rules, the play had to be cut from its original two-act script to be shown in the allotted time of 45 minutes. As such, the story as told by the Rector drama department, is taken solely from the first act.

By focusing on the first act, the audience is able to see the talent and hard work put forth by the six young ladies in the cast.

"All the girls have done such a good job," said director Gail Burns. "We haven't had a lot of time for preparation, but they've all been working very hard to make up for that. I think that shows when they're all on stage together."

Several students also have been hard at work behind the scenes. Playing key roles in nearly every facet of the production are Layer, who also serves as student director, stage manager Skyler Bradshaw, spotlight operators Josh White and Duffi Adams, sound crew members Colby Wynn and Misty Hall, set designer Colby Wynn, costume designer Breanna Benson, publicity designer Abie Petty, properties manager Courtney Studdard and stage crew members Eric Vandiver, Susie Pettie, Breanna Benson, Skyler Bradshaw, Josh White, Duffi Adams and Courtney Studdard.