By Sarah Oprysk
After hosting UIL Theatre for the first time, Richardson High School advanced to District after competing on Thursday and Friday.
“Every year before, we’ve practiced and practiced, only to get somewhere where we don’t know the layout,” said Theatre Magnet director Erik Archilla. “Our techies were thrown off. But this year, we know our area, so we did well.”
Schools from across the district competed on Thursday and Friday, staying from 6 a.m. to as late as 10 p.m. The schools occupied classrooms in C hall, F hall and all three gyms. Several magnet students were picked to be these school’s escorts and monitored them to prevent foul play.
“Some of the schools were really scatterbrained,” junior Talia Henry said. “It was like trying to herd cats. I would tell them to stand somewhere, and they would stand everywhere but where I told them to be.”
This year also marked the first time Obama High School, which opened three years ago, competed in UIL.
“Their show had some great acting,” sophomore Dovie Stem said. “I didn’t get it, but the acting was phenomenal.”
Richardson’s main competitors in District are Pearce and Lake Highlands.
“We saw Lake Highlands at Clinic,” Theatre Magnet director Cliff McClelland said. “And it was good then. But they’ve really tightened up their show, and it’s pretty good.”
Richardson’s show had a 30-minute public performance on Monday. Its main subject is a woman who wakes up every morning with amnesia and spends her day trying to remember her past. Throughout the show, she accidentally learns of secrets about her family and her past.
Actors said the show was able to evoke a wide range of emotions even though it was a short production.
“You know it’s good when you can laugh and cry in the same 40-minute show,” freshman Jane Giles said.
One-act UIL shows have a maximum run time of 30 minutes. Despite the show’s short length, Archilla said the students’ talented performance made the show successful.
“I really have faith in our actors and actresses,” Archilla said. “We have a lot of talent in this show, and they’re dedicated to giving it their best.”