Trumbauer Recap
Victory. District champions. The theatre department competed at Trumbauer — the Alabama theatre competition. Collecting five awards total for individuals and show, the department’s hard work earned them into the state’s competition.
The crew qualified for the All-Star Cast and Best Ensemble.The district competition was Nov. 5 and held at Lee High School. The state competition will be on Dec. 2 and 3 at the University of North Alabama. Terry Harbison, the theatre teacher, is proud of his students’ successes and their hard work.
“I was ecstatic. It was our first year to take a studio piece to district and so to qualify for state with our first studio piece is really exciting,” Harbison said. “I’m super proud for how all the students worked and all that they did. McKenna Barlow was our student director and she did a great job with it. All the students worked hard to memorize their lines, get on with their blocking and have all those theatrical details down pack.”
The students who competed practiced every day during their fourth block and sometimes before or after school. Even though they won the competition with ease, struggles during rehearsals came their way.
“We had hardly done the piece with everybody there doing his or her part. That was a little nerve wracking getting everybody together so we can make it through the whole thing during competition,” Harbison said.
Senior McKenna Barlow directed the studio performance and competed in two musical theatre solos — one being dramatic and the other comedic. All of them advanced to the state competition and to prepare they are going to take the judge’s notes and work on the issues they had.
“To prepare for state, we are definitely going to focus on character analysis more and interpreting our underlying message of the play,” Barlow said. “This piece is truly a work of art with so many elements and levels to it. We will continue to explore to see just how powerful and real it can be for our audience.”
Barlow and others from the theatre department were overjoyed when they found out the news they made it to state. It was a moment she will not forget.
“Finding out we were advancing to state was just a huge blessing. We worked so hard and so much, and all of it paid off in that moment,” Barlow said. “It was like a huge weight had been lifted off of our shoulders. It was absolutely incredible to be in that moment with everyone cheering and urging me to go run up on stage and receive our trophies.”
According to Barlow, the theatre was very intimidating for her when she first walked in. In the audience, there was two sections of seats for the audience and a table for the judges to observe from.
“The cast immediately ran up to me with a million questions about certain things concerning blocking and entrances but I assured them that the stage was as big as the choir room floor we practiced on. They ended up putting on an award-winning performance,” Barlow said.
Barlow has gone to state with her pieces every year since she was a sophomore. She is anticipating every moment of state this year.
“I’m looking forward to viewing so many creative and impressive pieces, and reconnecting with good friends from other schools and especially meeting new friends. Theatre kids are truly the best,” Barlow said.