Student actors earn individual honors at Trumbauer festival

For its play, “The Frogs,” James Clemens High School earned “Best Technical Performance” and “Best in Show” awards at the Walter J. Trumbauer Drama Festival. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Numerous student actors from Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools earned awards at the Walter J. Trumbauer Drama Festival, hosted by Troy State University on Dec. 4-6.

Categories for Individual Events (IE) at Trumbauer include monologues, dialogues, pantomime, readers’ theatre and musical theatre, in both contemporary and classical styles.

From James Clemens, Kylie Thorum was first-place winner for classical comedic monologue and third place for dramatic musical. Abbie Chatelain earned second place for pantomime; Nadia Harden and Tucker Pearson, second, duet pantomime; and Noah Hudson, second, lighting design.

Other Jets stars were Josh Caudill, third place, comedic monologue; Kayla Braxton, second, comedic musical; and Chase Clemmons, third, comedic musical.

From Bob Jones, Ashley Anderson and Kourtney Colbert were first place in dramatic reader’s theatre. Rashad Nelson rated first for solo male pantomime.

Anna McAbee earned second place, female comedic monologue; Samantha Stratton, second, female comedic musical solo; Jackson Fitzgibbon, second, male comedic monologue; Lacey Kriese, second, solo female pantomime; Samuel Jackson, second, male comedic musical solo; and Avery Batson, second, female comedic monologue.

Also from Bob Jones, Soumyaa Utlapalli and Sarah-Grace Tucker were in second place for comedic readers’ theatre. Elijah Johnson was in third place for solo male pantomime; Molly Bates and Brendan Worley, third, dramatic readers’ theatre; and Dekilo Haygood and Will Carey, third, dramatic contemporary duet.

At the scholarship screenings, representatives from nine Alabama colleges viewed and assessed students’ performances.

From Bob Jones, Chris Gunner was ‘called back’ by all nine colleges. Jordan Searcy, Delaney Mayer, Sarah Combs, Chance Novalis, Naia Erkelens and Emeline Earman earned callbacks from eight colleges.

From James Clemens, Nadia Harden earned callbacks from all universities. Madison Johnson earned a call back from eight universities.

Bob Jones will advance with its one-act play, “The Standard Deviation,” to the Southeastern Theatre Conference in Chattanooga on March 4-8, 2015.

Mary Davis and Dwayne Craft are drama instructors at Bob Jones. Amy Patel and Clint Merritt coach drama students at James Clemens.