Justena Amiotte, Jasmine Ferguson, Jaslyn Konst, Elise Wheeler and Corbin Kramer. In back are the ever-present student body acting as a Greek chorus, Grace Pekron, Jaisa Snyder, Samantha Schofield, Brittany Park, Anna Piroutek and Megan Hindman. Not shown: Tristen Schofield and Eli McClendon. 

Philip Students set to entertain with one-act play

The Philip High School one-act play, “Gossip,” will be performed for its local audience Sunday, Jan. 15, at 3:00 p.m. in the fine arts building.
 
On an alternating basis, this year’s regional and state competition schedule requires small schools to present serious one-act entries. Next year small schools are restricted to comedy one-acts.
Region 8B competition will once again be held at T.F. Riggs High School in Pierre, Wednesday, Jan. 18, with seven schools participating, Newell, Rapid City Christian, New Underwood, Wall, Kadoka Area, White River and Philip.
 
Perfect for competition time and set restrictions, “Gossip” is an easily staged play. The setting includes only stools and tiny tables. Props are mainly red clothing assessories. The plot uses a character named Gossip, and illustrates how rumors can spread. A group of high school theatre students befriend a new student, who is seemingly friendly but starts to cause problems. She immediately makes herself fit in, using altered versions of the truth to get what she wants. As the other students start to figure everything is not the truth, they turn on the new student in similar fashion as she treated them. The climax, though, is a surprise ending that, upon contemplation, should not be a real surprise.
 
Philip High School actor Jasmine Ferguson portrays the character of Gossip, a charming yet malicious manipulator of others.
 
Corbin Kramer plays the school’s first-day partner who helps the new student acclimate. He is nice, to the point of being an easy victim.
 
Tristen Schofield is the narrator as well as Kramer’s character’s best friend. The narrator sees, but the best friend doesn’t see as clearly or soon enough.
 
Justena Amiotte plays the girlfriend to Kramer’s character. She had better beware.
 
Jaslyn Konst and Elise Wheeler play twins. Their verbal timing is comical, yet it is their ditzy versus dry senses of humor that make them seem universal in a high school. Just for evil fun, they are pitted against each other.
 
A chorus of actors plays the ever present and ever observing crowd of students that weighs heavy on any student’s self esteem. This choreographed ensemble are Grace Pekron, Jaisa Snyder, Samantha Schofield, Brittany Park, Anna Piroutek and Megan Hindman. Lights and sound are run by Eli McClendon.
 
​The cast will take the audience to a high school commons area where the action, backstabbing and just desserts, all take place.
 
If the Philip High School drama group earns one of the top two places at the regional competition, the Philip group will participate in the 60th annual State High School One-Act Play Festival, Feb. 4-6, in the O’Gorman High School theater in Sioux Falls. The festival, sponsored by the South Dakota High School Activities Association, is not a competition where school drama departments compete for places. Instead, the drama groups perform their shows, striving to earn individual and ensemble awards, and an overall rating of superior.

The Pioneer Review

221 E. Oak Street
Philip, SD 57567
Telephone: (605) 859-2516
E Mail: ads@pioneer-review.com

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