Published: May 09, 2008 09:08 pm            

Rice OAP racks up four awards at state competition

There is a whole lot of drama going on at Rice, and for once it is being rewarded.

Rice High School sent a group of over 20 students to the UIL state competition last week in One-Act Play (”The Beggar’s Opera”) and Prose competitions, bringing back a total of four awards including honorable mention all-star cast, two all-star cast awards, fifth place in prose, and first runner-up One-Act Play.

“It feels great,” Director Aimee Kaspryzk said. “We were really nervous about moving up a division and competing against 2A schools, but everyone involved really stepped it up and it paid off. I couldn’t be prouder of this cast and crew.”

Of the large cast, three actors received awards at state including senior Cory Baker who took home an Honorable Mention All-Star Cast award and juniors Wyndi Grant and Zoe Ziegenhagen who took home All-Star Cast awards.

“This award meant that I’m one of the best actors in the state,” Ziegenhagen said. “It was very shocking — I didn’t expect to get it at the state level — but it still felt really good.”

Baker, who also placed fifth in Prose interpretation at State this year, has been actively involved in both events throughout high school becoming the 1A state champion in prose his freshman year and claiming third in the same event in 2A last year.

This year, however, Baker focused more on One-Act Play, attempting to make a repeat of Rice’s success a few years back when they received First Runner-Up at State 1A in 2006.

“My first year I was in the One-Act Play, but I didn’t feel I had as big of a part in it,” Baker said. “It was really great this year because I felt like I had a lot more to do with us getting there.”

Other students who participated in Rice High School’s UIL state runner-up production of “The Beggar’s Opera” are Micheal Dickens, Alisha King, Andy Rich, Cameron Baker, Kayla Bailey, Brian Marshall, Katelyn Stewart, Dylan Moore, Brett Edwards, Erika Hersey and Ali Barker as well as those serving on stage crew and alternates including Joy Osborne, Racheal Adams, Seth Burnett, Brendan Smith, Brittany Arteaga, Devin Castillo and Colby Evans.

Among them, 11 will be graduating, yet Kaspryzk remains optimistic of the future of the drama group as well as Prose and Poetry competitions — which she also coaches.

“I’ve got a bunch of really good youngsters coming up,” Kaspryzk said. “Even though I’m losing eleven kids, I stall have a lot of talent left here and we’ve got a lot to build on. I’m looking forward to the years to come.”

—————

Chase Springer may be contacted via e-mail at chase@corsicanadailysun.com

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.