Saint Peter High School’s one-act play ensemble and crew have been busy preparing for Section 2AA, Subsection A Contest with rehearsals starting in early December and continuing through this week. This year’s varsity play is “Too Many Detectives at the Murder Mansion,” written by Ian McWethy,” under the direction of Bri Bergstrom and Wesley Toupence, while Scott Robinson is in charge of set design and construction.
(PICTURED ABOVE) The SPHS One Act Play competition cast & crew includes: front row (l to r), Ella Twaddle, Josie Scrabeck, Gabe Zayas, Ryan Ranft, Lyric Ruble, Logan Pherson, Bekah Roemhildt, Tarynn Bice, Sophia Brown; back row, Jentzen Franklin, Micah Stoll, Evan Embacher, Parker Brown, Isabelle Mish, Dylan Hutchins, Anja Harbo, Zeb Davis, and Levi Gilbertson, along with (inset photos) Eleanor Hughes and Mason Davis.
There was such strong interest in the program this year that there will also be a junior varsity (non-competitive) production as well. The Saints’ JV production is entitled ‘Check Please’ by Jonathan Rand.
“We had over 50 students audition for the 20 spots for our competitive one act play, and after announcing those roles, we had 15 students who indicated they wanted to continue to be a part of the program so a junior varsity play was set up,” Bergstrom said. “To have such an interest in this program indicates how strong our theater program is. The best part of the JV production is Paige Marquardt stepped forward to serve as student director for that play and the entire production is student-run.”
The Saints’ ensemble and crew will stage a FREE public performance on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the SPHS Performing Arts Center. The JV production will go first followed by the varsity production.
According to a synopsis from YourStagePartners.com – “Sure, you think you've seen this type of murder mystery before. A cast of eccentric characters meet at a mansion, only to become suspects of a murder that a singular genius detective will eventually solve. But what happens when all the suspects are the detectives? Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Miss Marple, Batman and the whole Scooby crew are just some of the guests. ‘Too Many Detectives at the Murder Mansion’ is a whodunnit that will leave you laughing and guessing right until the very end!”
The Section 2AA, Subsection A Contest is set for Saturday, Jan. 25, at New Prague High School. In addition to St. Peter, other schools competing will be Jordan, Hutchinson, Marshall, New Prague, New Ulm, and Orono. The Section 2AA, Subsection B teams include Chanhassen, Chaska, Minnetonka, Prior Lake, Shakopee, and Mound-Westonka.
The top three at the Subsection A & B contests advance to the Section 2AA Contest on Saturday, Feb. 1, at Shakopee High School. The top play at the Section 2AA Contest advances to state on Friday, Feb. 7, at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium on the campus of St. Catherine University (St. Paul).
The JV production of "Check Please" was written by Jonathan Rand and according to his website the synopsis for this play is, “Dating can be hard. Especially when your date happens to be a raging kleptomaniac, or your grandmother's bridge partner, or a mime. 'Check Please' follows a series of blind dinner dates that couldn't get any worse -- until they do. Could there possibly be a light at the end of the tunnel."
SPHS One Act Play (competitive) cast & crew
Detective Christie - Bekah Roemhildt
Detective Kane - Mason Davis
Sherlock - Gabe Zayas
Sam Spade - Parker Brown
Madame Doyle - Sophia Brown
Batman - Levi Gilbertson
Miss Marple - Isabelle Gish
Nancy Drew - Ella Twaddle
Frank Hardy - Evan Embacher
Joe Hardy - Jentzen Franklin
Shaggy - Zeb Davis
Velma - Anja Harbo
Daphne - Lyric Ruble
Fred - Logan Pherson
Fan 1, 2 & 3 - Josie Scrabeck, Eleanor Hughes, Ryan Ranft
Lights, Sound, Shift/911 Operator - Tarynn Bice, Micah Stoll, and Dylan Hutchins
SPHS JV One Act Play (non-competitive) Cast & Crew
Esme Gransee
Jade Anderson
Melina Chadwick
Reid Wills
Bruce Melby-Rose
Habsa Abdi
Lucia Penner
Skyler Christensen
Paige Marquardt - Student Director
Shayla Wills
Faduma Muhidin
Grace Penner
Charlotte Hagen
Flynn Brancamp
Livia Salisbury
(PICTURED BELOW) The SPHS junior varsity one act cast and crew includes: front row (l to r) Charlotte Hagen, Shayla Wills, Grace Penner, Faduma Muhidin, Esmee Gransee, Jade Anderson, Lucia Penner, student director Paige Marquardt, Habsa Abdi; back row, Bruce Melby-Rose, Reid Wills, Melina Chadwick, Flynn Brancamp, and Livia Salisbury. Not pictured is Skyler Christensen.