In The News: Drama students cut loose in Tournament of Plays

Written by: Seth Gordon, Newberg Graphic 

NHS celebrates its 70th anniversary with student-led comedies Thursday through Saturday

May in the Newberg High School theater department is both a time for teacher Mike McConaughey to take a back seat and for the students to cut loose and get a little silly.

McConaughey gets to sit back and observe what his students have learned as they take full control to produce the annual Tournament of Plays, which will celebrate its 70th anniversary at the high school with 7 p.m. shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

“It’s been fun watching the students come up with the different elements of the shows, from tech to costumes and everything,” McConaughey said. “So I have had a good time just sitting in on different rehearsals and just seeing them come from nothing to something.”

The program consists of four one-act comedies, one per graduating class, which are usually silly and whimsical in nature after the troup has staged three more serious productions each year.

The senior class, for instance, will perform “Game of Tiaras” by Don Zolidis, which follows the general plot of Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” but inserts Disney princesses for the King’s daughters.

Tragedy and hilarity ensue as Belle (Paige Lindsey) from “Beauty and the Beast,” Cinderella (Anna Umfleet) and the Snow Queen, Ellie (Elsie) McConaughey), who in no way takes after a copyright-protected character from “Frozen,” fight when the King (Travis Cox) splits up his land between them.

Throw Prince Charming (Jacob Adams) and Smeagol (Luke Hartley), as the King’s servant, into a tornado of violence that would make George R.R. Martin proud, and you’re sure to have a crowd pleaser, which is exactly what co-director Braden Sunnes and McKinzie Smith were looking for.

“Luke does a great Smeagol,” Sunnes said. “It’s fun to watch.”

The junior class will present “That’s Not How I remember It,” another Zoldis script, with the sophomores taking on Jonathan Rand’s “Hard Candy” and the freshmen staging “Superheroes” by Ian McWethy.

Senior Alex Foufos, who is coordinating the tournament along with Lizzy Dodson, said the students have been enjoying the process, which will end with the audience voting for their favorite.

Those votes will be tabulated after the final show Saturday, during which time the NHS Dramafest youth theater camp will present its 15-minute show.

The best play award, along with judged awards for acting, technical work, costume and make-up and direction, will then be presented to wrap up the year for the department.

“It’s been great,” Foufos said. “Everything’s a lot more laid back. The last week seems to be when everybody gets in a little bit of a crisis mode, but that doesn’t seem like that crisis mode is going to be as heavy duty as in previous years. It seems like all of these plays are pretty good already. It should be fun.”

Tickets are $4 for students and $8 for adults.