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MAINE DRAMA FESTIVAL

Skowhegan, MCI take top honors

By Amy Calder acalder@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

Skowhegan Area High School and Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield are among more than two dozen schools to compete later this month in the Maine Drama Festival.

Skowhegan took top billing Saturday in the Class A regional competition held Friday and Saturday at Skowhegan; MCI took first place in the Class B competition held at that school.

Skowhegan advances to the state class A contest, to be held March 19 and 20 at Camden Hills High School; MCI will compete in the Class B state finals on those same dates at Yarmouth High School.

Skowhegan performed "The Cherry Orchard," a play written by Anton Chekhov and directed by Maura Smith; MCI performed "Tuesdays and Sundays," written by Daniel Arnold and Medina Hahn and directed by Debra Susi.

More than 3,000 students from 79 Maine high schools took part in regional contests this weekend. Besides Skowhegan, host schools included Bangor, Cony, Rockland District, Marshwood, Leavitt Area, Windham and Stearns high schools, as well as Thornton Academy.

"Everything went very well," said Rick Ash, Maine Drama Festival coordinator.

Ash said Sunday that that a couple of shows were disqualified because they ran over the time limit, but otherwise, there were no difficulties.

"All in all, we had some incredible performances," Ash said. "The quality of Maine theater is as good as anywhere in the country. It's just fantastic."

Skowhegan competed against Waterville Senior High School, Mt. Blue High School in Farmington and Erskine Academy in China; Erskine was named the Class A alternate winner.

MCI competed with Mt. View High School in Thorndike, Carrabec High School in North Anson, Winslow High School and Madison Area Memorial High School. Mt. View was named the Class B alternate.

Those named to the All-Festival Cast at the Skowhegan regionals were: Connor Reeves, Emily Pineo and Marcus Guilmette, Skowhegan; Ben Glidden and Gary Kersbergen, MCI; Meg Boynton, Megan Wright, Meredith Polhemus and Patrick Meunier, Erskine; and Colby Hinson and Mert Danna, Mt. View.

Also, Mike McCann and Erica Bertolaccini, Winslow; James Riley and Mark Kate Ganza, Waterville; Andreas Wyder, Mt. Blue; and Jakob Curtis, James Martin and Nicholas Tart, Madison.

Judges' commendations were awarded to: Erskine and MCI, for acting ensemble; Erskine, for student directors Meredith Polhemus and Meg Boynton; MCI, for set design, Gary Kersbergen; Mt. Blue, for original play, Timothy Reid; Skowhegan, for lighting design, Henry Bonneau; and Waterville, for stage manager, Abigail Weston.

In other regional contests this weekend, Lincoln Academy, performing at Cony, won the Class A contest; and Winthrop High School won the Class B competition at Cony.

Other winners in Class A: Mount Desert Island, Ellsworth, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough high schools, and Fryeburg Academy; Class B winners: Rockland District, Hermon, Oak Hill, Yarmouth, Fort Kent and Caribou high schools.

Winners of the state contest March 19 and 20 will head to the New England Drama Festival, to be held April 15-17 at Falmouth High School.

Ash said Maine hosts the New England contest only every five years.

Amy Calder -- 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com