May 15, 2019
The play’s the thing
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Features
Photo courtesy City of St. Charles School District The St. Charles High fall play “She Kills Monsters” was selected as a top five high school play in the country and will be performed at the International Thespian Festival held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from June 24 - 29.
The St. Charles High School fall play ‘She Kills Monsters’ has received national acclaim By Brett Auten A well-deserved chance of a lifetime is awaiting some talented students from St. Charles High. St. Charles High School theater teacher Courtney LaChance-Denton and the Pirate Players have been invited to a major national conference for the very first time. The St. Charles High fall play “She Kills Monsters”, written by Qui Nguyen, was selected as a top five high school play in the country and will be performed at the International Thespian Festival held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from June 24-29. At the festival, not only will the students get a chance to perform and be judged by some
of the top professionals in the industry, they can compete for college scholarships, attend workshops and network with theater students across the country and from Canada. “It’s an amazing honor for all of us and it opens so many doors for the students,” LaChance-Denton said. “We had no intention of even being considered for the national festival. It is a fairly grand adventure that we didn’t think was in our cards. (The students) were floored, shocked and excited. It’s something we never thought would be possible. Our troupe is only three years old and we do not have the budget other high school theater programs have, but what we lack in funds we make do with have heart, talent and dedication.”
To reach the International Thespian Festival, the play was selected to be performed at the Missouri Thespian Conference last January, where it was secretly judged by Broadway veterans and submitted to the international conference. The Pirate Players made a big impact and as a result will get to perform on the biggest of stages, both figuratively and literally. “We couldn’t be prouder of the cast and crew,” Olivia Potthoff, a SCHS junior, said. “To think we didn’t have a troupe three years ago and now we’re going to nationals is amazing.” One final hurdle for the troupe is raising See ‘PLAY’S’ page 2
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