Nine Dragons, FPD’s one-act competition play, took 2nd place in GHSA Class A – Area 1 Private Competition on Saturday, October 19, and advanced to the state competition. In addition, Ryann Perkins was recognized with an Outstanding Performance Award for her portrayal of Yai Tzu the Fierce – better known to the audience and judges as the “Red Dragon of War.”
This is an outstanding opportunity for our cast and crew as it has been several years since we have advanced to state. Our area is packed with outstanding theatre programs that bring amazing performances every year.
“All of that being said, I don’t think that the judges choosing us as the area runner-up is the main thing that should be celebrated,” noted Dr. Strickland, FPD Theatre Director. “There were several other plays that would have been just as worthy representatives of our area. Our play spoke to the judges – and we are thankful for that – but the real victory of the day was the attitude and spirit of our students.”
FPD’s cast and crew spent the day trying to help the other schools as much as possible. They watched every show they could see. They celebrated the work of every other cast, moved and inspired by seeing other people love theatre just as much as they do.
“Every year the students and I go to the black box theatre after competition and read the judges’ comments together,” Dr. Strickland said. ” I tell them every year that the words of the judges, while insightful and helpful to us as performers, should never change their view of the show. I told them that again this year. Our kids did not need a trophy to know that they had performed outstanding work. I loved watching how well the constructive criticism we received was accepted by the cast and crew and how awed they seemed by the praise. In short, they made me incredibly proud.”
The first category on the judging sheets is for Ensemble, simply put, the theatre version of “team.” The judging category basically looks at whether the performers work seamlessly as a group, if every person is fully a part of the show. It is Dr. Strickland’s favorite category because “Ensemble” is the heart of FPD Theatre. In that category, FPD received 44 out of a possible 45 in the Ensemble category. An amazing score!
FPD’s theatre program will be performing for the middle and high school on Friday, November 2, as a send-off for the state competition on November 3 at Warner Robins High School.