{"id":37359,"date":"2022-11-11T18:08:04","date_gmt":"2022-11-12T01:08:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/two-plays-at-piedra-vista-high-school-compete-for-spot-at-state-contest\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T02:37:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T08:37:04","slug":"two-plays-at-piedra-vista-high-school-compete-for-spot-at-state-contest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/two-plays-at-piedra-vista-high-school-compete-for-spot-at-state-contest\/","title":{"rendered":"Two plays at Piedra Vista high school compete for spot at state contest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Piedra
Piedra Vista drama students pose after the show. (David Edward Albright\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Drama students from Piedra Vista High School in Farmington last week competed in two one-act plays to determine which team would go to the state competition.<\/p>\n

The students do a one-act play every year, but this was first year they competed in two plays, said ninth-year drama teacher Melissa Souers.<\/p>\n

The state competition is held at San Juan College Nov. 9-12. Its purpose is for the actors to hone their skills and gain exposure to recruiters from colleges, including Fort Lewis, Eastern New Mexico, New Mexico State University, and San Juan College. It is not open to the public.<\/p>\n

At the end of the competition Thursday though Saturday, Souers reported that her students would perform \u201cHelp Desk\u201d at the state competition, which will have workshops and college auditions.e<\/p>\n

Piedra Vista alumni and student teacher Tyler Gleason introduced the production to an enthusiastic audience of about 80 people, who were asked to choose their favorite and drop their choice into the ballot box after the performances.<\/p>\n

\u201cHelp Desk\u201d was written by Don Zolidis and directed by Souers. Zolidis has written two novels and more than 100 plays and one-acts for teenagers. Scenes and monologues are free to print for auditions and educational purposes, according to donzolidis.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAppropriate Audience Behavior\u201d was written by Ian McWethy and directed by Gleason. McWethy is the author of more than 50 plays that have been published by Playscripts.<\/a> McWethy also has written two novels, according to Playscripts.<\/p>\n

\u2018Help Desk\u2019 shows dominance of a tech world<\/strong><\/div>\n

\u201cHelp Desk\u201d turned into phone terror in this farcical nightmare tech world.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a taste of the script, also available at Playscripts, Inc<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

JERALYN: Help Desk, this is Jeralyn. What seems to be the nature of your problem?<\/p>\n

ANGEL: Hey, so I\u2019m trying to log into the network, and I can\u2019t seem to make it work. JERALYN: Oh, OK. Boy, that\u2019s a challenge. Glad I picked up this call.<\/p>\n

ANGEL: I\u2019m sorry?<\/p>\n

JERALYN: No go ahead. Walk me through how terribly difficult this is.<\/p>\n

ANGEL: Um \u2026 so, I put in my ID and password.<\/p>\n

JERALYN: Uh-huh.\u201d<\/p>\n

That initial scene signaled a help desk that was geared to humiliate and torment callers, rather than solve their problems. The adept, young actors played their parts convincingly.<\/p>\n

\n

The casts<\/h4>\n

\u201cHelp Desk\u201d<\/strong>Bella Wilson as Jeralyn; Jenna Lytle as Angel; Mariah Romero as Beatrice;, Robert Stirman as Tanner; Abigail Gladden as Bailey; Dominic Burnham as Marcus; Arianna Jim as Dani; Braylen Edwards as Brent; Emma Williams as Mara; Chris Rercik as Charlie; Abigail Gladden as Brin; Jacob Malouff as Chase; Devyn Ericksen as Yamira; Dominic Burnham as Brett; Violet Fitzgerald as Jess; Mariah Romero as Vic; Emma Willians as Miley; Jenna Lytle as Mabel.<\/p>\n

\u2018Appropriate Audience Behavior\u2019<\/strong>Same cast as \u201cHelp Desk,\u201d but adding Abigail Harpole.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The scene when a caller needed help with computer virus protection drew lots of laughs and applause.<\/p>\n

\u201cBRIN: Yeah, so I downloaded Virus Assassin 3 because it said it would take care of my viruses permanently.<\/p>\n

CHARLIE (chuckling): Yeah it says that. Classic.<\/p>\n

BRIN: But as soon as I installed it I started getting all these pop-ups.<\/p>\n

CHARLIE: Yup!<\/p>\n

BRIN: And they just say things like, \u201cyour computer is in danger!\u201d Or this one \u201cThere are viruses coming for your computer \u2013 they are stealing all of your information and writing emails to your mom blaming her for all the problems in your life.\u201d I mean that\u2019s really specific. My mom doesn\u2019t even know she\u2019s responsible for all the problems in my life.<\/p>\n

CHARLIE: Amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, ultimately, they never helped \u2013 only pushed to upsell all the way to a new computer.<\/p>\n

The actors demonstrated abundant skills of getting into character, with physical and emotional expression, from falling on the floor and flailing in distress to screaming in anger or pain.<\/p>\n

\u2018Appropriate Audience Behavior,\u2019 not so much<\/div>\n

\u201cAppropriate Audience Behavior\u201d opens with Carol and Ashley taking their seats to watch \u201cHamlet,\u201d but the real tragedy is that they\u2019re sitting next to obnoxious viewers. The audience takes the spotlight as everyone from a cough-drop obsessive to a guy watching the play like a football game steals the show.<\/p>\n

The cast included the actors from \u201cHelp Desk,\u201d with the addition of sophomore Abigail Harpole, who played Brenda.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like getting to play a part and just getting away from everything,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

About making a career of acting, \u201cI like the dressing up part, yelling at the people, all the fun stuff, being in character,\u201d said student actor Dominic Burnham. \u201cI enjoy this very much.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been doing theater stuff a very long time. I just love performing,\u201d said Devyn Erickson, a junior. \u201cThere\u2019s something fun about taking on different characters. You get to create all these little details that most people don\u2019t realize.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emma Williams, who has acted for four years at Piedre Vista, hopes to continue being involved in theater and plans to attend Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.<\/p>\n

Williams and Robert Stirman got radio experience promoting the theatrical battle on the Scott Michlin\/KSJE Morning Show.<\/p>\n

Stirman, a senior, looks forward to studying acting at Fort Lewis College in Durango. \u201cI like the culmination of everything we\u2019ve done \u2013 in one night,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Matthew
Matthew Evans, Lighting Tech, add the lighting effects. (David Edward Albright\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Stage
Stage manager Skylar Hickox, left, and drama teacher Melissa Souers and student teacher Tyler Gleason. Gleason plans to teach at a high school after graduating college. \u201cIt\u2019s been a real joy working here,\u201d he said. (David Edward Albright\/Durango Herald)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>
The crew<\/strong><\/div>\n

Behind the scenes, an experienced crew kept the show running smoothly.<\/p>\n

Lighting tech Matthew Evans added just the effects. In his second year in that position, he said he placed second at the state competition last year.<\/p>\n

Stage manager Skylar Hickox likes helping and guiding others. \u201cI like how organized you have to be, and I like being able to help the actors.\u201d She acknowledged her assistants, Cassidy Tsinajine and Claire Olsen.<\/p>\n

Technical director Danica Miller said, \u201cI\u2019m just kind of supervising the crew, making sure everything is running smoothly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Costumes were by Emma Williams, assisted by Hailie Barrett.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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