Last week the Avon drama department went to Rapid City with their play The Empty Chair for the State One-Act Play Festival. They left on Wednesday with a farewell tunnel around 3:00 and went to Rapid City in a five-hour road trip. The department stayed in the La Quinta Inn with a water park. The competition took place in the Rapid City Central High School.

After regions, the cast made a couple of changes to the play’s opening in order to show the cast relationships prior to the monologues.

On Thursday, the cast watched some of the morning performances and evening performances. On Friday, the cast watched some afternoon performances, some evening performances, and enjoyed the waterpark in the hotel. On Saturday, the cast was the second to last play performance. They arrived at the high school around 1:15 to unload the set and be prepared to perform at 3. When the play finished, the audience responded with a standing ovation.

During the award’s ceremony, Caleb Wallinga and Noah Watchorn both received individual Superior Actor Awards, and Avon (as a whole) got a Superior Play Award. After receiving the awards, the cast was emotionally drained from the sorrow of their play and the excitement of the festival.

The seniors of the drama department were asked about the Festival, and they said, “It was fun! We wished it lasted longer!”