For the week of December 8-12, the Theater Tech students of Helena High have been presenting and teaching students new skills. Topics included how to build a fake hand, how to create realistic rain fall on a stage, correct techniques for makeup, how to warp wood in a controlled fashion, how to make sugar glass, and different techniques for fake snow. Each project, students had to ask 3 questions that proved the class learned their skill and they had to have a visual aid and an activity for the class to do. Above are pictures of an activity where students had to create snow and then we had a snow ball battle in the parking lot. It was a week of exciting new discoveries of techniques and skills that the students and teacher are looking forward to using in future productions!

On December 11 & 12, my students had the pleasure of performing a professional style audition in front of professionals to gain feedback. Meg Deusner of Acting Out Academy and Mike Jones of Mike Jones Entertainment spent both days critiquing and providing feedback to students interested in pursuing a potential career in the arts. For this, students had to create a Headshot (taken by the photography class), a resume, and learn 2 monologues that they rehearsed and broke down over the course of the previous month. Most students learned a classical and a modern monologue and had the choice of which they would rather perform. The judges were highly impressed and the students had the feel of an actual audition complete with nervous waiting and anticipation.

December 5th and 6th Helena attended its first Alabama State Trumbauer. 19 contestants participated in the events. We saw multiple plays and scenes and enjoyed local foods. When all was said and done, we walked away with 3 Excellent ratings, 10 superior ratings, and one 3rd place award in Duet Acting Contemporary Dramatic. Below is a few pictures to help chronicle our trip and the great time we all had followed by a list of the awards.

Above is the group of people taking a last photo before leaving.

Here is the gym where they set up the awards for the award ceremony.

Above are all of the awards with a closeup of the trophy below.

Helena Awardees

Gillian A – Superior Rating – Solo Female Dramatic Contemporary Novice
Jordan C – Superior Rating – Solo Male Dramatic Contemporary Novice
Ashli F – Superior Rating – Solo Female Dramatic Contemporary Novice
Andrea A – Superior Rating – Solo Female Dramatic Contemporary Varsity
Alexa K – Superior Rating – Makeup Design Novice
Houston B & Jarrett M – Superior Rating – Duet Reader’s Theater Comedic Novice
Isaiah D – Superior Rating – Solo Male Dramatic Contemporary Novice
Rebecca R – Superior Rating – Costume Design Novice
Ivy M – Superior Rating – Solo Classical Female Dramatic Novice
Jacob W – Excellent Rating – Solo Male Contemporary Comedic Novice
Katie G & Reed D – Excellent Rating – Duet Acting Contemporary Dramatic Novice
Ashli F & Andrew B – 3rd Place – Duet Acting Contemporary Dramatic Novice