Dressed in sparkly black sequin outfits, wearing dark purple eyeshadow, and carrying vibrant glowing planets, the cast of Vestavia Hills High School’s The Little Prince got more than a couple of weird looks at their competition last Saturday.
The Little Prince, a classic French children’s story by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, was adapted to be the school’s competition show this year. The tale follows an aviator who discovers an insightful young boy in the Sahara desert. As the aviator listens to the stories of the little boy, he—and the audience—learns a valuable lesson about friendship, the importance of others, and what should really matter as you grow up.
For the Alabama Trumbauer Theatre Competition, the book, which had to first be adapted into a play, was further modified to be only thirty minutes. If the play is even a second longer, it is disqualified. To meet this strenuous requirement, it took the theatre director and the cast weeks to cut down the show so it was the right length while maintaining its meaningful message. Additionally, starting in late August, the cast and crew dedicated hours after school to the show.
And, their hard work was not wasted! The show received the highest score in its division and has moved on to the state competition at Troy University this December. Additionally, cast members Natalie Turnage, Katherine De Buys, Reagan Kessler, and Jalen Oliver each received a special All Star Cast award. Natalie Turnage, who donned a blond wig and green jacket to bring the Little Prince himself to life, also won the Best Lead Performer award.
Yet, the success does not stop with the competition show. Most of the show’s performers and technicians also competed in individual events, or IE’s. Amazingly, twenty of these IE’s earned a superior ranking and are moving on to state.
Vestavia theatre students competed in a myriad of events. Everything from self-choreographed pantomime, Shakespearean monologues, scenes from Oscar Wilde, and contemporary duet pieces were represented. Each performer found an event to uniquely shine in. These gifted actors and actresses who, along with the competition show, passed on to state consist of Dana Cheek, (senior) Katherine De Buys, (senior) Jalen Oliver, Nyla Galloway, Hagood Hamrick, Ellie Hoar, Isaac Johnson, R.J. Johnson, (senior) Reagan Kessler, (senior) Shay Lindsay, (senior) Sara Kate Lynch, (senior) Ava Moore, Aislin O’Leary, Elsie Parsons, (senior) Natalie Turnage, and (senior) Dakota McGrew.
Of course, the actual acting on a stage is not the only work necessary in theatre. Perhaps even more vital are the people off stage who call cues, design costumes, hold lights, and do literally everything else required for a successful show. Thankfully, Vestavia is not lacking in these dedicated and driven individuals. The talented technicians who made it to state include (senior) Maddie Barker, Florencia Carcamo, Robert Colvin, (senior) Ray Ding, Whitney Hufnagel, Rachel Simmons, Theo Spencer, and (senior) Hannah Beth Smith.
Even the IE’s that did not qualify for state were only a few points away. Truly, Vestavia Hills High School’s commitment to the arts can be seen in these students’ achievements. Yet, the students’ and the school’s success could not have been if not for the daily sacrifices of Mrs. Jamie Stephenson (the school’s theatre director) and Mrs. Karen Varner (a U.S. Government and Economic teacher who selflessly helps organize the medical and payment forms required for the school to compete at competitions). These two wonderful teachers stand as a testament to how the passionate work of teachers lays the foundation for our school’s success.
Please, don’t miss your chance to see the award-winning and state-bound show this weekend! The school performances of The Little Prince are Thursday the 17th, Friday the 18th, and Saturday the 19th. It is a great opportunity to see an incredible show, support your friends, and help fund the school’s art department! Plus, it is a truly special experience to see your classmates dressed in head-to-toe sequins with (almost) entirely purple faces!