On Oct. 19, Gregory High School held its annual local oral interpretation contest to decipher who would represent the school at the district competition. Each school can only take one entry in each of the seven categories: serious, humorous, poetry, storytelling, duets, oratory, and readers theatre.
In the humorous category, three students competed for the one coveted spot. Senior Piper Bartlett performed the piece “Sessions” and received a superior. Also receiving a superior was sophomore Mia Haines, performing “The Fart that (Almost) Altered My Destiny.” Freshman Rance Miller interpreted the piece “Death by Scrabble” and received an excellent. Haines came away with the top score and will be moving on to distracts.
Storytelling only had one contestant – Madisan Graber. She chose the piece “The Little Match Girl.” She received a superior and will also be representing Gregory at districts.
Senior Dani Timanus and junior Claire Engel competed in the poetry category. Both received superiors, but Timanus came out on top with her selection “The Andrew Poems.” Engel’s piece was “The Hollow Men.”
Two students competed in the category of oratory: senior Aubree Miller and sophomore Charissa Ring. Once again, both received superiors. Ring won the category with her piece “Voices in My Head.” Miller’s piece was entitled “Rachel Muha’s Statement to the Courtroom.”
In the serious category, sophomores George Timanus and Savanah Lozano competed, and both received superiors. Timanus won with his piece “Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, and Lozano received second with the piece “Answering 911: Life in the Hot Seat.”
Traditionally duets have been the toughest category, and this year was no different. Seven duets fought for first place. Graber and Bartlett won the category with the piece “The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler.” Other superior winners were G. Timanus and Haines with “Nobody’s Perfect,” seniors Ryler Stevicks and Adyson Stukel with “Couplehood,” seniors Ella Sperl and A. Miller with “Strange Addictions,” and senior Bo Brozik and junior Isaac Hull with “Gangster Apparel.” Sophomores Maya Hull and Ellyse Grage received an excellent with “My Most Embarrassing Case Scenario,” and sophomore Miley Janak and Kennley Sedlacek received an excellent with “The Role of Della.”
The last category of the night was readers theatre. This year’s piece is “Channel Changers.” The team consisted of D. Timanus, Graber, Bartlett, Brozik, Sperl, and Stevicks. Receiving a superior, these students will also be representing Gregory at districts.
Districts will be held on Nov. 4 in Oacoma at Cedar Shore Resort at 9 a.m. Meanwhile, the team traveled to Murdo on Monday to compete in a tournament to prepare for districts. On Nov. 14, the Arts Council will be hosting a night of oral interpretation at Dixon Townhall Theatre starting at 7:30 p.m. Those competing at districts, along with a few other performances, will be the entertainment for the evening. Snacks and beverages will be served. The Arts Council will be asking for a free will donation to help support future events. All are welcome.