The District 8-AA Middle School One Act Play Contest will be held on Wednesday, February 22, at Blanco Middle School. Junction, Blanco, and Comfort will vie for this year’s top honors, with competition scheduled to start at 4:00pm.

Blanco’s play choice for performance this year is Roomers, by Jerome McDonough.

It is about a small apartment building filled with an alarming number of crazy personalities When the group pitches in to help one of their own, a case of mistaken identity sends the situation into hilarity.

“The students picked this play,” said middle school One Act Play director Amy Arlitt. “I gave them several options to read and discuss back in November, and this was, by far, their favorite.”

“The play really is a fun piece, so each practice brings new laughs—we are definitely having a blast this season. The kids look forward to practice every single day.”

The cast is made up predominately of seventh graders, but Arlitt is quick to expound on the leadership of her eighth graders.

“Drew Ritter is one of the returning 8th graders, and he has such a fun part,” she said. “He keeps us in stitches at every practice.”

“Bret Leigh Nance is also a returning 8th grader. She was awarded Best Actress at our contest last year, and lobbied hard for this role. She is very talented, and I often find myself telling the others to play up to Bret’s level—she just has a great presence.”

“Maryn McMain is also a returning 8th grader. She ran sound last year and did a fantastic job! There was no doubt that I wanted Maryn to do it again this year.”

Critic Judge for this year’s One Act Play contest is Krin Brooks Perry. Ms. Perry retired from TEA in 1995 after 29 years in the classroom and six years as the Theatre Arts Curriculum Specialist at TEA. She was inducted into the Educational Theatre Association’s Hall of Fame in 1992, and has been twice honored by TETA with a Founders Award in 1997, and an Emeritus Award in 2007.

“We’ve been district champs for the past two years—and I expect no less from this group,” said Arlitt. “We have fun and laugh every day, but we also work very hard. We’ve been invited back to the Fredericksburg Festival in April, which we won last year. I hope we can continue our success.”