Theatre students prepare to take center stage with Annual Skits

Practice is not normally the highlight of an activity, but for Bearden freshman Bricen Montgomery and several other young actors, Annual Skits is different.

“[My favorite part is] just practicing and rehearsing for it,” Montgomery said. “You just get out here and everyone has a good time practicing their lines and getting everything down.”

The curtain will rise on the 2014 Annual Skits performance on Tuesday. The box office opens at 6:30 p.m., the house will open at 7, and the curtain rises at 7:30. Tickets are $8, and will be sold at lunch on Monday and Tuesday, as well as the night of the performance.

Annual Skits is a yearly performance by the students of Mr. Glen Ellington’s and Mrs. Leann Dickson’s Theatre I classes. Students collaborate in groups to write, cast, and perform five-minute skits that feature comical takes on the 12 senior superlatives chosen for that year. After each skit, the Annual Staff will announce the seniors who won the superlative.

Annual Skits gives first-year theatre students a taste of what is required for a full-length theatre production at Bearden. They participate in a dress rehearsal, practice writing scripts, work on projecting their voices, and develop their presentational skills.

“What they’re seeing with this is a very, very tiny microcosm of what it takes to put on shows here,” Mr. Ellington said.

However, many students have no prior acting experience, and this is quite a large amount of information at once.

“In many ways, it’s like dropping them in the deep end of the pool,” Mr. Ellington said.

However, despite the hard work involved, the students set to their projects with enthusiasm and energy, learning from everything they do and also enjoying the experience.

“I like working in a group and meeting new people,” said freshman Addie Foster, who will be playing Gabriela in her group’s skit, based on “Best All-Around”.

Added Montgomery: “[The most important thing I’ve learned from Annual Skits is] being able to talk in front of people, and to just get out there and be myself and not worry about what other people are thinking.”

Annual Skits is also an important fundraiser for the drama department. Unlike other programs that sell food items or promotional items, the theatre class is making money for what they do – performing. This is a fantastic opportunity for the students and the school, and usually draws a crowd of 500 to 600 people. Check The Bark’s website on Wednesday for a complete list of winners.