Keota Students Star in One-Act Plays

KEOTA – Keota High School students performed a pair of one-act plays on Nov. 7 and 9. The first play, “Fortunes Read $1” by Kamron Klitgaard, focussed on a fortune teller, played by Wyatt Donald, who gives vague advice to a parade of fortune seekers, often doing silly divination rituals before giving his answers. Gavin Sieren, Emily Mahan, Luke Moeller, Vivienne Klein, Will Klein, Ava Greiner, Marlee Greiner and Steven Bird all played customers.

“I’ve participated in drama for pretty much my entire high school career,” said Donald in an interview before the play. “I’ve been doing it since junior high. It’s a good thing to do to finish off my time in school. It’s something that I’ve enjoyed, more or less, my whole school career so I figured I’d continue until it was over.”

“One of the scenes I like the most is actually where (Luke’s) pretty much fully hooked on the fortune teller’s whole deal, and it kind of sounds like I’m just making stuff up, and he’s giving me money, and giving me more money, and then he runs out of money, and then he goes to find more,” continued Donald. “It’s just kind of a silly thing. Kind of going to poke and laugh at his character, so I appreciate that scene...It gives me practice characterizing, because the fortune teller doesn’t really have a set ‘this is how they need to act.’ Really, it’s up to your interpretation. You could make the fortune teller be a mysterious character, who talks loud but has a deep voice and is that kind of force, or it could be a sassy, flamboyant kind of character. It’s kinda fun to be able to put your own twist on that. And also, another thing I have been enjoying is watching some of the people who are new to the play, or haven’t had as much experience, seeing them do better.”

The other one-act play, “Avoiding the Pitfalls of High School Dating” by Bobby Keniston, starred Luke Moeller and Ava Greiner as a pair of television hosts giving dating advice to awkward teenagers, played by Will Klein and Kennedy Jackson. Grace Conger, Gavin Sieren, Emily Mahan and Steven Bird appeared as dates. Marlee Greiner and Jake Morris appeared as Jackson’s character’s parents.

“I really like the characters Luke and I have together in this play,” said Ava Greiner. “We’re talk show hosts, so it’s really fun to work with that kind of character. It’s something I haven’t done before...I think there’s a lot of wit, and it’s funny.”

“(The play is) a lot of energy. Lots of energy,” said Moeller. “I think we all play our parts pretty well. We’re all active.”

Both plays were directed by Jane Edwards, who has been coaching drama for 46 years, the last 25 of which at Keota. “I’m an old person,” said Edwards.

“I (tried out for the play) for Miss Edwards,” said Greiner. “I wanted to make her happy. Also, I enjoy being in something different than just sports and cheer.”

“I just do it as an extra thing to have,” said Moeller. “On days that I need to do something, I can just be here. I would say I’m alright at the plays. I’m mediocre in-between.”

“It’s fun to have something to occupy your time. It’s something fun to do,” said Gavin Sieren.

“I go through them in the summer and choose several of them, and then decide this would fit who I have this year...I have more guys than I have girls in the play, and so I have to make sure that can be accommodating for all of them, so they have good parts...Ava and Luke are just hysterical together, especially Ava telling Luke what he needs to do,” said Edwards.

Edwards and her students noted that it had been hard working on plays this fall, due to scheduling difficulties only giving them a few practices.

“I know that Luke and I, ‘Avoiding the Pitfalls of High School Dating’ has a lot of lines to remember, so that was an issue,” said Greiner.

“It’s also hard to find to have practice with so many other things going on at school,” added Sieren.

“I believe that’s why we were separated into two separate plays, because some people needed to leave for work study, or because some people don’t get back until volleyball is over,” said Donald. “And I’d say that brings up another problem, like Gavin said, trying to find time to do practices. As a result, we haven’t had as many practices every week as we have in the past, which has meant less time to memorize, less time to get everything down. I think we’re still doing pretty good, but it’s been a struggle.”

“These kids, they only get to practice like once a week, and some of the kids have to come straight from volleyball. They have to do a lot of work on their own,” said Edwards. “It’s not just, okay, sit here and run your lines again and run your lines again. No, you have to take it home and run yourself.”