A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
The cast of the Cloquet Senior High One Act Play heads to competition later this month; they'll present four performances this weekend in the Encore Performing Arts Center. Director Kevin Hamre wrote this year's play, so you're guaranteed to not have seen it already.
Blaire (Annabel Lembke, left) and Gina (Jennette Schmitt, right) come close to blows during a rehearsal of Barnum's One Act Play "The Amazing Majesto."
Sometimes you just have to do it yourself.
Longtime Cloquet Senior High School theater director Kevin Hamre was so frustrated with the selection of one-act plays - which he called "ridiculous junk ... with no meaning, purpose or expression" - that he decided to take matters into his own hands, and simply wrote his own, naming it "The Beat Goes On." According to Hamre, three different families with different backgrounds and professions come together in this story - and they have one thing in common: They all end up at the same place at the same time, looking for hope, peace and forgiveness.
Like life itself, Hamre said the play is full of twists and turns, surprises and, of course, things that we cannot totally control.
"As a result, some things may go our way, some may not; but in the end, there are times that our life can be changed ... by many ... for the rest of our life," Hamre said. "The beat goes on."
Heading into his 11th year at CHS as director, Hamre gave up doing the larger fall musicals and spring plays a few years ago, but he's happy to be back in the director's chair.
He said the One Act Play is very intense.
"The first day of rehearsal, I said, 'Welcome to the Marine Corps!'" Hamre said. "Most of them chuckled, but most of them knew I meant business."
He explained that the actors in the One Act Play compete with other schools in the state of Minnesota, first at districts, regionals, then on to state, judges willing.
He's optimistic about this play, noting that the script depicts various emotions of love, happiness, fear, restlessness, anger, crying, hope and forgiveness.
"Think about it. It can be difficult for some kids to portray these emotions: maybe they're too shy, embarrassed, or have never known how to express feelings to begin with. We do live in the Northland, you know," he added with a chuckle. "But through training and character-role playing, the students have learned how to effectuate these skills well now and to bring them forward to the stage floor. I've seen these students mature more just these past couple of months than they probably would have in a year ... maybe even two. Parents are thanking me already."
The fact that Hamre has judged one-act plays for more than a decade also helps.
"I know what the judges want," he said. "They want tears; they want unique acting and blocking; they want endurance; they want fright; they want team spirit. In my writing, I think I've accomplished all of those tasks. I like to educate my audiences with my shows, and this one definitely will.
"A little hint: One scene deals with being an organ donor. Do we really think about that in our daily lives ... and how just one of our organs could impact a person's life?"
Cloquet will offer four community performances this weekend, on Friday, Jan. 18 at 5:30 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 20 at 4:30 and 6 p.m. at the Encore Performing Arts Center in Cloquet. Then it's on to Section 7AA subsections Jan. 26 in Hibbing and, if they win there, to Duluth on Feb. 2.
Cloquet is not the only local school competing in One Act. Following is a synopsis of One Act Plays in Esko and Barnum as well.
Esko
Esko High School's Theater Department presents "A Thousand Cranes" by Kathryn Schultz Miller. It's the story of a 12-year-old girl living in Hiroshima in 1955 who develops leukemia from the radiation.
As she copes with her own mortality, she sets a goal to fold 1,000 cranes to fulfill her wish of being healthy and seeing her family whole again. Sadly, she succumbs to her illness before reaching her goal, but death brings the community together in a heartwarming story of love, perseverance and tradition.
This play is directed by Anna Kemptar and
Heather Olson.
Esko will offer a free community performance at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, at the Esko High School Theater.
Barnum
Barnum High School will be performing "The Amazing Majesto" by Brian D. Taylor for its One Act Play competition. The play is about a varied group of people who are trapped in an empty void after volunteering to be a part of a magician's disappearing act. A bride shows up after "being disappeared" on her wedding day, and she has to deal with the possibility of being trapped in this other dimension for all eternity.
A free public performance is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 at Barnum High School. Donations to the BHS Drama Club will be accepted.
Barnum, which competes in Section 7A, will travel to Aitkin on Saturday, Jan. 26 to compete. The cost for that event is $8 for adults and $5 for students, but a ticket is good for all seven shows. The first show starts at 9 a.m.
IF YOU GO: One Act Plays
Barnum: A free public performance of "The Amazing Majesto" will be held at Barnum High School at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24. Donations to the BHS Drama Club will be accepted.
Esko: Watch the free community performance of "A Thousand Cranes" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, in the Esko High School theater.
Cloquet: "The Beat Goes On" community performances are Friday, Jan. 18 at 5:30 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 20 at 4:30 and 6 p.m. at the Encore Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $5 each at the door.
