Sartell Students Celebrate Third Year At State Play Festival

SARTELL (WJON News) --  Some young area thespians have earned an honor for the third straight year. Sartell-St. Stephen High School's One Act Play has again advanced to the Minnesota State High School League One Act Play Festival. The young actors moved on by winning the 8AA Section Tournament over five other schools.

Director Kelli Killmer says all the plays were great, so it is an honor for their play to move on:

"I'm really proud of the kids, I mean, they really work so hard to do their very best, and so it is, it's really fun. A lot of them have never, I'ver gotten the comment from them in the past, in past years, that this is the first thing that they've ever won, and so I think it just makes them feel, feel very validated that all of their hard work is being recognized that way."

Killmar says it is exciting to go to state for the third time, especially since Sartell-St. Stephen had not advanced for many years.

READ MORE:  Sartell One Act Play Heading To State For First Time In 14 Years

She says going to the festival is fun for the kids, but also a great way for them to get inspired:

"Even just from an acting perspective I think the students will see somebody that they're really taken by their performance and okay we have a lot of conversation, what was it about that performance that really affected you, that you love so much or a performance thay they didn't really care for and why didn't that work for you or translate for you. I think that's part of this educational theater, is what can we learn from everybody."

Killmer says she has taken a lot away as a director as well, and taking in art makes every artist better.

"Where Words Once Were" is set in a dystopian world.

There are 19 students involved in the play, "Where Words Once Were," and they will perform at the state festival on Thursday at the O'Shaugnessey Auditorium on the campus of St. Catherine's University in St. Paul.

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT