The Cloverleaf High School Drama Department announces its 2024 One-Act Play Festival on Saturday, May 4, at 6 p.m. on the Cloverleaf Elementary School stage. The Cloverleaf Middle School Drama Department will also perform a matinee show of its own on May 4 at 3 p.m.

“We are excited to offer two options on festival day this year,” CHS Drama Advisor John Carmigiano said. “The middle school students have been working hard for their new director, and will perform during the day, and then the high schoolers will perform at night. We are excited to offer both sessions for free this year to anyone in the community that would like to be entertained.”

This year’s high school portion of the festival (only at 6 p.m.) includes a one-act play, a short play, and several comedic and dramatic two-person scenes.

The one-act play “Admissions” by Colleen Neuman will feature three seniors on the stage for one last time together. Grace Goldsberry (Evelyn), Elizabeth Stensaker (Mary), and Claire Vaughn (Receptionist, Jeanine, Aunt Sylvia and Rita Sue) star and tell the story about a woman who is confused when she awakens in a strange office and has no recollection of how she got there. The last thing she remembers was cleaning the windows at home.

The next short play is “On the Porch One Crisp Summer Night” by Alex Dremann. Seniors Lauren Jensch (Daughter) and Vaughn (Mother) star in the thriller comedy that includes betrayal and mistrust between a mother and a daughter who happen to be secret agents.

Next, seven scenes from “Five-Minute Two-Character Comedy Sketches” by Tim Mogford will be presented. The actors and actresses were paired up to allow the members to get the most of their stage experience.

The cast pairings include Mattia Turconi and Victoria Brandt; Mckayla Bergman and Alyssa Bergman; Gracie Habart and Arna Dubey; Sal Ward and Rachel Colahan; Payton Hall and Guiliana Izzo; Maclaine Bell and Estelle Rasch; and Kasen Shieff and Rylee Burkhart. 

There will also be a mystery duet presentation from seniors Dylan Perman and Rosalin Huff to round out the evening.

“The experience of the one-act play festival and the chance for students to make the important choices about their plays and scenes – what they will use for staging, what they will wear, and how they will play their characters – is so important to their growth in theater,” Carmigiano said. 

The CMS Drama Club will present the comedy, “The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf” by Joseph Robinette (only at 3 p.m.). The show is directed by first-year CMS Drama Club Adviser Jamie Hottinger.

“The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf” is a fun-filled and action-packed trial that has an intriguing storyline, and will keep people of all ages entertained. There will be laughs, lessons to be learned and surprising twists.

“Since this was my first year working with the drama club, I had no idea what to expect,” Hottinger said. “I have been so extremely pleased with these kids and I am so proud of the work they have put in to make this a great show.”

The show stars Meera Shivnarine (The Clerk), Evan Bratner (Judge Wise O’Al), Caroline Markert (Winnifred Wolf), Jenna Piasecki (Brianna Pig), Libby Bratner (Alissa Pig) and Mia Suarez (Mary Mae Pig).

Other CMS students who round out the cast include Hannah Vorhies, Carter Schwanke, Allora Dawson, Analise Beck, Tyler Petroc, Asher Buchanan, Meghan Cawley, Jacob Nejman, Riley Johnson and Bhushan Shivnarin.

Audriana Percy (assistant director) has helped Hottinger along the way, and Makenna Lucas and Katelin Knapp are assisting on the crew for the show.

Admission is free for the CMS show at 3 p.m. and the CHS shows at 6 p.m. Donations will be accepted. Please feel free to contact John Carmigiano at [email protected] with questions.