The cast and crew from the Starkville Community Theatre returned with some nifty hardware last week from the Southeastern Theatre Conference in Atlanta.
The SCT”s production of “The Dixie Swim Club” by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten earned runner-up Best Production honors as well as Best Ensemble Acting. Starkville”s Madeline Golden was recognized individually for her performance with an Outstanding Achievement in Acting award and Jansen Fair was awarded Best Hair and Wig Design.
Lyle Tate, director of the SCT”s production, said the cast also had a chance to meet Jones, Hope and Wooten at the conference and the playwrights gushed “We can”t get over how much you look like the characters.”
Keith Martin, manager of the Richmond, Va., ballet company and a judge at last week”s event, was compelled to write in to say “Starkville is blessed with an avocational theatre of the highest caliber.”
The SECT was held in Atlanta at Spelman College March 2-6 with representatives from 12 states attending.
Starkville High School”s production of “The Purple Fan” also garnered awards at the SETC, taking Best Dramaturgy for research and historical accuracy.
SHS seniors Davis Richardson and Hal Sullivan won All Star Cast awards and sophomore Rex Ames was named Best Supporting Actor.
“In my 40 years involvement in the SETC, I cannot remember the same city advancing productions in both the secondary school and community theatre festivals,” said Martin. “There must be something in the water that produces such outstanding performing artists in Starkville.”
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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