Home » Uncategorized » WHS play advances to state festival???????

WHS play advances to state festival???????

Waupaca High School’s excellence in the dramatic arts continues as the advanced drama class’s one-act production of “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” has been invited to perform at the upcoming state theatre festival.

The festival, which will be held at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Friday and Saturday, Nov. 19-20, will showcase 47 schools from the state that have passed through both district and sectional competition.

“This marks the 13th consecutive year we have advanced to the state level,” WHS drama director Monica Reeves said. “We are very proud of our tradition and are excited to perform and watch one-acts from around the state.”

A public performance of the 35-minute cutting is slated for 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, in the WHS Performing Arts Center. Admission is $5, which helps cover the cost of the state trip.

According to Reeves, the play is one which many adults know, due to the fact that it was also a successful movie starring Jack Nicholson. Before the movie adaptation, however, it was a novel and a play. The storyline revolves around the power struggle in an insane asylum (or Cuckoo’s Nest) between Nurse Ratched and Randle McMurphy and the eventual lobotomy that McMurphy receives.

Resurrecting an older story, one that many of the students’ parents know well, has been rewarding, Reeves said.

The cast includes junior Joe Pegorsch as McMurphy, Elizabeth Mielke as Nurse Ratched and Pearse Meighan as Chief Bromden.

Other students portraying patients are Adam Biba, Caleb Bloom, Marcus Engle, Zach Stiebs, Alex Thorland, David Lauer, Travis Thoe and Joel Servey. The asylum’s aides are played by David Cooper, Michael Collye and Ian Johnson and the girls that visit McMurphy include Brittany Ellie and Krista Schmidt. Dr. Spivey is played by Danny O’Brien and additional nurses include Katie Anderson, Mia Salomaki and Zarina Iskakova.

Assisting with directing is senior Sylvia Veleker and the technical crew consists of Natalie Coppock, Shaun Adkins, Melissa Heschke and Kaja Bucher.

Scroll to Top