Patriot Players Advance to NCTC State Festival for the Sixth Straight Year!

Kinston, N.C. - APA Patriot Players Advance to NCTC State Festival for the Sixth Straight Year!

Arendell Parrott Academy’ production of HAIKU by Kate Snodgrass won a Superior Rating for Overall Performance and the Distinguished Play Award at the North Carolina Regional Theatre Conference in Goldsboro on November 5.  The play will advance to the North Carolina Theatre Conference State High School Play Festival on November 17 – 19, at Greensboro College.  This is the sixth straight year that the Academy’s theatre troupe, the Patriot Players, has advanced to the state level.

“This advancement is pretty special to me,” said Academy Theatre Teacher Janice Schreiber.  “HAIKU is a play I have adored for years and one that has enveloped my heart and soul.”

HAIKU was also awarded Outstanding Direction (Janice Schreiber) and Excellence in Acting (Jordan Davis).   The Cast of HAIKU included Davis, Katie Johnson and Jordan Finizio.  Technical crew members for HAIKU included Nancy O’Brien, Maryanna Mitchell, Landon Moody, Cam Sigmon, William Archie, Alicia Jones, Michael Finizio, Sara Fallin, Jack Allen, Zane Hamstead, Gatty Attasi and Morgan Newell.

In addition, the Patriot Players performance of Peter Tarsi’s TRACKS was awarded an Excellent Rating for Overall Performance and Excellence in Acting (Jack Allen).  The cast of TRACKS included Cam Sigmon, Jordan Davis, Sabah Kadir, Madison Finizio, Zane Hamstead, Melody Peterson-Futch, Dia Jimenez-Zamudio, Michael Finizio and Sydny Vick.  Technical crew members for TRACKS were William Archie, Sara Fallin, Landon Moody, Nancy O’Brien, Alicia Jones, Morgan Newell and Jordan Finizio.  The Stage Manager for TRACKS, Maryanna Mitchell, had to step in for cast member Sabah Kadir just days before the festival when Kadir was forced to withdraw from the performance due to illness.

“Maryanna was amazing,” said fellow cast member Jordan Davis. “She learned the role in just forty-eight hours and pulled off a great performance.  The whole cast worked hard to make sure both Sabah and Mrs. Schreiber would be proud of our performance.”
In addition to participating in the Festival, Arendell Parrott Academy hosted the event in cooperation with the Paramount Theatre of Goldsboro.  Participating schools included Arendell Parrott Academy, Forsyth Country Day, Trinity Academy of Raleigh, Goldsboro High School, West Columbus High School, Cape Fear Academy, East Columbus High School, Eugene Ashley High School of Wilmington, South Columbus High School and Hoggard High School of Wilmington.  Hoggard High School also advanced to the NCTC State Festival with their production of THE DAVID IVES TRIO.
 
“Hosting a festival takes a great deal of organization and hard work,” said Schreiber.  “This was a true learning experience and gave me a even greater appreciation for the work done by NCTC Festival hosts across the state.  You are only as good as the people around you and I had terrific collaborators at the Paramount Theatre, from Parrott Academy and from the Farmville Community Council for the Arts.”