MBHS theater students recognized at Trumbauer Festival

The 82nd Walter Trumbauer Festival, the major event of the Alabama Conference of Theatre, was hosted at Troy University on Dec. 2-3, 2022.

Mountain Brook High School had two events to place, one scholarship recipient and 8 of the 12 events receiving superiors.

Anna Bella Foster was one of four scholarship recipients and was awarded the Musical Theatre Scholarship from the Alabama Conference.

David Chalmers won first place for Musical Dramatic 1975-2014, Novice, and Mari Miller won second place for Playwriting, Novice.

Superiors: Camden Rhodes (Acting 1975-2004, Novice); David Chalmers (Acting 2005-present, Novice); Anna Bella Foster (Musical pre-1975, Varsity); Emerson Holloway (Musical Dramatic 1975-2014, Novice); Lily Padgett (Musical Dramatic 2015-present, Novice); Andie Hites (Playwriting, Varsity); Chris Woodry (Playwriting, Varsity); and Mari Miller (Scenic Design, Novice).

Excellents: Sydney Clark and Daye Christopher (Duet Acting Comedic 1975-present, Novice); Camden Rhodes and Miriam Barrett (Duet Acting Comedic 1975-present, Novice); Anna Bella Foster (Musical Dramatic 2015-present, Varsity); Andie Hites (Puppet Design, Varsity).

Mountain Brook High School’s production of “The Little Match Girl” won a Superior ranking. The group had four students who were awarded All-Star Cast for the State of Alabama for their performance: Josie Gagliano, Andie Hites, Mari Miller and Lily Padgett.

The group will now be preparing for student-directed one acts, Alabama Thespian Festival and their spring musical “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

There were 104 high school theater programs from throughout the state at the event showcasing the talents of 2,332 students. There were a total of 1,291 individual theater events, 35 group performances, 14 studio shows and 14 one-act shows.

The Walter Trumbauer Festival has provided quality training and performance opportunities for Alabama theater students at the high school level since 1940. The festival consists of 31 individual events, group acting and group musical, a one-act play festival and a studio theater play festival — all for 9-12 grades, as well as scholarship auditions and college screening for high school seniors and junior college students.

Students qualify for the state competition by earning a rating of “superior” at one of seven district festivals. At all levels of competition, students receive critiques from qualified teachers, professionals and theater practitioners, allowing them to improve their theatrical skills. The events culminate in an awards ceremony where trophies, plaques, medals and other awards are presented to recognize outstanding work in technical categories and performance areas.

– Submitted by Mountain Brook Schools.