A SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE - Drama Department students earn play festival awards

Wharton County Junior College Drama Department students took home top honors from the recent Texas Community College Speech and Theatre Association Play Festival in Brenham. Pictured, kneeling, from left, are Micah Coleman-Longoria of Blessing and Brayden Leva of Sugar Land. Standing, left to right, are Jessi Frasier of Bay City, Riley Moseley of East Bernard, Meagan Hackstedt of Needville, Drama Instructor Jami Hughes, Alina DeJesus of Palacios, Benjamin Wandell of Needville and Wil Harborth of Wharton.

WHARTON, TEXAS – Wharton County Junior College Drama Department students made their mark at the Texas Community College Speech and Theatre Association (TCCSTA) Play Festival, taking home a host of honors.

Held in February at Blinn College in Brenham, the TCCSTA festival attracted dozens of student actors from across the state. Each participating college performed a production of their choice in front of a panel of judges and received group awards as well as individual honors. WCJC students performed “Priscilla Dreams the Answer,” a zany, reality-blurring play written by playwright Walt McGough.

“Our production was highly honored,” said WCJC Drama Instructor Jami Hughes.

The overall production received a Superior rating in addition to the Sherri Ryan White Acting Ensemble Award.

Individual winners included:

• Jami Hughes of Wharton – Superior Respondent’s Choice for directing.
• Jessi Frasier of Bay City – Superior Respondent’s Choice and Superior Director’s Choice for costume design, Superior Acting and Professor’s Choice Outstanding Performance.
• Meagan Hackstedt of Needville – Superior Respondent’s Choice and Superior Director’s Choice for costume design, and Superior Acting.
• Benjamin Wandell of Needville – Excellent Respondent’s Choice, Superior Professor’s Choice, and the John Charles Corley Outstanding Technical Presentation Award for sound design.
• Riley B. Moseley of East Bernard – Superior Professor’s Choice for stage management.
• Alina DeJesus of Palacios – Excellent Professor’s Award for lighting design and Excellent Professor’s Award for properties design.
• Brayden Leva of Sugar Land – Superior Acting.
• Micah Coleman-Longoria of Blessing – Excellent Acting and Audience Choice Outstanding Performance.

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