The UIL One-Act play cast will compete April 16 in Seminole for the area competition.

Last Thursday, April 9, the cast performed the play “Paolo and Francesca” by Don Nigro for bi-district at Amarillo College and placed in the top three. Senior Paige Stockton placed in the All-Star cast, senior Trevor Fleeman received recognition as Best Stage Manager, and junior Ismael Granda was named Best Actor. Senior Makenzie Kuykendall and sophomore Maverick Evans were recognized as Honorable Mention All-Star Cast.

“It goes in order of Honorable Mention, All-Star Cast and then Best Actor,” Stockton said. “The analogy I was given is that Honorable Mention is the B-team, All-Star Cast is the A-team and Best Actor is the NBA.”

The judge names the best actor after watching the six shows and deciding which actor performed the best.

“At first, I didn’t think it was going to be me,” Granda said. “I didn’t think I was going to get an award at all.”

For the first time in four years, One-Act will compete at area after advancing through district and bi-district.

“I think it has a lot to do with the play,” Stockton said. “It’s an awesome play. It also has to do with the cast. We’re tight-knit and we’re so close. After a long, hard day, we can just laugh about it.”

Granda also credits the One-Act play’s success to how well the cast gets along.

“We’re more of a family than a cast,” Granda said. “When Mr. Yirak criticizes us, we don’t mope about it but take it to heart and fix it then and there.”

The cast will compete against three schools from El Paso as well as Randall and Palo Duro.

“I feel confident in our abilities,” Granda said. “We worked hard for a long time. It’s nothing to take lightly because the other schools advanced but so have we.”

Stockton also said she feels they have a good chance of advancing.

“I’m hoping we advance,” Stockton said. “Sometimes, El Paso is really good and sometimes they aren’t. I’ll just go and be the best I can be.”