Creston speech kids take the stage

Certain members of Creston High’s large-group speech team will take their biggest stage Saturday at the All-State Festival at Iowa State University.

Creston’s entry in one act play, group improvisation and radio broadcasting will be part of the day that showcases students from across the state in various categories.

“I had an inkling about some of the groups,” said team director Laura Granger about a chance at attending the festival. “It’s random sometimes; who gets nominated and who doesn’t. One group is amazing and they don’t get nominated; not that they’re not good,” she said.

Granger said the reasons why the Creston groups were nominated to perform Saturday fits the criteria.

“Each group’s dynamics makes a huge difference, especially in group improv,” she said. Group improvisation, which are Austin Seaton and Kohl Ringer, are given minutes to decide how to act and have dialogue in a specific plot. For example, at the district meet in Creston, the scenario was solving a jigsaw puzzle which they turned into a murder-mystery.

“They know how to make it and be funny,” Granger said. “It’s a seamless flow of ideas. Group improv is the chemistry.”

The two agree.

“This is my first year of doing improv,” Seaton said. “I enjoy how we can go with our imagination and what we want to do.”

Ringer said they have known each other since second grade.

“Over the years we have grown in the same mindset,” he said.

The two are scheduled to perform at 3:25 p.m. in center 7 in the Scheman Building.

Radio broadcasting is when students create their own radio program. Abby Freeman said she had listened to Creston’s KSIB Radio enough to get an idea of how a radio show should sound. She teamed up with other freshmen Wyatt Hitz, Ale Villanueva and Tony Wilkinson.

The recording includes an actual event - sort of. The show, under the fictitious name of KREP Radio, is about the supernatural with the legend of a person-sized, bat-like creature spotted in 1903 in Van Meter. The story is the creature came from an abandoned mine, seen by multiple people, but never captured. Books have been written about the sightings.

“That is pretty cool to learn things you didn’t know,” Freeman said about her research and applying it to the radio performance.

Creston’s one-act play “Balcony Scene” will be one of eight performances from schools across the state. It is Creston’s first ever one-act performance at the festival. The four boys and four girls are at man’s funeral in the 1940s. The story is told by the man who died but, accompanied by an angel, gets to see the reactions by others at the service.

“People can’t see him,” Granger said. “Others who attend the funeral don’t say nice things about him and the audience finds out he’s not as perfect as he thinks he was.” Freshman Carson Beer pl

ays the main character.

“He has to go through the five stages of grief,” Granger said. Part of the skit includes Beer’s character seeing the woman he was to marry.

“It’s a very challenging piece,” Granger said.

Dravin Drake, who is part of the cast said the script is convincing. “It read like a story. When you act the character out, you try not to be here. You are the character.”

Drake said there is someone from each grade in the high school in the cast.

“The chemistry, the group meshes well,” he said.

One-act performs at 10:40 a.m. in center 1 in Fisher Theatre.

Granger said there are many people and places to thank for the success of the large group speech team this year; Crystal DeGonia, AnnMarie Kinsella, Jean Weisshaar, Jeremy Rounds, Valerie White, Dennis Hopkins, Jamie Needham, Leslie Brumfield, Mandy McDowell, Cindy Briner, Dawn Hribal, Kristina Harris, Jesse White, Heidi Goodrich, Violet Franklin-Marcus, Tammi R Ornelis, Andrew Bradley, Jodi Hitz, Rachel Kerns, Jodi S Rushing, Susan Carole Weight, Bill Messerole, Melisa Crook, Lisa Peters, Jennifer Gaesser, Devon Leith, Mary Houghtaling, Shelby Freeman, Krystal Irelan, Chuck Irelan, Amy Perkins, Matt Perkins, Mike Peters, Cheryl Richards, Jessica Duncan, Terry Sprague, Jaye Sprague, Ruth Avazian, Agnes Hoepker, Renee Millslagle, Doug Beer, Amanda Sevilla, Josh Capson, Kristy Capson, Sara Lane, Debbie Budrow, Teresa Clark, Jami Vandevender, Virginia Harlan, Julie Granger, Manda Thomas, Shannon Smith, Karen Guthrie, Deron Stender, Danielle Dickinson Thaden, Scott Driskell, Melissa Driskell, Chris Tibbals, Jeff Kinsella, Melissa Crook, Angie McIntosh, Eduardo Rodriguez and custodial staff and teachers that allowed use of their classrooms, Subway, Fareway, Hy-Vee and Casey’s.