It was a record year for the Pella Christian speech forensic programs at the state contest, and the school is sending its largest-ever group of students to the All-State Speech Festival this weekend.
Senior Ryan Van Gilst tells KNIA/KRLS News they had all five of their large group teams earn straight division I ratings — the highest possible score, and three of the five acts receive All-State-Performing nominations.
Junior Emma Stravers says it’s exciting to have so many students engaged in theater and be successful after many hours of rehearsal.
“We were talking to a woman from Chicago the other day, and she mentioned how not a lot of small towns have theater programs, let along theater programs like Pella’s and Pella Christian’s just that are so incredible with awesome leadership from directors and everyone that’s willing to help us out,” she says.
Pella Christian’s Musical Theatre show “Newsies,” One Act Play performance of “The Yellow Boat,” and “Dark Road” in Readers Theatre will all perform at the All-State Speech Festival at the Iowa State Center in Ames this Saturday. Groups from Pella and Pleasantville will also be honored. Hear more about Pella Christian’s All-State Speech groups on today’s Let’s Talk Pella, and find a full list of students’ receiving the highest honor in high school speech at KNIAKRLS.com. Tune in tomorrow to hear from Pella High School’s “Sister Act.”
The following groups received All-State Nominations, the highest possible honor from the Iowa High School Speech Association:
One Act Play:
– Pella Christian – “The Yellow Boat” – Performing – Tyler Egesdal, Emma Stravers, Braden Meinders, Abby Ambroson, Lindsay Breon, Parker Schnell, Peter Larson, Alexis De Vries, Josie Te Grotenhuis, Emily Van Beek, Abigail Gosselink, and Ian Stravers with student technicians Kyle Howey and Brianna Jansen
Readers Theatre:
– Pella Christian – “Dark Road” – Performing – Alexis De Vries, Olivia Van Der Pol, Ryan Van Gilst, Thomas Dykstra, Emma Stravers, Abby Te Grotenhuis, Ben Vos, Sharlee Fopma, Jocelyn Gritters, Halie Vermillion, and Rebekah Lanferman
– Pleasantville – “Mystery in Bug Town” – Performing – Alyssa McKay, Avery Lauer, Jack Ray, Jack Lauer, Chance Bender, and Melena Johnson
– Pella – “Wiley and the Hairy Man” – Non-Performing – Annaleigh Babcock, Cameron Johnson, Chris Call, Elaine Schippers, Emily Rozendaal, Grace Cottington, Hanna Kendall, Liam Peffers, Zoe Card
Choral Reading
– Pleasantville – “Label Me” – Non-Performing – Chance Bender, Alyssa McKay, Melena Johnson, Tess Ray, Sierra Hallmann, Olivia McLamb, Avery Lauer, Grace Stephens, Colten Stephens, Jack Ray, and Jack Lauer
Ensemble Acting:
– Pella – “Y’All” – Non-Performing – Brady Van Waardhuizen, Brenna Hildebrand, Ethan Vance, Grace Larson, Julie Start
TV News:
– Pella – POPN – Performing – Austin Adrian, Gavin Klein, Gavin Tierney, Jacob Schemm, Kaleb Lyons, Levi Dugger, Matthew Thompson, Nick Vroom, Troy Miller
Musical Theatre:
– Pella Christian – “Newsies” – Performing – Ryan Van Gilst, Thomas Dykstra, Tyler Egesdal, Parker Schnell, and Colby De Vries, Braden Meinders, Peter Larson, and Mason Donelson
– Pella – “Sister Act” – Performing – Andelyn Sunderman, Bailee Meyer, Caroline Henry, Juliana Van Gorp, Lydia Taylor, Maggie Renaud, Natalie Henry
– Pella – “Aladdin” – Non-Performing – Colby VanGorp, Grayson Parisee, Mason Diaz Bandera