Kanab High School Theatre 2A UHSAA State Champs

Kanab High School secures a 2A UHSAA State Championship in Theatre, closing out a 60-year drought! A thriving theatre department started off the year with an epic performance of The Prince of Egypt which permeated audience interest and became the animated talk of the town. As the new year rolled in and auditions for the competition team drew closer, the students were excited to begin their second journey and hoped for another miracle - a fifth consecutive Region Championship, and, if they were lucky, a State Championship.

Kanab High School Theatre team members: Prim Aiken, McKayla Ainge, Leela Alldridge, Athena Amby, Merlin Baird, Mason Barber, Payzli Bauer, Charity Bowman, Kallie Church, Clara Clarkson, Allison Corry, Sadie Corry, Karalynn Cotter, Brenden Donoho, Lucas Downward, Evelynn Geiger, Annabelle Jackson, Rachel Jantz, Mikkel Jones, Ryan Josie, Kyson Kenworthy, Ila Kerr, Leah Lunceford, Ta’Kara Martinez, Alyssa Mosdell, Ariel Pedersen, Charlie Reed, Wyatt Riding, Emery Roundy, Abigail Van Dyke, Willis Wulfenstein. Coaches: Mariah Wheeler (Head Coach), Tiff any Donoho, Jenna Corry, Ashley Jones, Rob Pearman. Photo by RaeChelle Alldridge.

Thirty-one students in a combined 39 entries aligned and settled in rehearsing and preparing. 2A UHSAA Region competition, hosted in Kanab, was a manifestation of the students’ hard work and determination. Eighteen competitors made it to the medal rounds, where the top eight are given a chance to compete for a coveted medal in each of the six categories. An amazing 10 medals were secured along with a second-place ranking for One Act, and ultimately, the achievement of one of their goals, a fifth consecutive region championship! The team came away feeling elated and celebrated their potential to reach their next goal because every entry had qualified for the State competition.

The KHS Theatre team was welcomed home with lights and sirens, riding into town on top of a fire truck before running through a banner with confetti in the air. Congrats State Champs! Photos by Harry Barber.

As State approached, the coaches challenged the students to work even harder and focus even more deeply. Fine tuning became the focus of the rehearsals and students rose to the challenges their coaches gave them, with trust.

The second day of competition, gathered in a hotel conference meeting room, students championed each other with serious study and light-hearted improv, cheering each other on as they prepared to take on the competition. During the One Act performance, the entire auditorium at American Leadership Academy was awash with a feeling of nostalgic comfort. At the completion of the performance, students and coaches were invited to receive comments from the judges but were surprised when the judges asked for a moment to “compose themselves.” Paraphrased, the judges’ comments included these thoughts: “It is difficult for students your age to understand what it feels like to play a 60 or 85 year old person - you’ve never been there to know how it truly feels, but you played it to a caliber that is unseen at this age level. The maturity of your acting is not easily found at this age level. This piece was a play I’d never heard of and it didn’t have a lot of sweeping highs and lows, it was fairly moderate, but the way you performed it caused us to connect and feel how real life the story was. You all seemed like family, even though we know you aren’t all family. Although we wonder if the two sisters are really sisters. This was a fantastic performance.”

The third full day of competition started early for the students and lasted until late into the afternoon. Students moved from room to room, made friends, competed with confidence and felt positive, but very tired. Medal round calls were exciting and when six of the Kanab team entries were called to Medal rounds the students were ecstatic! That was more than ever before! The excitement continued to mount right into awards. Coaches and students sat with anxious excitement as the awards began to be announced. The cheers were at full volume when it was announced, Willis Wulfenstein first place Humorous Monologue; Allison Corry and Brenden Donoho first place Musical Theatre; Prim Aiken, Clara Clarkson and Ariel Pedersen first place Pantomime; Annabelle Jackson second place costume design; Allison Corry and Lucas Downward second place classical scene; and One Act play first place!

The time had come for the top three schools to be announced. The room was buzzing with excitement. Third place was called to Karl Maeser Preparatory Academy and Kanab’s team looked at each other with anxious thoughts. Second place was called to the usual winner of the event, Rockwell Charter High School, and for a moment, Kanab’s team held their breath with hearts beating … could we have done it? Kanab was then called as State Champions and the students and coaches burst from their seats scrambling to hug each other as they jumped up and down with excitement. The dream had been achieved. After many pictures, congratulatory words and tears of joy, the team chanted their motto, “KHS Theatre, Dignity and Respect, Let’s Play!”

But there would be one more brilliant surprise. During the State awards announcements, one of Kanab’s students, Payzli Bauer (costume design) was overlooked by mistake for her third-place win. Officials later confirmed the placement and Coach Wheeler announced her win during a celebratory assembly held at Kanab High School by Principal, Trevor Stewart, Athletic Director, Kade Glazier, the teachers, staff and students.

KHS Theatre would like to thank the local law enforcement who make a State Championship so special by providing an escort and celebration that matches the intensity of the joy of winning a State Title.

Congratulations to the team and coaches on a magnificent and unprecedented season! Go Cowboys! Let’s Play!