Having won recognition at Regional OCTAFest in June, Pvt. Wars was sent to Worthington, Ohio for state competition over Labor Day weekend to represent The Village Players, and the Northwest Region of Ohio. Most arrived on Saturday morning, attended seminars in a variety of stage-craft related areas, viewed excerpts from other theatres, and schmoozed with other theatre people from Ohio. The Village's delegation was about 20 strong, so we had a good presence.
Pvt. Wars was scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 3:10. Sunday morning felt interminable for all of us, but when the time came, Derek, Jake and John gave all that they had. They knew and felt the support of all of the Vippies backstage and in the audience. The audience itself was very supportive, attentive and gracious. After their excerpt, the adjudicators gave their insights on the show. They focused mainly on staging and character development. At 6:30 that evening, the cast and crew again met with the judges to further discuss their insights. They came away with a deeper understanding of the opinions presented.
The awards luncheon was held on Monday afternoon. The OCTA board presented each participating theatre with $50 to defray the cost of sending their delegations. Northwest region won an award for the "Most Money donated to OCTA per-theatre". Three new inductees to the OCTA Hall of Fame were announced. Scholarships were given to young actors from OCTA as well. Then, awards for excerpts were distributed. Jake Gordy won "Outstanding in Acting" for his portrayal of Woodruff Gately.
Thank you to all who supported us, sacrificed their Labor Day weekend, and helped us by any and all means necessary. You're all priceless, and you are all Kings.
Last Modified: 03/24/09