On the brink of advancing to the State Festival on Saturday, February 2, the One Act Play was disqualified from competition. The cast and crew of the Magically Marvelous, Wonderfully Wacky, Seriously Silly Center Ring Circus earned a Star Performance at Conference, a Sub Section victory, and only had to win the Section competition to advance to State.
The Section performance was their best yet. The audience was very into the play; laughing and clapping. They expected First Place until the official results came in. The cast learned that they were disqualified for soliciting an audience response.
“There’s a rule in the One Act system that says plays cannot ‘solicit audience response’. What it is referring to is that you cannot call out and have them respond,” said Director Tracy Hagstrom Durant.
According to Hagstrom Durant, the way the judges perceived this rule was wrong. The One Act has gone to State four times in five years.
“I was super sad, because I know the rules and it’s my 33rd year. When you have a program that successful, people will sabotage you. People are sick of us winning,” said Hagstrom Durant.
