The IHSSA State Large Group Contest was hosted at West Des Moines Valley High School on Saturday, Feb. 5. Group improv, ensemble, radio broadcasting, musical theater, and readers theater all performed. Senior Zii Nath participated in reader’s theater and received straight ones. “I think it went well. Everyone did very well and got good results.” Their group performed a piece called “Tales of Poe.” It’s two stories written by Edgar Allen Poe. “It’s pretty creepy and it’s not supposed to be happy. It has a lot of death in it,” Nath said. One of the hardest things they accomplished was the blocking, which was changed last minute. They also practiced a transition piece five minutes before they went on. 

Freshman Henry Knudson participated in group improv. “It’s something you can do at the moment and so you don’t have to stress about memorizing.” His team earned a mixed II rating. “I think it went really well,” he said.

Coach Brandon Baggett was pleased with the day. “Everyone earned something.” The reader’s theater group earned a straight one rating. “We changed the blocking a few hours before our performance. They pulled it off and got high marks based on the new blocking.”

The varsity improv team of Genevieve McCalla and Eleanor McCalla earned a straight one rating. Baggett said, “Best I’ve ever seen.” He said the situation the team drew “worked right into their wheelhouse.” Their sketch was set in a Walmart garden center.

The results from this Saturday were:
Group improv 212 (Knudson, Birge, Nath, Molina)

Group improv 212 (Wagner, Stetzel)

Ensemble 121

Radio Broadcasting 112

Musical Theater 122

Readers Theater 111

Group improv 111 (McCalla)

Group improv 323 (Simons, Berg, Sanny)

Group improv 122 (Moore, Ericksen)

Radio Broadcasting 212

The teams will know by Feb. 7  around 4 pm if they made it to All-State.