By Philip Berkwit

On Dec. 2, Ponte Vedra High School (PVHS) drama students competed in the District 2 Theater Festival at Douglas Anderson High School. Theater districts are an annual event for the members of theater and drama. “So, we go to a different school, and we perform whatever monologues or scenes, or anything like that, we’ve been working on,” explained Xander Grant, a junior who is in his second year of participating in theater districts. Theater districts allow students to display their talents, along with being judged on their talents. 

The students had been preparing for theater districts since the beginning of the school year, to perfect their talent for the festival. However, districts are not the only massive event for theater, with auditions for the play, “Grease” starting right after districts on Dec. 7-8, along with a Gender Bent showcase coming up in January where drama students will perform songs that are originally sung by the opposite gender of them. “Seems like most of the time we try to put in the same amount of effort on it,” stated Xander Grant. The balance between these events allows students to prepare for a variety of feats. “If there’s something that you really enjoy, you don’t think of it as much of a chore, just as finding something you can do,” stated Ryan Kelley, a junior who is in theater districts for a second time, while also planning to be part of “Grease.” 

Theater districts are one of the biggest events in theater. 78 PVHS students participated this year in 66 events. “It’s been stressful but in a good way… it’s been a great experience,” stated Charlie Pennella, a sophomore in his second year in theater districts. 

This event was a massive success for PVHS. According to Mr. Nettle, the theater teacher at PVHS, “Claira Williams received the District 2 Representative selection. This meant that her solo was selected by judges from all of the events through the entire day (hundreds) out of 1,000 kids who performed that day…she won. Claira gets to perform her solo on the main stage at State Thespian Festival in March in Tampa and represent Northeast Florida in front of about 10,000 high school thespians.” This is a tremendous achievement for PVHS. According to Nettle, “this has only been done once before at PVHS, and that was in 2020 and the girls didn’t get to perform at state because it was cancelled because of Covid.” Claira Williams achieved a monumental accomplishment for PVHS. Nettle also added, “Claria also received the senior scholarship award that was given out to 4 students that day.” Claira Williams displayed an amazing amount of talent at this event. 

“I’ve been doing theater all my life so performing in front of an audience isn’t too nerve racking to me, but this is a new experience that I’m super excited for,” Stated Claira Williams. 

  She was not the only PVHS student to succeed hugely. The students earned 39 superior ratings, and 25 excellent ratings. There were also PVHS Students who got the critics choices. This is the greatest honor for each room that competed.  

Pictured: PVHS theatre students during districts