STAFFORD — (Press release) Stafford County Public Schools is pleased to announce that the Stafford High School theater department won first place at the Virginia High School League State Theatre Festival held March 2, 2019, in Charlottesville, Virginia, with the performance of an avant-garde adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. Along with the championship title, two actors, senior Ryan Anderson, and sophomore Austin Cox, won Outstanding Actor awards for the performances as the Mad Hatter and the White Knight.
The group started the season in October with performances of the play for the public and the student community at Stafford High School. A few days later, the cast competed in the Virginia Theatre Conference High School Theatre Festival, where the production won the Technical Merit Award, and honorable mentions for both overall play and costumes. Anderson and Ava Mullanaphy, who played the title role of Alice, earned spots on the All-State Cast.
Stafford Theater qualified for the state festival by winning at the sectional and regional level. The cast finished first at the 5D2 Sectional Theatre Festival, where Anderson, Cox, and Mullanaphy earned the Outstanding Actor awards. From there, the cast and crew went on to win first place at the 5D Regional Theatre Festival, with Anderson and Mullanaphy again both winning individual acting awards. While revving up for the performance at the state festival, the team gave an invited performance for Superintendent Dr. Scott Kizner and other members of the SCPS instructional team.
The group is currently preparing for the spring production, Peter and the Starcatcher.
