The juggernaut that is the Iola High School forensics team once again will field a full squad ? and then some ? at the upcoming state tournament in Topeka.
Iola will take 16 entries to the State Speech and Drama Championships Saturday at Washburn Rural High School, even though IHS qualified 24, instructor and adviser Regina Chriestenson said. (Schools are limited to 16 entries.)
The squad showcased 10 of their participants for the community Monday evening at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center, with an eclectic selection of funny, dramatic and informative pieces.
Iola?s qualifiers:
? Jacob Anderson and Allie Fager each have oral interpretation of poetry entries.
? Jon Poffenbarger and Fager both qualified in oral interpretation of prose.
? Andre Quinn will compete in impromptu speaking, in which he has five minutes to devise an informative speech on a random topic.
? Isabella Duke will compete in original oration.
? Katie Weide, Elanie Sturgeon and Isabella Duke all have serious solo acting entries.
? Haley Carlin, Parker Smith and Josie Plumlee will show off their humorous solo acting skills.
? The team of Lexie Vega and River Hess will compete in two entries, the first for improvised duet acting, in which the students must devise a skit after receiving information on their characters, locations and settings shortly before they take the stage. Vega and Hess also will team up in duo interpretation, a new event at the state level this year in which the actors must complete a scene without looking at or touching each other.
? Sadrie Overall and Gaby Lampe also are competing in duo interpretation, while Overall will team up with Carlin in improvised duet acting.
Sadie Maple, Bobby Lewis, Adryan Nading and Henry Lohman also qualified for state but are unable to compete because of the numbers crunch.
A COMMUNITY sendoff for the state qualifiers is planned for 9:30 a.m. Friday.
