This Saturday, the Park Rapids High School auditorium will become a gallery of performance art, as it will host 4 unique one-act plays from high schools around the area for the MSHSL Subsection 24A One Act Play Competition.

“We have four schools that are competing this year, we have Park Rapids, Nevis, Menahga, and Pillager,” said Park Rapids High School Theater Department Director Abby Jasmer. “The four schools will get to compete, and the top two schools will move onto sections next weekend in Hawley.”

One-act competitions consist of high schools performing short-form plays that can be either serious or comedic in tone. The performances are judged on criteria based upon characterization of the play, the technical elements of the play, and the effectiveness of the performance itself. All the plays must be 35 minutes in length or shorter, which provides an added time-management challenge for the performers.

“The biggest challenge is knowing your pacing and actually get the story across, and like, do the best that you can, and keep time there, but don’t let it control your every move,” explained student actor Levi Trygstad.

Of course, all the world’s a stage, and every actor performing in Saturday’s competition has their own reason for participating.

“Acting helps me to, you know, get out of my comfort zone, but still feel more like myself,” said student actor, Emma May. “It’s just something that’s helped me discover who I am.”

The competition is free and open to the public on Saturday, Jan. 28. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. with the first performance set to begin at 10 a.m. Park Rapids will be performing “Chemical Imbalance: A Jekyll and Hyde Play.”

By — Justin Othoudt