Rogers, Wise win state drama title; LHS as team places 3rd
Canda Harbaugh/The Western News Elizabeth Rogers and Mike Wise act out a scene for the camera on Monday at LHS. The duo won first place at state in classical theater duo.
Libby took third in drama at the Class A state speech, drama and debate meet this past weekend in Corvallis, with seven of the 11 Libby High School participants taking home medals and all competitors making it to the semifinals.
“It’s a very good year,” head coach Shelley Fisher said. “My whole team made it to semifinals.”
Libby competed against 21 other schools in drama and narrowly lost against Polson for second place. Fisher said it came down to Polson sending two humorous duo groups to the finals and Libby only sending one.
“All year long it’s been a dogfight between Libby and Polson,” Fisher said. “We’ve lost to them at the most by only five points.”
Elizabeth Rogers and Mike Wise stood out as state champions against at least 20 other teams in classical theater duo with their light-hearted piece, “Ruddigore,” by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.
“We had energy at state,” Rogers said, explaining that she and Wise placed fifth at divisionals because they weren’t well rested.
They began practicing the piece the first week of January and performed it at only two other meets, placing first both times. Rogers revealed versatility by making the switch from Lincoln-Douglas debate to drama in midseason.
Wise doubled up in categories at state, making it to the semifinals with his humorous solo piece and taking state with Rogers. Wise, a senior who has competed for three years, placed at state two years ago performing a different scene from the same piece in classical duo.
Wise felt good as he stood with Rogers, waiting for the winners to be called.
“Well, we came there to win,” Wise said.
Other top performers include John Vinion, who placed second in pantomime and won the final round; Jolee Holder and Miranda Raab, who placed second in serious duo; and Paige Bothman and Jason Schikora, who placed fifth in humorous duo.
Jessica Broderick and Justin Lauer performed humorous duo and Eli Miller and Erin Rogers performed classical theater duo in the semifinals.
Tournament host Corvallis took first in drama.