Students and parents enjoyed a night worthy of a standing ovation Saturday, Oct. 11, as drama groups from the majority of the high schools in Carroll County performed in Century High School's auditorium for the countywide Festival of One Acts.

Almost every seat in the house was filled, as each school came with their own set of fans and cheering section.

The audience got a chance to see works from Liberty, Francis Scott Key, Westminster, Winters Mill, Century and North Carroll.

The one-act performances of the evening included a southern twist on mothers' matchmaking, blind dates gone bad, the stress of midterms, Hamlet in a dress, hospital woes and elder romance.

Behind the scenes, each school was preparing with its own special rituals and routines.

Students from Century High were found in the dressing room, throwing an impromptu dance party to help release pre-show jitters.

Meanwhile, actors from Westminster and Liberty high schools were mingling with one another, unaware that the show was about to start in a matter of minutes.

"It's just nice to know that everyone else is just as crazy as we are," mused Pam Sistler of Liberty.

The Festival of One Acts wasn't a competition, yet actors from each school felt the pressure to give a memorable performance.

Alex Gaines from Century said, "It's a lot of fun, and I don't mind the friendly competition."

Francis Scott Key participant Sharon Krome said it was a "cool" experience to compare what other schools were doing.

"It is nice that we are all finally working together," added Westminster player Kevin Weeks.

That camaraderie was one of the goals that drama teachers in the county wanted to reach with the event.

Cathy James, drama teacher at Century and one of the organizers of the event, said she was excited how the night turned out and how the kids seemed to get along.

James opened the evening with a smile as she took in the crowd that enveloped the auditorium. She explained that the Festival of One Acts was created in order to help raise money for another countywide theater event, the annual Drama Fest held in the spring, which consists of workshops including makeup, lighting and stage setup.

She said as a means to raise money and awareness of countywide theater, the Festival of One Acts was a success.

"Everybody helped each other out," James said.

Stefanie McLallen is a student at Century High School and an intern with with The Eagle.

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