The Deering Players came out on top at the Maine Drama Festival Class A regionals, held March 8 and 9 at Thornton Academy in Saco. The Deering High School team beat out several local powerhouse schools in the One Act competition with their production of Peter Bloedel’s The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet. The win means the Deering Players are now headed to the Maine Drama Festival State Class A Finals later this month.

In addition to taking home the Class A trophy, “we won five acting awards,” said Joshua Chard, advisor to the Deering High School Drama Club, as well as being the 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year. “Awards went to freshman Daphne Zager for her portrayal of Nurse, Sophomores Zachary Lee (Narrator 2) and Elizeth Francisco (Benvolio), Junior Claudia Muaka (Narrator 1), and senior Aidan Francis (Romeo). We received the most acting awards of any school. We also received a set design award, and sophomore Spencer Fieldroy was recognized for his lighting design. This recognition is a tribute to the hard work of all members of The Deering Players.” Deering’s acting and backstage company was the most diverse among all of the schools represented at the festival, something that Chard and  technical director Cory Macgowan are particularly proud of.

Achieving the regional finalist status means the Deering Players have earned a coveted spot in the Maine Drama Festival State Class A Finals, which will take place on March 22 and 23 at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport. Deering will perform on Saturday, March 23, at 2:30 p.m. In addition, the play will be presented at Deering High School on Wednesday, March 20, at 6:00 PM to allow the community to come out and celebrate the amazing talent onstage and backstage. Tickets are pay-what-you-can. All proceeds benefit the Deering Players.

This recent success marks a significant milestone for Deering Drama students, following their record-breaking audience turnout for The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet when they presented it at Deering on March 6.  Chard said, “We are in year 4 of my leading the drama club at Deering. We have already plowed through all of the goals on my five-year plan for the program. We are feeling proud and confident and ready to show the rest of the state what it means to be Deering proud!”

Photos: Deering Players students perform in The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet. and technical director Cory Macgowan (left) and drama director Joshua Chard show off the Class A regional trophy the drama students won.