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Breckenridge High School One-Act Play students pose with their award after placing first in the Zone competition at the beginning of March. The OAP group advanced to the District 8-3A competition and the bi-district competition. (Contributed photo) -
Breckenridge High School One-Act Play students practice during a lock-in held Saturday, March 28. The students held the lock-in in preparation for the UIL bi-district competition which was held Tuesday, March 31 at Graham Memorial Auditorium. (Contributed photo) -
Breckenridge High School One-Act Play students visited the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum in January as preparation for their production of ‘Irena’s Vow.’ (Contributed photo)
Breckenridge High School One-Act Play closed out its season at the bi-district competition with their performance of “Irena’s Vow.”
Following a sendoff from their fellow Breckenridge ISD students, the OAP group took part in the competition Tuesday, March 31 at Graham Memorial Auditorium.
Following their performance, Pazley Funderburg was recognized as Tech Crew, Reyse Hash was named Honorable Mention All-Star Cast and Shaley Cone was named All-Star Cast.
“Irena’s Vow” was written for Broadway by Dan Gordon and recounts the story of Irena Opdyke, who served as a housekeeper for a World War II German major.
Opdyke saves the Jewish workers by concealing them in the Nazi major’s basement until the end of the German occupation. The workers survive and later Opdyke moves to America in the 1980s to start a new life.
BHS students worked hard to research WWII and the Holocaust, even visiting the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum.
“We’ve talked with the playwright and the author himself. He has called us on numerous occasions,” BHS Theatre teacher Cassie Johnson said.
Johnson said the students have enjoyed the learning experience involved with the production.
“I think that’s the coolest part for me too, is seeing how much they’ve learned about the Holocaust. We’ve talked with some survivors,” Johnson said. “It just brings history back to life.”
The OAP students have to perform a 40-minute show that cannot exceed that time, which includes a seven-minute setup and strike. The students have rehearsals twice a week and have been learning all about their show and characters.
“This year they did learn a German dialect and so a lot of them have accents,” Johnson said. “It’s really like a deep dive into history and so they kind of learn everything that the play is about.”
Johnson said the most difficult part of OAP is that the students are involved in so many other school activities and sports that they have to work things around those schedules.
“Our rehearsals are usually 6-9 p.m. at night because they’re involved in everything. ...A lot of our seniors graduated last year and so we have a whole brand new cast. We have four seniors left, so it’s just a whole lot of learning,” Johnson said.
The OAP students competed Saturday, March 7 in the Zone competition and placed first, advancing to the District 8-3A competition. The school was one of three that advanced in the District 8-3A competition Tuesday, March 24.
The OAP group held a lock-in rehearsal Saturday, March 28, with six hours of team building and work to prepare for the bi-district competition.
Johnson said her favorite part of OAP is seeing students who have never acted before realize that they can have a voice on stage.
“We get a lot of kids who are like, ‘I’m not going to act. I’ll do backstage. I’m so scared of people.’ And then when they get on stage they are like, ‘Oh my gosh, it was so much fun,’ and then they come back, and then their friends come back,” Johnson said.
