The Final Curtain Call for the Wisner-Pilger One Act Team

Wisner-Pilger junior Luke Evans earned the highest individual honor for a Nebraska theatre performer by being named "Best Actor" at the C-1 state play production championship Friday at Kearney's Merryman Center. Evans was selected for the honor by the officials who judged the championship. "We were positively stunned," said Gator one-act director Gregg Moeller. "But, Luke put on a terrific performance and justly deserves the honor."

Evans, who played Peon, the slave with an annoying tendency to break into song, is only the second W-P performer to earn such an honor. Sarah Loewe earned "Best Actress" honors for the Gators at the state championships in 1993.

Four other individuals earned "Outstanding Performance" honors, including Nathan Stastny, as Dialysis; Miranda Hammerback, as Clytemnestra; Elise Ortmeier, as Elektra; and Rachel Ohlman, as Cassandra. "To earn Outstanding Performer recognition at state is a high honor," Moeller said. "It is the equivalent of earning 'All-State' honors in athletics." Moeller noted that the five acting honors was a school record for Wisner-Pilger at the state level.

As a team, Wisner-Pilger's presentation of "Saving the Greeks (One Tragedy at a Time)" finished sixth overall, behind state champion Bridgeport, Ord, Nebraska City Lourdes, Omaha Concordia and Geneva Fillmore County. "We were disappointed with our placing, but we were honored to have had the chance to perform at state. I reminded the cast that a lot of schools would have done anything to have the opportunity they earned."

With the conclusion of the state contest, the Wisner-Pilger play production program watched the end of eighteen senior Gator acting careers. Those seniors are: Jacob Biggerstaff, Vanessa Bonenberger, Cassius Dinkel, Brooke Fullner, Melissa Gullickson, Josh Meaike, Lakotah One Horn, Elise Ortmeier, Michael Ough, Kasey Pestel, Alexis Rathke, Brittany Sandall, Abby Schantz, Emily Schlautman, Michael Schutte, Mitch Schweers, Dustin Styskal and Tyson Waterman. "The school, the program, and myself have all been blessed by the senior class' participation and talents. With this year's success, they have set our goals high for future plays."