On October 27 and 28, 2017, Pinecrest Players performed She Kills Monsters at the North Carolina Theatre Conference play festival. Union Pines High School hosted the festival. There were fourteen schools performing and sixteen shows presented.

 

There are two parts of NCTC: the festival and the organization. The organization is a statewide organization for theatre, advocacy, and education. NCTC involves professional theatre, individual theatre, college and university educators, and high and middle school theatre educators. The festival spans over a period of two weeks. During these two weeks, 93 schools will perform and 126 shows will be presented. Two shows will move on after each festival, one for the judicial pick and one for the audience pick.

 

“This was a lot of fun. NCTC makes me want to continue in theatre,” junior Salah Lucas said.

 

Pinecrest Players performed first on Friday, October 27, 2017. After they performed, they watched the fifteen other shows and spent the day meeting new friends.

 

“I think we did phenomenally, I think the show was amazing and I think it was the best performance that we had of it. This show has been one that has had more student passion and work from the very beginning. Everyone fell in love with it and it shows on stage. I could not be happier with the outcome,” said director and theatre teacher Mr. Adam Faw.

 

Pinecrest was awarded honorable mention. Union Pines was awarded the judicial pick and North Moore High School was awarded the the audience vote. All Moore County Schools placed in the top three places.

 

Pinecrest Players were awarded five other awards. Seniors Ryan Gagnon and Whitney Bennett, and juniors Ayden Peters and Cara Blue were awarded the Excellence in Scenic Design and Production: Scenery, Props, and Weapons Design. Faw was awarded Excellence in Directing. Peters and senior Jacob Parker were awarded Excellence in Acting. Senior Megan Bankos was award the Outstanding Achievement in Design Production: Stage Management and Costume Design award. Bankos received a full scholarship to NCTC College Career Day at Greensboro College.

 

“It felt so rewarding to have worked for something for so long and finally get it. For months, I was being told I was doing a good job, but only by people who I consider my friends. I was grateful they were telling me, but something felt off. My feelings and hard work were finally solidified by the award. Strangers recognized the work I put into the show. Fulfilling is probably the best word to describe the feeling,” Bankos said.

 

NCTC College Career Day is an event to connect students to NC college theatre programs. Students can audition for college representatives or present a portfolio. Parents have an opportunity to attend workshops as well. These workshops vary from covering financial aid to discussing careers a theatre major can pursue.

 

Union Pines and North Moore will continue on to states on November 16-17, 2017. Pinecrest Players will attend the event if either of those schools are unable to attend the state festival. The placed schools also will have a performance night on November 15, 2017 at 6:00 pm.