Wausa-Osmond One Act play is ready for the new season
WAUSA — How good has Wausa High School been in one-act plays?
Well, winning almost a dozen state titles in almost the same amount of years should speak volumes about the juggernaut the program has become.
The combined Wausa-Osmond team finished third last season. It was the first time Wausa competed as a C1 school.
Supt. Brad Hoesing leads the way once again as he enters his 14th year as coach and he will use the writing talents of his wife, Sheila, who has penned this year’s play “La Llorona” for the Wausa kids to make a reality.
“She wrote a production that is based on a Spanish ghost story and it involves kind of a horror format,” Hoesing said. “We’ve had a lot of fun with it and the kids have worked really hard. We aren’t ready yet, but we are making progress. I can’t wait to put it out in public.”
Wausa’s state successes have potentially been partially due to Hoesing’s wife being able to create original material.
“She writes scripts to fit our kids and so it offers us a lot of flexibility,” Hoesing said. “Also when you write your own stuff, that allows you a lot more freedom to change and to adapt on the fly versus working with something that is copyrighted and if you don’t follow the author’s intent you can get in trouble. She’s done a lot of work, but it’s helped us in that regard.”
That is just one part of the puzzle that has led to Wausa’s success over the years, which includes 11 team state titles in Hoesing’s first 13 seasons, which includes going to the finals all those years. Those titles were obtained at the D2 and D1 levels.
“Honestly it’s our kids’ work ethic,” Hoesing said. “They commit to our program and hold themselves to a high level of accountability. I don’t care if you are in football or in business, it comes down to ‘how are you going to work?’ Our kids commit to what I ask of them and that makes a big difference.”
“We have some really talented kids in our speaking roles, and I am really excited about how they’ve adapted.”
The move up to C1 has brought out a new level of competitiveness.
“It brings out a new challenge against these bigger schools,” Hoesing said. “They specialize a little more and our kids, coming from smaller schools, get involved with more things. That’s the beauty of small schools: You get those kids who played on the football, volleyball and cross-country team and at night be in play production. It’s a good thing. You always want to challenge yourself.”
Storyteller: Taylor Kumm Narrator 2: Tyler Baue
Narrator 3 (guitar) Austin Vinson La Llorona (Ghost) Esther Nelson Juan: Dawson Thorell Luis: Carson Barney Josh: Connor Von Rentzell Pedro: Kaden Polt
Viviana: McKayla Hoppe Carlos: Jonah Story Front Spirits (singers): Isabelle Vanness, Kaitlyn Kumm, Melanie Vanness, Shelby Loberg, Jailynn Story, Ainsley Nelson, Ann Woockman, Diandra Polt, Leah Bloomquist, Abrielle Nelson
Side Spirits: Brandon Kristensen, Patrick Vinson, Hannah Hubers, Shelby Timmerman, Alexa Cunningham, Anika Alonzo, Jaxon Claussen, Addison Smith
Crowd Spirits: Clara Schindler, Jarrett Anderson, Taylor Alexander, Tessa Ferry, Alexis Munter, Hayle Krienert, Charlie Price, Jozie Kumm, Lexi Beacom, Emily Kleinschmit, Jaide Kaiser
Townspeople: Molly Beacom, Ashlynn Timmerman, Ashley Wingert, Kaitlyn Walton, James Umberger, Allie Aschoff
Children: Will Hagge, Skyles Kinkaid, Trey McQuay, Morgan Kumm, Cole Story, Hailey Seagren, Holly J, Teyah Anderson, Brooke Kumm
Story Characters
Maria Riley W.
La Llorona Darla Nelson Nobleman Ethan Baue Nobleman Father Jonathan Nissen Child 1 Kenzie Von Rentzall Child 2 Kilee Thorell Story Performers/Spirits: Blair Wakeley, Ali Lundberg, Emily Woockman, Abby Kaiser, Cory Story, Emma Story, Hailey Firth
Angels: Ali Lundberg, Madisyn West
Crew: Michael Vanness, Joe Johnson, Josh Wattier, Tug Dawson, Stephanie Anderson, Derek Gillilan, Kamryn Petarek, Jaidynn Peterson, Mercedes Carl, Alexa Wamberg.
