DMHS Players take Nationals by storm

During summer vacation, while many high school students were working their first summer job, 50 Desert Mountain High School drama students and Randy Messersmith, Theater Arts director, were on the road to nationals to perform their production of The Winters Tale in front of 3,000 thespians from around the world.

Desert Mountain High School Theater students, called DMHS Players, was one of only 10 high schools invited to nationals, which was held in Lincoln, Neb. Students stayed on the campus of the University of Nebraska and were able to go to workshops, including African dance, auditioning, improvisation, and much more. Each day the students gathered in the Lied Auditorium and watched the plays, including Jekyll and Hyde, Proof, Clue The Musical and Godspell.

Several students went through the grueling experience of college auditions and individual event performances. Alex Urbom, a 2004 graduate, was awarded a $1,500 scholarship. Other students, in the junior class, auditioned for college acceptance into their theatre and technical theatre programs. Morgan Sim, Amanda Kekich, Lily Hannan and Bri Slater were called back to some of the top schools in the nation for theatre and technical theatre.

Individual events let students show their talent in musical theatre, monologues and costume design. Many of the Desert Mountain High School students were judged and awarded Superiors for their performances.

Students raised $46,000 to go to nationals through fundraisers, silent auctions, various productions and business and personal tax credit donations.

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