Another championship for Eastside One Act Team

The One Act Team from Eastside was at it again on Saturday, October 30. The Spartans hosted seven other schools for the first round of Competition. Perennial contenders for the Virginia High School League championship in Division I Competition, many just assume that success comes automatically to the  time champions. The truth however is that each year requires painstaking commitment and incredible dedication from each member.   

Despite their long history of success, Coach Shane Burke faced many new challenges this season, including a drastically reduced prep time due to the impact of COVID-19, which had forced the delay of 2020’s competition until the Spring of 2021.   In addition, Burke worked with a new group of students, many of whom had never experienced competitive theatre before.   

In all 17 students from Coeburn and St. Paul competed in a play entitled, “A Monster Calls” by Patrick Ness. Malik Jallow and Caitlyn Shepherd both won Outstanding Actor Awards, while Kyleigh Harmon, Tayler Banks, and the entire Ensemble won honorable mentions.

The result was a championship for Eastside. “I’m really proud of the team,” Burke said after the big win. “They came a long way the week before competition. There is some incredible competition in Region D and we are proud of everyone who competed.”

The team advances to compete on November 13.