Agoura students win theater contest

Agoura High School theater students received top awards at the Fullerton College High School Theatre Festival competition March 13 and 14, said Elizabeth Brasler, a theater arts teacher at the school.

Students Jake Shillan and Duke Roberts captured first place in the contemporary dramatic scene category for "G.R. Point," a two-act drama by David Berry about the Vietnam War. Roberts also won first place in the contemporary dramatic monologue category. Overall, Agoura High School won the sweepstakes award for the highest average scoring and highest quality acting and direction.

Placing in the finals were students Sydni Adler for humorous dialogue; and Alex Paul, Samantha Hertz and Maddie Petersil for the musical category.

"It was definitely an experience," Shillan said of the competition. "It was tons of fun, definitely tiring (and) completely overwhelming."

Shillan said the 88 schools in the competition included about "1,900 overenergetic, overenthusiastic drama kids."

Although this was Shillan's first year competing in the festival, he said he has been a drama kid for more than 10 years, acting in musicals, small theater and school shows.

Kelly Sparrman was supposed to compete in the musical rendition of "Gypsy" with students Alex Paul and Samantha Hertz, but the stomach flu prevented her from attending the festival. Nevertheless, she was thrilled with the outcome of the competition.

"Basically, we won Fullerton," she said.