MFHS’ one-act play advances to state in year of historical wins
Marble Falls High School’s one-act play cast poses after winning the regional competition at Atascocita High School and advancing to state. Photo courtesy of Jonathon Clark
Editor’s Note: This story was written by DailyTrib.com spring 2025 intern and Marble Falls High School junior Jack Smith.
Marble Falls High School’s one-act play, “Moby Dick—Rehearsed,” is on a historical winning streak, leading the theater troupe to the state competition May 19 at the Austin Independent School District Performing Arts Center, 1500 Barbara Jordan Blvd. Purchase tickets online.
Marble Falls was one of two schools out of 71 that advanced out of its regional competition held in late April.
For the first time in school history, the MFHS theater company has won first place at district, bi-district, area, and regional competitions. Senior Elliot Rossbach also won best performer at each contest, another school milestone.
“We’re confident in the preparation and work ethic of our company, but we never take anything for granted,” MFHS theater program director Jonathan Clark told DailyTrib.com. “We know that we have to show up and deliver our very best performance the day of the contest in order to be in the running for a state championship.”
This is the eighth year in a row that Marble Falls has advanced to regionals, and it consistently ranks within the top 24 University Interscholastic League Class 4A theater programs in the state.
“We definitely feel good heading into the next contest. We believe this is already one of our strongest shows ever, if not the strongest,” Clark said about “Moby Dick—Rehearsed.” “But we also know that having our strongest show doesn’t guarantee our strongest placement at state. We’re continuing to rehearse with a sense of urgency.”
Originally a two-act play by Orson Welles, “Moby Dick—Rehearsed” follows a theater troupe as they dramatize Herman Melville’s classic novel about a ship captain’s pursuit of vengeance against a giant whale. The Marble Falls cast and crew condensed the production into a 40-minute one-act play, cutting subplots and secondary character arcs and carefully selecting scenes that could be effectively staged within UIL guidelines.
The performance has only gotten better with each competition, Clark said.
“We’ve seen growth across the board, but especially in our ensemble. They are acting, reacting, and fully invested in the show for the full 40 minutes,” he said. “I’ve been incredibly impressed with their commitment and development this season.”
Clark and company are focused on delivering the best performance they can at state.
“No matter how ready we feel, we know that success on contest day comes down to executing when it matters most. But I can say these kids are ready for this moment,” he said. “I’ve been so impressed with their work ethic, kindness, dedication, and respect for the craft of theater.”
Congratulations, Good Luck and very proud of all your hard work.