4 Decorah HS speech groups chosen to perform February 21st at the ISU Center in Ames

Performing "The Princess Bride" were (Front row from left): Madelyn Jermier and Gara Lonning. (Back row from left): Helen Johnson, Parker Fretheim, Adam Knight and Katelyn Yee. (Photos by Clara Knudson)(Click on photos for larger images)

A record 14 Decorah HS speech and drama groups have received a nomination to perform February 21st at the All-State Speech Festival at the Iowa State Center on the ISU campus.

DHS Varsity speech groups receiving performance nominations included one-act play, reader's theatre, choral reading, one ensemble acting, one solo mime, one group mime, one group improvisation, one short film, two musical theaters, and two television news.  12 varsity groups were chosen to perform, one 9th grade group will also perform and one varsity group was chosen, but will not perform February 21st.  Those groups honored are:

--Choral Reading: "Where the Wild Things Are" (Directed by Molly Holkesvik and Kristen Underwood) Reese Drenth, Laurel Fadness, Ryan Hageman, Brenna Herrmann, Zyann Hooper, Madison Ihde, Adam Krieger, Christopher Miculinich, Morgan Minear, Katie Perez, Trevor Phillips, Hannah Rooney, Anna Spencer, Anna Swanson and Daiton Tietz.

--Ensemble Acting: "As Is" (Directed by Kristen Underwood and Sarah Magner) Charles Baldwin, Simon Cropp, Olivia Dieschbourg, Paul Fadness, Parker Fretheim and Shelby Stalberger

--Ensemble Acting: "The Santaland Diaries" (Non-Performing)( directed by Molly Holkesvik and Gabe Twedt) Naomi Davidson, McKinley Eide, Loden Henning, Gara Lonning, Kalle Solberg and Richard Weis

--Group Improvisation: (Directed by Kristen Underwood) Devin Brevig, Anne Gulleskon, Chris Hartman, Anna Kane and Caleb Kvale

--Group Mime: "Mayhem at the Movies" (Directed by Sarah Magner) Katelyn Dehning, Ezri Dowden, Serina Kellogg, Shania Kelly, Andrew Larson and Kayla Walter

--Musical Theatre: "There's No Place Like Home" (Directed by Thomas Houdek and Gabe Twedt) Reese Drenth, Micheal Foster, Linnea Kephart, Annika Krieg, Gable Lonning and McKenzie Snyder

--Musical Theatre: "The Princess Bride" (Directed by Thomas Houdek and Sarah Magner) Parker Fretheim, Madelyn Jermier, Helen Johnson, Adam Knight, Gara Lonning and Katelyn Yee

--One Act Play: "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time" (Directed by Thomas Houdek and Kristen Underwood) Charles Baldwin, Garret Baumler, Simon Cropp, Naomi Davidson, Connor Freeman, Clare Gullekson, Chris Hartman, Molly Hovden, Jacob Leeps, Gable Lonning, Teressa Lundtvedt, Isaac Luzum, Drake Schuring, McKenzie Snyder, Richard Weis and Tim Winter.

--Readers Theatre: "FTPR Presents: A Mediogre Radio Play" (Directed by Gabe Twedt and Sarah Magner) Sofiya Andrushinin, Maggie Breitenstein, Linnea Carlson, Gabrielle Cowie, Emma Dambek, McKinley Eide, Ross Gentry, Parker Grinna, Clare Gullekson, Ashley Gulrud, Lara Guzman, Teressa Lundtvedt, Makinzie Monroe, Kally Peterson and Will Yahr.

--Short Film: "You're Not Alone" (Directed by Thomas Houdek, assisted by Tyler Lubke and Jonah Pankow) Claudia Cowie, Tyler Dostal, Martina Ricciardi, Natalie Heffern, Payton Hjerleid, Tyler Lubke, Isaac Luzum, Rylee Monteith, Mary Murphy, Tess Olinger, Brent Schaeffer, Shelby Stalberger, Annika Vande Krol, Tim Winter and Emily Womeldorf.

--Short Film: "Post It" (9th graders) (Directed by Naomi Davidson and Gara Lonning) Nick Bockman, Ethan Chesher, Avery Dugger, Jenna Galligan, Cameron Hamilton, Anna Hanson, Dawson Holkesvik, Jonah Johnson, Nate Larson, Alexandra Nesset, Jarod Phillips, Rachelle Sullivan and Brynne Valkosky.

--Solo Mime: "Dreadful Decisions" (Directed by Sarah Magner) Emily Womeldorf.

--Television Newscasting: KDIS (Directed by Molly Holkesvik, assisted by Dalton Brown) Lauren Bruneau, Lydia Dawley, Micheal Foster, Ashlynn Franzen, Connor Freeman, Chloe Gossling, Kassie Hoyme, Karoline Johnson, Anna Kane, Adam Knight, Ben Leschensky, Monica Malila, Kayla Quandahl, Annika Vande Krol and Everett Wegge.

--Television Newscasting: KING (Directed by Molly Holkesvik assisted by Dalton Brown: "KING" - Josephine Berlage, Sylvia Betteridge, Devin Brevig, Lean Davis, Reid Drenth, Kaylee Fjelstul, Alex Hable, Madison Ihde, James Lange, McKinley Lillegraven, Mary Murphy, Tess Olinger, Drake Schuring, Eric Smedsrud and Kasey Thompson.

"No Place Like Home" was performed by (From left): Gabe Lonning, Reese Drenth, Linnea Kephart, Michael Foster, Annika Krieg and McKenzie Snyder