Fredericksburg Parent

28 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • February 2025 Students will take production of "Agnes of God" to national competition next month. Sophie Statler as Dr. Martha Livingstone, Josephine Martinez as Agnes, and Emily Herod as Mother Miriam in "Agnes of God." Photos by Reza Marvashti, courtesy Stafford County Public Schools. For the sixth year in a row, Stafford High School's theater team has secured a chance to compete on a national stage at the Southeastern Theater Conference in March of 2025. The theater department's production of Agnes of God won six top awards—Best Play, Best Actor, two All-Star Cast honors, Outstanding Technical Merit, and Best Set Design— at the Virgina Theater Association conference this past week, earning the slot in the national competition this spring. The Best Actor award went to Josephine Martinez in the title role. All-Star Cast honors went to Emily Herod and Sophie Statler. "The cast and crew also took first place in the Tech Theatre Olympics, winning for their skills in lighting, costuming, and carpentry for the fourth consecutive year," according to a press release from Stafford County Public Schools. Judges at the VTA conference also praised the student performers for their mature han- dling of the play's often difficult themes. Agnes of God is a 1979 play by John Pielmeier about a novice nun who is accused of kill- ing her newborn child, according to a description of the play on the website of its licens- ing company, Concord Theatricals. There are only three characters—the nun, Agnes; the convent's Mother Superior; and a psychiatrist who is appointed by the court to assess Agnes' sanity. "Who killed the infant, and who fathered the tiny victim? Livingstone's questions force all three women to re-examine the meaning of faith and the power of love, leading to a dramatic, compelling climax," the description states. Having won statewide honors for their production of Agnes of God, Stafford High School's theater students are now up for national honors at the Southeastern Theater Conference, to be held in Baltimore in March 2025. They'll compete against top high school productions from across the southeastern United States. Stafford High School previously won a national title at STC in 2011. Stafford High School Theater Production Going to a National Competition WRITTEN BY ADELE UPHAUS "To help Stafford High School's the- ater students seize this exceptional learning opportunity, we invite our community to join in support of their journey to the national stage," the school division wrote in a press release. "This trip to the Southeastern Theatre Conference represents a unique chance for our students to learn, grow, and showcase their talent while proudly representing our school, county, and state." Community support will go directly to covering travel and participation expenses, estimated at $18,000. Donations can be made via Venmo (@shsdramaboosters) or by mailing a check to: Stafford High School Drama Boosters Attn. Michael D'Addario Stafford High School 63 Stafford Indians Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22405 The Stafford High School Drama Boosters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

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